Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I have a feeling that carbon filtering makes a huge difference, however, after forking out a fair sum of money for my still i've only got about $80 left and i'd love to keep as much of this in my pocket. I've never actually distilled anything and i'm wondering if it's worth even investing into carbon filters, the cartridges are $8 each and they only last one batch so that would mean it's almost twice as expensive to filter the alcohol then to make it.

So i'm asking wether it's worth spending money on filtering and also, if there are any cheap options out there as it's expensive as crap to keep pouring money into Still Spirit's ez filter

would like to know about this.

At a guess people dont carbon filter as they make cuts??? I never distilled before but never seen it mentioned anyway apart from HBS items.

If you make something like a tomato paste wash or plain sugar wash (avoid the turbo yeasts), do a stripping run them save them up and do a spirit run (that way you are double distilling) then make good cuts you should not have to carbon filter it. Really up to you in the end wether you are happy with your product but remember if you fuck up the cuts all you have to do is water it back and run it through the still again!

i got a general idea of cuts, the closer to the middle of the distilling process it is the purer the vodka will be.
yes?
What do you do with the heads and tails? keep them for the next batch and run them through the still again?

Some people do, some people keep them aside and when they have enough faints as they call them then they do a all faints run.

But when I do it I will throw it in the next batch.

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=874

Check that out, really good write up about it.

As said you can always keep the heads and tails as they still have some good gear mixed in with them you will just have to redistill to get it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

i cant say what others do or if im even okay with doing what i am. I got the ez filter with my still package and so far after 5 runs i have yet to change the cartridge. I give it a good rinse and soak after each run and let it dry out and reuse it. someone correct me if i shouldn't be doing this. i dont know :S

seems like the "guidelines" on the pack for just a single use is just a way for HBS to make $$$ outta you.

Carbon filtering won't hurt your spirit or anything like that. Its just that it is a step that shouldn't be necessary , particularly if you are using a good reflux still. I can put the muckiest looking wash though mine and with good cuts it comes out perfect first time every time in one run. of cause if it is pot stripped first it will much faster and by rights even purer but as I get azeotrope with most single runs I'm not sure how much better carbon could make itor if anyone could tell the difference :D

dillsandwich could you compare vodka before and after using the filter?

only deference i have found if that after a filter it its a little bit smoother. but i have also found that unfiltered after a week or so has mellowed and there isnt that much difference between filtered and unfiltered. All my runs have been TPW. and have only run through the filter the once on the ones i did filter

I found when using turbos (before I found this forum) I would put about 6 teaspoons of activated carbon in a litre of 40%. Pit a rag over it and leave it for a few days. Put the lid on and store. When you need it filter it through a coffee filter and it tasted a lot better than the ezy filter I was using. And a lot cheaper

what does it matter if someone carbon filters...by doing it they do absolutely nothing dangerous, un-professional ( as many commercial distillers do it) nor do they affect anything you do...so why do some distillers dump on those who do it...I just do not understand... It does reduce congeners and is another valid way of reducing congeners...the less congeners the less your renal system has to work to process the ethanol we ingest... I say filter away, and do not let the bravado of those who think it is the act of a "lesser" distiller affect you... just laugh as you pass the dialysis unit, that others will inhabit in time... If you think that filtering is the right thing to do...do it. If you do not, the actions of others who do, really has nothing to do with you...filtering is a way of ensuring cleaner product. Something I believe that we all should encourage. Discouraging filtering is the selfish act of those who forget what it was like to start in distilling, to not get every run perfect. To want desperately to make spirit that impresses our friends. Please cut these people some slack. I proudly cabon filter all product that I make tinctures or flavoured product from. And proudly hold those products up to the market to judge...and sell out. I do not filter whiskey, brandy or any product which would be neutralised by carbon... But for the newcomer, filtering is a valid step on the path of distilling. It will render a product without the use of HBS cordials which will make them proud and will encourage them on the path to distilling knowledge. Distilling is not the place for bravado, rather a place for care and conservatism. If it makes it safer to filter please support it. In time many or most stop filtering, but for some it is the right thing to do. Cheers.
Doc

dillsandwitch wrote:i cant say what others do or if im even okay with doing what i am. I got the ez filter with my still package and so far after 5 runs i have yet to change the cartridge. I give it a good rinse and soak after each run and let it dry out and reuse it. someone correct me if i shouldn't be doing this. i dont know :S

seems like the "guidelines" on the pack for just a single use is just a way for HBS to make $$$ outta you.

