Filtering NIGHTMARE!! Why????

[mugwump3]

Ok, I've got a party in 3 days with a group of people very eager to drink my finest beer. Trouble is, I have 3 kegs that haven't had enough time to brighten up.

So I went out and bought a GE water filter with a 5 micron filter (FXWTC I believe is the model number) and built something that resembles this:

http://hbd.org/mtippin/filter.html

But the damn thing just doesn't work! on the 'out' end I get nothing but foam that drips out at 1/100th gallons per hour. I try to back flush... nothing.

Regular water flows through it just fine... but as soon as put beer through it... it all shuts down.

I'm wasting tons of gas and the beer isn't getting any brighter.

What's going on? SAVE ME!! PLEEASE!!!!

 

[hercher]

Sounds like your beer is carbonated. Everything I've read indicates you need to filter prior to carbonation. I'm not really sure why, but this could be part of the reason.

Have you tried chilling down all the parts in your filter? When cold beer its a warm spot in a line, it tends to foam up -- perhaps the same is true with filtration?

 

[SankePankey]

If your beer is carbonated, you mush filter under pressure.
I think cold crashing for 3 days would be better than trying to figure out filtering right now.

 

[Bobby_M]

Explain your setup and process in more detail otherwise there is no way to troubleshoot other than pure speculation. If the beer is carbed at all, you should be putting the filter inline between the beer out line of the full keg and the beer out line of an empty keg. Both kegs should be pressurized to about 20-30 PSI. With the gas connected to the full keg, pull the vent on the empty keg a little to get the flow started. The ideal setup would be to put a spunding valve on the gas port on the empty keg set to a pressure that keeps the beer flowing. Otherwise, you'll have to keep pulling the vent.

The reason why water flows through is that city pressure is like 60psi.

 

[samc]

In addition I doubt a 5 micron filter is going to do all that much. Usually you would do a first pass with something that large and then go smaller, like 1 micron. I've done 1 micron and still had to wait on clearing, depending on the amount of time I cold crashed prior to filtering. It's possible you've clogged the filter with to much trub/yeast in it.

In the end, I decided to let nature take its course and gave up on filtering.

 

[BigdogMark]

I've done the filtering nightmare, multiple filter types, etc. Spilled more than ever got filtered. Only once the filtering seem to do anything.

When I need fast clearing, I go with a package of clear gelatin dissolved in 170 degree water, then allowed to at least room temp. I then stir that into the top of the keg and put it into the fridge. If the beer is already carbonated you have to be very careful as you are going to cause a foam overflow. Make sure you have some head space to work with, and accept the foam as part of the price for having to make the best of a bad situation. I've had remarkably clear beers in 48 hours with the use of gelatin.

I do usually allow them to settle with time now, though if I anticipate moving the keg I may still use gelatin before carbing in order to stick the dregs to the bottom of the keg. It tends to resists getting stirred up.

On the other hand, I would also seriously consider the importance of "bright" beer. Often when I thought it would be an issue, we wound up using opaque plastic cups at the party. And it was dark. No one could see the cloudy beer but loved the flavor. Just sayin', it may not be as big a deal as you think. However, if you are bringing over sober beer buds to show off your goods with some fine barware, then you've got some work to do.

Good luck. Drink a beer, then another, then consider your options. If you still don't have a plan drink another beer.

 

[mugwump3]

You guys are the best!! Thanks for the wisdom.

UPDATE: I went to my LHBS, got some Super Kleer KC and dumped that in. We'll see what happens later today...

...from there, I'll just force carb the ****er and be done with it. (till next party)

Filtering setup: worst $130 ever spent.

 

[mugwump3]

UPDATE: Super Kleer KC worked LIKE A CHARM! VERY happy with this magical shell fish goo. Highly recommended!

Screw filtering! Clarifying agents are the way to go... cheap, fast, easy, and EFFECTIVE!

 

[postalbunny]

Not sure how much that fish goo is... But you can prob get the same affect with Knox gelatin from the grocery store... for about a dollar. Tried it a couple times, seems to have the same effect as 2 Weeks cold conditioning on clarity.

 

[bigbeergeek]

Gelatin FTW.