Cheap 2-Stage Beer Filter

Hey guys, I found a good deal on ebay for some standard 10" filter housings and I am considering setting up a 2-stage beer filter (5-micron >> 1 micron)

It seems that it would be pretty simple and inexpensive. Let me know what you think!

Three filter housings for $34 shipped:
- 1/4" inlet/outlet
- Uses standard 10" filters

http://cgi.ebay.com/Water-Filter-Ho...all_Kitchen_Appliances_US&hash=item5adf4149ce

They also sell the filters in packs of 25 or 50 for less than $1/filter shipped

then use some 1/4" NPT -> 3/8" barb:

http://www.westmarine.com/1/1/37929-1-4-npt-x-3-8-aluminum-hose-barb.html


Then you're in business!

Just my opinion but I think you you have two issues with those type filters;
1. Oxidation
2. Sanitization

Those filters have huge filter surface areas that are filled with air. All that air is not gonna be good for your fermented beer.

I don't know that you could ever get one clean enough to reuse. And even if you were OK with a single use, I think you could have a hard time sanitizing the filter.

You could flood it with starsan which would take car of both problems, but then I think you are going to waste quite a bit of beer flushing the starsan out of the filter.

Ed

What if you flushed with starsan, then flushed with sterile water,THEN ran the beer through it?

52pickup said:

What if you flushed with starsan, then flushed with sterile water,THEN ran the beer through it?

Click to expand...

I would think there would be a bit of waste when you started pushing the beer trough the filter... it would be diluted with water or starsan. With a 5 or 10 gallon batch, I think the waste could be significant.

If you want to filter your beer, you always have the proven option of using a plate filter.

Ed

It seems like they would work. Did you ever try it? I was looking into filtering and came across this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/homebrew-beer-filter-no-more-secondary-ferm-27071/ Can anyone confirm if the oxidation discussed in this thread is an issue with the filters referenced on ebay. I think you are supposed to purge the filter system with CO2 prior to filtering so that may address the oxidation issue? They really are cheap if they would work. Thanks.

I don't bother filtering beer. Although I might give it a try one of these days. When I filter wine, I sanitize with a sodium metabisulfite solution, then flush with water, then run the wine through. WIth white wine it can be tricky to detect when the water is flushed out and the wine is coming out. With red wine, it's easy. I'd think with beer it would be equally easy.

But I doubt oxidation would be an issue anyway. Take a look at the systems that some of the beer supply stores sell for comparison. They are basically what the OP proposed. The process they describe for filtering doesn't mention water flushing. Anyway, you could always flush the O2 out of your filter with CO2 before filtering the beer.

There are a bunch of filtering threads here on HBT.