Give this a read mate ...
http://homedistiller.org/distill/polish/reuse

the Doctor wrote:what does it matter if someone carbon filters...by doing it they do absolutely nothing dangerous, un-professional ( as many commercial distillers do it) nor do they affect anything you do...so why do some distillers dump on those who do it...I just do not understand... It does reduce congeners and is another valid way of reducing congeners...the less congeners the less your renal system has to work to process the ethanol we ingest... I say filter away, and do not let the bravado of those who think it is the act of a "lesser" distiller affect you... just laugh as you pass the dialysis unit, that others will inhabit in time... If you think that filtering is the right thing to do...do it. If you do not, the actions of others who do, really has nothing to do with you...filtering is a way of ensuring cleaner product. Something I believe that we all should encourage. Discouraging filtering is the selfish act of those who forget what it was like to start in distilling, to not get every run perfect. To want desperately to make spirit that impresses our friends. Please cut these people some slack. I proudly cabon filter all product that I make tinctures or flavoured product from. And proudly hold those products up to the market to judge...and sell out. I do not filter whiskey, brandy or any product which would be neutralised by carbon... But for the newcomer, filtering is a valid step on the path of distilling. It will render a product without the use of HBS cordials which will make them proud and will encourage them on the path to distilling knowledge. Distilling is not the place for bravado, rather a place for care and conservatism. If it makes it safer to filter please support it. In time many or most stop filtering, but for some it is the right thing to do. Cheers.
Doc

Here here. Well structured post Doc. I double distill & then carbon filter my neutral be it turbo or TPW.

Thanks for stating that people should just cut others some slack.

I received a box yesterday with 2x 1Kg bags of carbon from ebay .

Guys just to assist those who choose to filter... I will share my method of regenerating your carbon... I buy coconut carbon which is a bit expensive, but is the best I have ever used...however as long as it is activated it will do the job... the thing is you should only ever buy carbon once in your life, as it can, if re activated properly, be used over and over ad infinitum... It happens that just today Ian our young distiller re generated ours... this is how we do it... firstly take your carbon and put it into boiling water for about an hour....if you can no longer smell any funky off smells you are done...then spread it on a baking tray and place into the oven at 220 degrees C for 1 and a 1/2 hours...take out, put into filter ...run water through it to get rid of any voids and pack it in and you are ready to go...repeat this process regularly ( we do it weekly...but we make masses of spirits) and you will have quality carbon for the price of your first pack...for the rest of your life... I know great trick...but hey, buy me a beer some time...Cheers to all.
Doc

Thanks dock you bloody beauty all wee need now is where to buy coconut carbon

Mate I have seen coconut in HBS shops but I bought mine of an online chemistry shop I buy my lab glassware from about 4 years ago...but I would just buy the best you can get locally... the only reason i like the coconut stuff is it is pretty firm and does not seem to turn to powder when it gets a bit of rough treatment. That is all, I don't know that it filters any better. Just it seems to be pretty bombproof...after all we stuff it into the 2 meter long filter tube with a large piece of dowel ...a bit like packing a blunderbuss or an old cannon. Any quality carbon I am sure will do the job. Cheers.
Doc

hi i am brewster31 been a member for a while northern suberbs perth is home been soaking up a lot of knowledge for past 6 months ist post here hope it works ist 3 years used carbon tube type filters you can tell when there stuffed nothing passes thru. put in a pot of boiling water and 2 tablespoons of bi carb soda and watch them fizz.you can see the crap comming off as they boil and it stays on the bottom of the pot.20 mins all done take out and cool. every now and then one does not work use the next one and recyle the dud . 3 filters 3 years filtering lots of product. worked well for me brewster 31

Cheers Doc . Didn't know you could re-use :handgestures-thumbupleft:

And welcome Brewster :handgestures-thumbupleft: ........share the knowledge

Something that's always bugged me .....obviously carbon filtering removes the smelly tails but does it remove heads ?
In the gradual transition from Turbos and low performance reflux still to TPWs and better stills and learning cuts ,I have somehow missed the missing heads bit