Charcoal filter for liquors, need help.

[NScooknet]

Hi All,

Sorry if this is in the wrong thread, I couldn't figure out where to ask this question!

I'm wanting to make my own liquors for x-mas, and am going to buy one of those 20% super yeast kits to make the alcohol base for the liquors, but it says they must be filtered through a charcoal filter before consuming to remove "impurities".

The local wine making dealer sells the flat charcoal filters and the loose charcoal granules, but no filter housings or anything, so I'm wondering exactly how to accomplish the act of filtering this alcohol base.

Is it as simple as simply running the alcohol base through loose charcoal granules? If so, how many times, just one pass through the charcoal?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks,

Chris

 

[TimT]

Can't say I have ever done what you are doing. I have put charcoal granules in a cone coffee filter and recirculated through it to clean something before. That is probably the easiest home method.

 

[rockfish42]

How much is the tax on vodka up there? It'd definitely be cheaper to buy semi-decent vodka in bulk down here and then do the infusion.

 

[NScooknet]

Actually, I was at a flea market today, and had a little "light bulb" idea moment when I spotted a steel mesh coffee filter in a box of junk, and thought of exactly what your suggesting!

I've got a bag of charcoal granules meant for whiskey filtering already, so I'm hoping that will work with the coffee filter thing.

No booze is cheap up here in Canada, it's MUCH cheaper in the USA, I worked out the cost of what it takes to make the alcohol base, and it was $16 bucks for the 8kg of sugar, and $7.95 for the turbo yeast stuff.

Since it makes around 25 liters, that about a dollar a liter, so that's not bad.

Thanks for your help, hope it works.

So do you think I should just do one pass through the filter, or multiple passes?

Chris

 

[JoeyChopps]

Also Midwest sells a charcoal snake. I had one when I did this and it worked really well and its pretty cheap if I remember right

 

[rockfish42]

So do you think I should just do one pass through the filter, or multiple passes?

I'd do a single pass and a quick taste test, though assuming you aren't doing anything other than filtering 20% sugar booze it'll take more than one pass to be tolerable. Standard vodka is filtered 3-5 times if that gives you an idea.

 

[NScooknet]

I'd do a single pass and a quick taste test, though assuming you aren't doing anything other than filtering 20% sugar booze it'll take more than one pass to be tolerable. Standard vodka is filtered 3-5 times if that gives you an idea.

Yup, I'm just making "sugar booze" to make liquors with.

I wonder how many passes the charcoal will take before it stops absorbing the nasty stuff??

I've never made this stuff, so I'm guessing that it will be obvious if it's "drinkable" or not? LOL

Chris

 

[DMartin]

Just run it through a Brita filter? Those things are mostly charcoal.

 

[NScooknet]

Just run it through a Brita filter? Those things are mostly charcoal.

Now that's a great idea!

I even have one of those, never thought of it!

 

[DMartin]

That's an old college trick. Buy a ton of the cheapest rotgut vodka available and run it through a Brita; it comes out at least as good as Stoli/Smirnoff for half the price.

 

[DMartin]

Is the filtering just to improve taste, or does the SuperYeast produce bad chemicals? The reason I ask is I have 2 gallons of brown-sugar-fortified apple cider bulk aging right now at 18%abv. I hadn't even thought of filtering until I read this post, I just bought some of the yeast and used it like wine.

 

[NScooknet]

Is the filtering just to improve taste, or does the SuperYeast produce bad chemicals? The reason I ask is I have 2 gallons of brown-sugar-fortified apple cider bulk aging right now at 18%abv. I hadn't even thought of filtering until I read this post, I just bought some of the yeast and used it like wine.

That's a very good question, hope someone here answers it!

I'm also dabbling in making apple cider, I've got a 6 liter test batch that's already fermented, and awaiting the next step, which I'm currently contemplating.

Apparently, the super yeast only produces chemicals that are nasty to your tongue, but won't kill ya or make you go blind or anything...lol.

At least that's what I was told earlier today when I went to the wine supply shop.

He said that by filtering it with charcoal, it will remove those volatile organic compounds and leave the good stuff behind, and it would taste really nasty before filtering.

So what are you making REALLY hard apple cider?

Chris

 

[DMartin]

Sort of. I was gonna make some apple jack but we have some pretty draconian laws in MD that make jacking just as illegal a distilling. So I just decided to use the SuperYeast to do it legally.

 

[Zamial]

We do not disscuss distilling here on HBT (forum rules) so if that is what this is about keep it to yourself.

As for brewing up a cordial or some other strong drinks there is some good info to be had...

1st Yeast: Turbo yeast is used to make alchohol with the intention of distilling it. (It does not make a drink that tastes good without distilling.) It produces a bunch of nasties that are left behind in the distilling process. It is NOT recommended to use unless it is distilled. There are much better high gravity ale/wine yeasts to use that will get you a MUCH better finished product within a point or 2 of the Turbo Yeast.

2nd: Confusion between filtering and distilling. It seems like some folks here are confused between the 2, they are VERY different. Since we do not discuss 1 of these here Google is your friend.

3rd: If you want to make some cheap "booze like drinks" you can use the before mentioned high grav yeast and then freeze concentrate the drink. Freeze concentration is 100% legal. Many Canadians freeze concentrate apple wine into "Apple Jack" this way, in the winter. My suggestion is to use the high grav ale yeast if ale based or a high tolerance wine yeast if it is fruit/sugar based then freeze concentrate.

