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**WortMonger** · 06-15-2008, 05:30 PM

OK, so I got to looking around the house for my juicer after reading a couple of articles about centrifuge separation of stuff like algae http://www.simplecentrifuge.com. So, my juicer lets the liquid go through a paper filter in the side wall of the outer centrifuge as opposed to over the top of this wall like the ones I read about, but... I got to thinking about break separation after the boil and other filtration that something like this might come in handy for. I know I know, we have read all the stuff saying it doesn't matter about wort turbidity and the final product. However, I am wanting to get into lagers and everything I read says the cleaner the wort prior to ferment the cleaner the beer after ferment. I really think this could work well with some minor modification to filter wort. Well... I am bored and my mind screams, "make something!" Figured I'd post my thoughts and some pictures for others to maybe get an idea for something useful.

Looks simple, just pour in some Star-San right before use and fire her up. It would take forever to filter through a coffee filter paper, but this would squeeze it through real nice. I'm thinking it would spin all my hops clean from my hopsack and catch a vast majority of the break leaving me an empty kettle and an even fuller fermenter.

**Yuri_Rage** · 06-15-2008, 06:05 PM

Find a way to pump your wort through that thing in a continuous stream, and you'll be onto something! It's not going to filter it to a point where it's 100% clear, but all the big chunks will likely be left behind. Do a few test runs - maybe using post-fermentation trub just to see what happens.

**WortMonger** · 06-15-2008, 06:22 PM

Hmmm, post ferment trub as well would be great. I was thinking of rigging up a feeder to go in the veggie hole and then a tube over the outlet to collect the runnings into my collection reservoir. I was thinking mainly for sparge filtering and then for post boil filter, but if I could get the thing sealed up and able to run under a counter pressure sort of thing beer filtration/ yeast separation for collection could be a great possibility. I think if I could get the actual non-perforated side that the lighter beer has to crawl up and over the side of would be great for beer filtering and yeast harvest. I am curious as to what kind of aeration I could get after the boil though. If I am running from kettle, to this, to my chiller on its way to the fermenter I should get great aeration from the little blades and the impact of hitting the filter wall don't you think?

GloHoppa · 06-16-2008, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yuri_Rage

Find a way to pump your wort through that thing in a continuous stream, and you'll be onto something! It's not going to filter it to a point where it's 100% clear, but all the big chunks will likely be left behind. Do a few test runs - maybe using post-fermentation trub just to see what happens.

we (being harpoon) are installing just that. currently our filtration system is taken care of by diatomaceous earth filtration. we are outfitting a new filtration room with a larger diatomaceous earth filter and a centrifuge. the beer will run through the centrifuge and then into the filter. this will actually pay for itself over time as it will increase our per-batch yield

**WortMonger** · 06-16-2008, 03:54 PM

I'm really liking this juicer idea more and more now. Man, I could only imagine what one on the mash tun would be like (like a really big one). You could fire it up after sparge and get the remaining wort out, and all of the wort would then run into another centrifuge and clear the big stuff before the kettle. Then after the boil run it through again on its way to the fermenter aerating it as you go. After ferment, you would need to be in a counter pressurizing centrifuge and then you could filter carbonated beer with no loss of carbonation. Of course, you would still have to polish with a finer filter to get to commercial quality clarity just like GloHoppa was talking about them doing at Harpoon. I am just thinking that the course filtration during sparge and after boil would be sufficient to remove more than enough larger solids. I can't wait to try this idea out. I'm thinking I could do it next time on my first-ever lager since the wort is really just pouring through one more device either time. Maybe block off the entrance during sparge for no air entry and then not worrying about it after the boil for aeration. Filter pads would be dirt cheap and are probably the same micron as coffee filters. Anyways, this being just an idea right now has some potential, but I really have to try this for sh!ts and giggles.

**WortMonger** · 06-16-2008, 04:01 PM

GloHoppa, how fine will the true centrifuge get you down too? With this juicer, it isn't really a centrifuge as much as it is a filter pad using gravity to force the wort through it. So, I am ultimately limited by the microns on the pads unlike you guys centrifuge. I am just wondering though how small a particle it will contain without escaping with the finished beer prior to filtration? I bet you guys are gonna save big time on as many filter DE pads. Guess now you can use fewer and finer pads with the same outcome even faster. I used to hate back-flushing our brewery's filter, not to mention the wasted beer. I bet you could filter a wheat through your DE filter and never even bog down after your initial centrifuge.

RobRutler · 11-25-2008, 09:04 PM

I built a centrifuge for filtering wast vegetable oil, and used motor oil for fuel in a diesel pickup.

Your juicer type of centrifuge will be limited to the micron of the filter as you have said.

To run in an enclosed closed hub that fills, and then spills out a hole aligned on its axis willl filter down to 1/10 of 1 micron. Anything with mass will remain in the hub and is forced against the inner wall and will not escape. The diam. of the hub, and the RPM will determine how many G forces the centrifuge will exhibit.

**BigKahuna** · 11-25-2008, 09:18 PM

We have one of these at work. It will spin the wort clear....I'l almost guarantee!

SourHopHead · 11-25-2008, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GloHoppa

we (being harpoon) are installing just that. currently our filtration system is taken care of by diatomaceous earth filtration. we are outfitting a new filtration room with a larger diatomaceous earth filter and a centrifuge. the beer will run through the centrifuge and then into the filter. this will actually pay for itself over time as it will increase our per-batch yield

I heard a nice couple bbl's of increased yield since it was installed. I do not remember when they said it would be paid off, but wasn't very long.

EvilTOJ · 11-26-2008, 12:53 PM

First, a juicer. Next, a modified washing machine permanently stuck on SPIN cycle.