Using the Brita Filter for Homebrewing

posted to rec.crafts.brewing, 3/4/96

a. The Brita filter is a combination of activated carbon and ion exchange resins which exchanges H+ for cations and OH- for anions. The filter contains a small amount of silver to prevent bacterial growth.

b. The Brita filter removes sufficient water-hardness ions to render the water very soft (at least Plano, TX and Ottawa, ON tap water), without adding sodium.

c. The Brita filter removes up to 90% of chlorine compounds. It also removes up to 93% of lead and copper. The Brita filter is is certified by NSF International under the following standards:

    - Standard No. 53: Lead Reduction
    - Standard No. 42: Taste, Odor and Chlorine Reduction, Class I
                       Particulate Reduction, Class V
                       Bacteriostatic Effects
                       Copper Reduction
                       Zinc Reduction

d. The Brita filter is designed to filter 1/2 US gallon of water at a time, which takes about 3-4 minutes. The manufacturer recommends that no more than 2 US gallons of water be processed each day in order to maintain filter efficiency. One Brita filter can process up to 35 US gallons of tap water. The Brita filter pitcher costs around $20.00 US and replacement filters cost around $7.00 US.

e. The comparitive pHs are as follows (all samples were measured at 20C):

					Ottawa, ON	Plano, TX
    i.   Tap Water pH                   ~8.0            ~8.0
    ii.  Brita water pH                 ~5.5            ~5.2
    iii. Boiled Brita water pH          ~7.0            ~7.0
    iv.  1 tsp CaSO4/10L Brita water pH ~5.5             NA

f. The water analyses before filtering are as follows (mg/l or ppm):

  
				Ottawa, ON	Plano, TX 
    Calcium (Ca)		17		30
    Magnesium (Mg)		 2		 3
    Sodium (Na)			 3		 9
    Bicarbonates (HCO3)		NA		92
    Carbonates (CO3)		NA		 0
    Sulfate (SO4)		27		27
    Chloride (Cl)		 5.5		12
    Total Alkalinity		28		75
    Noncarbonate Hardness	NA		19
    Total Hardness		58		94
    Chlorine residue		NA		 2.8
    pH				 8.4		 8.0

g. Imperical mashing experiments attest to the Brita's suitability for brewing. The all-grain NA Pilsener batches (2-row pale malt used), I believe, would be the most unforgiving beer style of anomolies in the water. And, I'm satisfied that the water has performed excellently in this capacity. - Ian

h. The Brita filter produces water that is practically ion free, at least for the water tested, and should be treated like pure (distilled) water. This is supported by the fact that the pH of the Brita water rose from pH ~5.5 to pH ~7 after boiling (due to dissolved CO2 being driven off).

The Brita filter is a low-cost, low-flow unit that produces fairly high quality water (at least from my tap water). Partial mashes using pale two row and Brita water resulted in a mash pH of ~4.9. I feel that the Brita filter is best used as a supplemental water treatment system (given the flow restrictions and ion content of the filtered water), but can be used to treat all of the brewing water. - David (Plano, TX)

Many thanks to A.J. deLange for his chemistry help!