4th: Filtering through a Brita pitcher filter is a great way to filter the product but it will/may cause unwanted oxidization flavors (When filtering Vodka this way there is no threat of oxidation as is with homebrewed beers/wines.) The BEST way to filter these beverages IMO would be tro get a filter housing at Home Depot or a home improvment store, keg the drink then purge the system with CO2 and then filter it using a charcoal water filter. This will allow your beverages to keep much longer.

Hope this helps.

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

length of PVC capped on one end.. small hole drilled in the cap...fill with charcoal...slowly drip alcoholic beverage through open end and collect what comes out the drilled cap..repeat until satisfied.

 

[DMartin]

We do not disscuss distilling here on HBT (forum rules) so if that is what this is about keep it to yourself.

That's NOT what we're talking about, so calm down and pay attention. We are talking about using SuperYeast INSTEAD of distilling and using a filter to make it taste better.

Freeze concentration is 100% legal.

Sorry, but that's just incorrect. In most of the United States (although I can only say from experience in MD) there is no legal distinction between freeze concentrating ("jacking") and traditional distilling.

 

[howabouttheiris]

I did this one time by using the kids unpopulated fishtank for a day or 2. Fresh filter and let it cycle for 48 hours.

 

[JefeTheVol]

Ive filtered liquor using the activated charcoal from aquarium filters. Because the carbon is granulated it tends to be very brittle. You wind up with carbon dust in your liquor unless you also use filter paper after the liquor runs through the carbon.

If you want to do this I would advise making a large bore filter as once the filter paper becomes covered in "carbon dust" it tends to slow down filtration. Or you could use a better quality activated charcoal instead of going the ghetto route that I took.
-Jefe-

 

[DannPM]

What is to stop you from running it through like 10 times to ensure a very clean wash? It doesn't take that long does it?

Fill a 7 foot garden hose with granules, cap both internally with steel wool mesh, recirc with a march pump for hours on end. That's what I'd do!

 

[NScooknet]

Hi all,
I'm in NO way attempting to discuss anything illegal or in violation of this forum's rules, what I'm initially asking is the procedure for filtering the 20% base alcohol made from "Liquor Quick" brand Super Yeast X-press product.

There is NO intention of distilling anything, I am simply following the instructions for making liquors like Kahlua type liquors.

I think I've got the right idea now thanks to all your suggestions (thanks for that!) and I think now the only thing left to do is try it out, and see what the results are.

I bought a big industrial funnel that has a stainless steel screen in the bottom, so I'll just fill the funnel with activated distillers charcoal, and run the alcohol base through it.

Hopefully that should do the trick.

I guess the only question now is how many times should I run it through?

10 times really?

Chris

 

[rockfish42]

What is to stop you from running it through like 10 times to ensure a very clean wash? It doesn't take that long does it?

Fill a 7 foot garden hose with granules, cap both internally with steel wool mesh, recirc with a march pump for hours on end. That's what I'd do!

Garden hoses generally contain lead unless stated otherwise, they also often contain carcinogenic compounds. Even a potable water hose for RV use would probably give you some off flavors after being rinsed with 20% alcohol for hours on end.

 

[JefeTheVol]

I once read that if u run it through twice youve done too much. I remembering filtering substances in organic chem and we didnt get any higher efficiency if we filtered twice. I guess it also depends on the amount of filter surface and the contact time.

Activated charcoal has immense surface area; one brick of charcoal has the surface area of a few acres! Dont quote that but the surface area is large. I would think giving proper contact time u would see deminishing return for flavor the more you filter.

 

[NScooknet]

I once read that if u run it through twice youve done too much. I remembering filtering substances in organic chem and we didnt get any higher efficiency if we filtered twice. I guess it also depends on the amount of filter surface and the contact time.

Activated charcoal has immense surface area; one brick of charcoal has the surface area of a few acres! Dont quote that but the surface area is large. I would think giving proper contact time u would see deminishing return for flavor the more you filter.

When you say "diminishing return for flavor" do you mean that some of the alcohol will be absorbed by the charcoal as well as the chemicals that I don't want??

 

[JefeTheVol]

When you say "diminishing return for flavor" do you mean that some of the alcohol will be absorbed by the charcoal as well as the chemicals that I don't want??

No, I mean that the benefit of running through activated charcoal will diminish with each passing through the filter given that the first time it passes through it is given enough surface area of contact.
-Jefe-

 

[NScooknet]

No, I mean that the benefit of running through activated charcoal will diminish with each passing through the filter given that the first time it passes through it is given enough surface area of contact.
-Jefe-

OK, I get it now :0

Thanks!

 

[Dale_3rd]

Turbo yeasts produce some pretty nasty end product. I'd imagine that you'd have to filter it WAY to many times to make it worth it.

If you've making cordials / liquors etc, and looking for around 20% abv, you're better bet is to get some Everclear or other grain alcohol and dilute back to your desired end percentage with distilled water and flavorings.

 

[NScooknet]

I'm not using turbo yeast, I'm using the "Liquor Quick" brand Super Yeast X-press product.

 

[DMartin]

I think the terms are synonymous.

 

[NScooknet]

I think the terms are synonymous.

What do you mean?
They are 2 different products, "Turbo yeast" is sitting right next to the "Super Yeast X-press" on the shelf at the supplier.

I specifically bought the Super Yeast X-press because it is meant for making liquors with.

Am I missing something?

Chris

 

[DMartin]

I stand corrected.