Filter system

Anyone filter? I just started, but I am looking to automate already. The small wine plate filters arent that great. I use a whole house filter. I am thinking of doing 2 in series. A 1 micron for larger sediment, and then into a .5 for clarity. I will prolly use 2 kegs for this too. 1 to hold the beer, and then pressure it from the holding keg through the 2 filters into a storage keg. I was wondering, if I chill my holding keg down to 35 degrees or so, then filter, will that be considered cold filtering for chill haze?

Beermaker said:

Anyone filter? I just started, but I am looking to automate already. The small wine plate filters arent that great. I use a whole house filter. I am thinking of doing 2 in series. A 1 micron for larger sediment, and then into a .5 for clarity. I will prolly use 2 kegs for this too. 1 to hold the beer, and then pressure it from the holding keg through the 2 filters into a storage keg. I was wondering, if I chill my holding keg down to 35 degrees or so, then filter, will that be considered cold filtering for chill haze?

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Sometimes I filter light colored ales. I also have a canister type, the wine filters were just too expensive for something I don't use much. If you decide to use two filters, I'd recommend a 5 or 10 micron followed by a 0.5. A 1.0 would trap almost the same material as a 0.5

A source keg and a target keg is the only way to go. It takes about 10 psi to push everything through the filter.

Chilling is a good move. If possible, pre-chill the filter as well. That will prevent anything from warming up & going back into solution.

I tried gravity flow filtering on the last couple batchs, through cone shaped, heavy paper 'grease filters' from the restaurant supplier. 50 for $12. I used a my large 'tea strainer', about 8 inch diameter, and filter from the brew pot to the fermenter. It took about 8 changes. I think I'll just rack to a secondary, and let it settle in the future. I'll replace filters with patience. I don't mind a little yeast in the bottles, but loose chunks of brown guk are not appreciated.

hey beermaker do you use prolly in everyday language? my buddy insist that he hears people use that term everyday. i deny his thought, he claim he hears me say it, but i dont. it might be a im type of thing coming through in speach..what do you say????

I just started filtering using a house filter with a 5 micron filter. Beer came out crystal clear. It was pretty clear to begin with, probably due to lagering for 3 months. From what I read 5 microns is good for polishing the beer while still keeping it live. What does pass is invisible to the naked eye in the final product. Under 1 micron is more commonly used for stability in the product when being package to be shipped under uncertain conditions. This is also at the cost of removing some of the desired flavors.

Sorry to bring back an old thread but I recently bought a cartridge filter. I have a 1 micron filter and have been thinking of using a 5 micorn filter first to reduce the amount of sediment build up on the 1 micron.

I know a former brewmaster for Labatt's (for 30 years) who now in his retirement is brewmaster of a brewpub. He makes damn good beers too, so don't let the Labatt's part throw you.

Anyway, he said that 1 micorn will not hurt flavor or color and will allow some yeast cells through but not enough to effect calrity or flavor. Below 1 micron and you are starting to have negative effects from filtration. Anything that can sterilize beer through filtration, .5 and lower, is pulling out color and flavor as well. Though it seems .5 is borderline since true sterilization occurs at around .3 microns and lower.


Now the reason I jumped in here is that I forgot to ask him when is to soon for filtering. I just brewed 2 beers 2 days ago and I'm wondering how soon after fermentation stops one can filter. I'd like these ready for St. Patty's day.
One was a stout, the other an IPA.

I know one reason some micro's filter is so that they don't have to wait weeks in the secondary for the yeast to completely drop out, but on the other hand the yeast does need some time to start eating up the byproducts it produced during intitial fermentation.

1 micron filtration with a cannister and two kegs is my set-up. I like it because it gives things a good polish but does strip flavor. I like the little yeast left for stability, but appreciate the reduction in yeast because I keep more friends that way. Some where along the way my gut took a great dislike to yeast.

Brewpastor said:

1 micron filtration with a cannister and two kegs is my set-up. I like it because it gives things a good polish but does strip flavor. I like the little yeast left for stability, but appreciate the reduction in yeast because I keep more friends that way. Some where along the way my gut took a great dislike to yeast.

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Does or does not strip flavor? I'm guessing you meant does not.

Yes, the yeast inspired flatulence... One good way to keep people away form your beer, unless they own gas masks.

I just bought a cheap drill pump and I think I'm going to use that for filltering beer since I can go from carboy to carboy and I will not have to waste so much co2. Especially since I plan to filter at 5 then 1 micron.

Some beers will be left unfiltered, but on occasion I use a yeast strain that just doesn't seem to want to setlle out or I need a batch to be ready quicker than normal. God, with that last satement, I feel like a mega brewery...:cross:

Not to derail this thread, but wont that cheap drill pump aerate the heck out of your beer?

I don't think so. Seems pretty well sealed.