Anyone here filter?

I was thinking it would be nice to get Kolsch crystal clear...not really necessary but might be fun. The majority of what I would need to filter would be chill haze (not yeast). Anyone her use either a 5 micron water filter (pre-filter for RO systems?) or make a DE filter? I've used these and activate carbon for work...but never for beer. I'm not sure if its worth the extra effort.

What the verdict? Is it worth the extra effort?

Thanks!

-Eric

If you have the extra $$ to do it then yeah, its worth it . Its a really nice feeling to see your beer sparkle. I can get the same results from cold storage @34-36F in my converted chest freezer. It's just difficukt to wait 4-6 months for it to clear.

I have a canister type filter, which I'll use about 10% of the time. I like them because there are a lot of different pore sizes available. A 10 micron will take out most yeast and hops particles. A 0.5 micron will make the ale sparkle.

david_42 said:

I have a canister type filter, which I'll use about 10% of the time. I like them because there are a lot of different pore sizes available. A 10 micron will take out most yeast and hops particles. A 0.5 micron will make the ale sparkle.

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Interesting. What was the $ on that and/or have a link somewhere to understand how it functions?

desertBrew said:

Interesting. What was the $ on that and/or have a link somewhere to understand how it functions?

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http://pivo.northernbrewer.com/nbstore/action/search-do?searchTerm=filter

I use an in-line system and CO2 tank to filter b/w two kegs. Works quite well and makes the beer coming out of the tap look even more professional.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/produ...=1199&osCsid=aae64f8b9a9694ed10704db3696ec3dd

Mine doesn't have a cool picture, so I'll describe it. The filter looks like a paint roller, only it is hard. The filter housing is like a jar with a screw top lid with and inlet port and an outlet port. Beer comes in one, passes thru filter and is forced out the other. Filters the whole 5 gallon batch in about 5 minutes with the 1 micron filter.

I just bought this item from my LHBS although mine doesn't have those adapters on the tubing. I'm not ready to use it yet but I was just going to get two out ball locks for my kegs to run it through. Looks like these adapters to be screwed onto the keg? anyone have any experience with this setup?

ScottT said:

http://pivo.northernbrewer.com/nbstore/action/search-do?searchTerm=filter

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How often do you have to replace the filters?

joutlaw said:

How often do you have to replace the filters?

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Each use. They're about $2 for two which you use both. But I only will use this for brews where your looking for a nice clean look. IPA, Pales and maybe the wife's apricot wheat are the only batches I've made thus far where I'd use it. Darker beers, why bother... You need a two keg setup so you can push the beer from one keg to the other through the filter with your CO2 tank.

desertBrew said:

I just bought this item from my LHBS although mine doesn't have those adapters on the tubing. I'm not ready to use it yet but I was just going to get two out ball locks for my kegs to run it through. Looks like these adapters to be screwed onto the keg? anyone have any experience with this setup?

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Those screw type things allow you to have a changeable filtering setup. You'll need either ball or pin lock attachments appropriate to the type of keg you have. The attachments also need to be of the screw on variety instead of the permanently fixed variety.

I don't know if this post is very clear. If it's not, let me know and I'll try to explain further.

cowain said:

Those screw type things allow you to have a changeable filtering setup. You'll need either ball or pin lock attachments appropriate to the type of keg you have. The attachments also need to be of the screw on variety instead of the permanently fixed variety.

I don't know if this post is very clear. If it's not, let me know and I'll try to explain further.

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Yea, I think I got you. The thumb screw items shown in the picture would screw into (maybe) the ball lock attachments. Since I didn't get those, I was just going to purchase 2 new out ball locks and hose clamp the filter lines provided to them. I.e. keep them dedicated to the filter setup.

desertBrew said:

Yea, I think I got you. The thumb screw items shown in the picture would screw into (maybe) the ball lock attachments. Since I didn't get those, I was just going to purchase 2 new out ball locks and hose clamp the filter lines provided to them. I.e. keep them dedicated to the filter setup.

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Right. I had to do the same thing b/c the ball lock fittings I had were not of the screw variety.

I use the canister filter with a 1 micron cartrige. I take my beer from 2ndary, into a 5 gallon keg. Then pressure ther beer through the filter into a second keg with like 2-3 psi. From there, its ready to go. I change cartriges if I filter diff. kinds of beer at 1 time, but use the same one for same beer. Works great so far. But I have been curious, is there a way to isolate and sterilize the filter between weeks of use? Or just better to change out? I change them, just wondering.

Beermaker said:

I use the canister filter with a 1 micron cartrige. I take my beer from 2ndary, into a 5 gallon keg. Then pressure ther beer through the filter into a second keg with like 2-3 psi. From there, its ready to go. I change cartriges if I filter diff. kinds of beer at 1 time, but use the same one for same beer. Works great so far. But I have been curious, is there a way to isolate and sterilize the filter between weeks of use? Or just better to change out? I change them, just wondering.

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Got any pics somewhere of the canister filter setup? This isn't like a water filter thingamabob is it? Could you "reverse" with hot water and then iodophor or something

The actual filter with my setup in the images above is kind of like two 1/16 thick paper plates (looks like asbestos, see below ) that you stick in the middle of the plastic assembly which is the filter. Haven't used it yet and won't be on schedule to even try it for about 5 weeks but I'm suspecting it's a one use item. Either that or the HBS is pulling my chain for extra $ but you're to soak it in water before using so I do believe it's 1 use only.

Beermaker said:

I use the canister filter with a 1 micron cartrige. I take my beer from 2ndary, into a 5 gallon keg. Then pressure ther beer through the filter into a second keg with like 2-3 psi. From there, its ready to go. I change cartriges if I filter diff. kinds of beer at 1 time, but use the same one for same beer. Works great so far. But I have been curious, is there a way to isolate and sterilize the filter between weeks of use? Or just better to change out? I change them, just wondering.

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The instructions for my kit said that once you were done filtering you were supposed to run sanitizing solution backwards through the system (obviously without the keg that is now full of filtered beer). Once you'd pushed the solution back through the filter it was supposed to be good to go again. They recommended storing it in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator.