Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hi guys how are we?

I've got myself a few 1 micron absolute rated filters that I use for my beer. I'm stupidly impatient most of the times and often bugger up things as a result. Was just wondering if anyone has tried filtering their wash with a .45 micron or smaller filter to clear it in less than an hour? I use the 1 micron filter for my beer with Polyclar in it as a filter assist because anything smaller and I'd filter the goodness out but I can get a .22 micron filter for 30 bucks!

This has me thinking... !

Bloke,

never even considered it but I'd be keen to here how it goes...

A few un considered ventings from the grey matter..

if it's a pure vodka well less crap = better

Would it pull the flavour out of a grain wash by filtering out the goodies nfi but would be keen to find out

The price...err I'm a confirmed tight arse so spending money on filters erks me somewhat

Your game play it forward as you you see fit i reckon

bt1

yeah it might work, but my favourite trick is time......... don't be in a hurry. let our yeastie mates do their work & fall out of suspension... racking off the dregs into another clean sanitised vessel (fermenter, cube whatever) and chucking it in the fridge will drop a lot more out. If you want to clear it more you could always use isinglass/gelatine/egg white as finings.. me I couldn't be arsed. I have a 1micron beer filter sitting on the shelf. used it 3 times... get as good a result by following the above process & less cleanup!

croz

PS know anyone who wants to buy a slightly used filter :D

+1 croz,

i use the same method...

I'd like someone else to pay and try it especially for a 2nd run vodka just the same.

bt1

I'm not experienced with Beer though with wine you are asking for trouble if you try and do a 0.45 micron filter straight up. (Sterile filtering). The filters will clog very quickly wasting time the filter and of course money.
The process is as follows to filter wine (not must).
1. Let the wine settle in a tank or similar. You may need to add settling agents to settle out proteins and solids. Depending on the wine some winemakers will cold stabilise as well.
2. Do a course filter.... Say 10 micron
3. Do a fine filter... Say 2 micron

Generally speaking sterile filtering is not required (0.45 micron) though for white wine its more common.

For a spirit mash the principles above apply though probably a waist of time and money.

Time is your best friend.... Let the mash settle then rack... Twice if required.

I was reading the other day of a bloke that uses a pool sand filter on his 200l washs :scared-eek:

In the good old days they used asbestos to filter wine and beer tell the kids of today that and they will not believe you.
Have a old home wine making book that suggests that having asbestos fibers floating in your wine is not a good idea.

I could filter mine with a 1 micron and not run into any trouble, I reckon I could get away with 50L before It got blocked. But like everyone said. Why bother time is your friend.

Use Paint Strainer Bags for 10/20 Litre Tins there cheap and if they clog up tip out the liquid and take outside and hose clean and start again and then use the other filters to finish filtering.

wynnum1 wrote:Use Paint Strainer Bags for 10/20 Litre Tins there cheap and if they clog up tip out the liquid and take outside and hose clean and start again and then use the other filters to finish filtering.

I haven't seen these.. Sounds like a good idea. I have a filter system that uses deposable filter pads though it's really only economical if you are filtering 1000 litres plus. $30 a session... Ok for the winery though not this hobby.
I was also looking at the inline water filter cartridges that are disposable or reusable. I was thinking a 10 micron filter would do the job.
I would would be interested to understand why there may be need to filter down to 1 micron. Is it an issue of quality?
Cheers

I just use one micron as it's what came with my filter. And it's reusable. Just soak in nappy San or sodium percarbonate if you have it until spotless. Haven't bought a new filter in years and $10-15 for a new one on eBay

Normally only filter my beers though. As I mostly do tpw I don't really need to clear or filter it as I do big batches (enough for 7 runs) so it clears well by itself

I really dont get it.... if we let the wash settle (reasonably) and dont have solids which may attach to an exposed element(burnt taste), then... arent we merely evaporating vapour/alcohol...not solids. They should have zero impact in the wash as they are not contributing to the product and are left behind in the boiler at whatever size they may be. The way i see it is that over filtering is a waste of time and money as they do not get drawn up into the alcohol.

Is the process of distillation not an absolutely perfect filter?
Most commercial distilleries distill with the grain and all in the still.

mattcoffs wrote:Is the process of distillation not an absolutely perfect filter?
Most commercial distilleries distill with the grain and all in the still.

Hi Mattcoffs, I cannot comment on commercial operations though I don't really want to stuff a run with suspended solids in the wash. I note you have the same equipment as me... I would be interested to understand what level of filtering or settling you do. Cheers

Commercial guys are also running double boilers and/or agitators in the boilers ;-)

At a hobby level, letting a wash clear for a few days is more than enough settling, in my opinion.

Wineleader wrote:

mattcoffs wrote:Is the process of distillation not an absolutely perfect filter?
Most commercial distilleries distill with the grain and all in the still.

Hi Mattcoffs, I cannot comment on commercial operations though I don't really want to stuff a run with suspended solids in the wash. I note you have the same equipment as me... I would be interested to understand what level of filtering or settling you do. Cheers

At the moment I leave it to settle and rack it off the top.
I am however working on a false bottom and recirculating pump which in theory should allow me to strip with grains in the still with no burning and no tripping the thermostat (as the hot water trapped under the grain bed is pumped to the top.

That setup is more so I can BIAB beer in my boiler too (i'm in an apartment so space and storage matters). But i think it would achieve this too.

WL, if u have the T500 boiler with the concealed 2kw element (and no additional element internally exposed) then you will not burn or impact a wash, even running flat stick. That said, a simple power controller will assist in producing a slower takeoff and subsequently, better product. Dont over think it.