Charcoal for improving water

[Ragamuffin]

I see that Yunnan Sourcing sells a bamboo charcoal for improving water, and Chawangshop has an olive charcoal for this as well. Anyone have any experience with this?

[Psyck]

I see that Yunnan Sourcing sells a bamboo charcoal for improving water, and Chawangshop has an olive charcoal for this as well. Anyone have any experience with this?

If you use a commercial filter for your water, then you don't need this. If you use water straight from the tap, and if the water has any unwanted smell or taste or chlorine then the charcoal can help remove impurities and improve the taste. It might still be a better idea to get a commercial water filter which is more effective (charcoal is merely one of the elements used in a typical cartridge of a commercial water filter).

[Victoria]

It really depends on your water. I add one bamboo charcoal at the bottom of my Brita filter, sweetens my water slightly. I did try using it in Brita container, and in water jug also, but found it neutralized my water too much. Very good to add for making DanCong.

[Baisao]

The olive pit charcoal is intended for burning under a kettle, in a ryoro, not for water treatment.

The bamboo charcoal is used for water treatment in the belief that minerals from the bamboo will leach into the water, improving its taste. I have tried it and noticed a *minor* difference in flavor, not enough to feel it was essential. It will not filter much of anything as water isn’t being forced through the charcoal as it would in a filter.

It is also believed that not all bamboos are created equal for enhancing water flavor. If the bamboo was grown on a famous mountain it is reasonable to assume that it contains different mineral content than bamboo grown somewhere else. It’s plausible, I supppose, but the minerals could also change during the firing process.

I used it for years mostly because I had it and a little goes a long way, not because I believed it did much other than make a pleasant noise in my kettle as it knocked around.

I would probably avoid it and just use water that tastes good to you.

[Ragamuffin]

Thanks guys!

My tap water is horrible so I use bottled water gallons for making tea, I just thought the charcoal was interesting

[Psyck]

Thanks guys!

My tap water is horrible so I use bottled water gallons for making tea, I just thought the charcoal was interesting

It is the same with me. My tap water is hard, so I purchase RO filtered water for my drinking and cooking etc. There is no need of charcoal for your purchased bottled water as it is already purified (the main purpose of charcoal is purification rather than enhancing the taste).

What is the TDS of your purchased water? If it is RO water with low TDS, you could benefit by some remineralisation. I often mix spring water to the RO water, only a little as deposits form at the bottom of the kettle if I use too much spring water. Interestingly, a single boil of plain RO water removes all said deposits, so I have never had to clean my kettle even after years of usage.

[Emmett]

I use filtered water, but add bamboo charcoal to my water heating kettle.. Really improves the water for me.. Tried many different spring waters and this method I've found to work better, best for my teas.