Beer Filter

[Wortgames]

Thanks Tangent, sounds fair.

A couple more questions (for anyone...)

1. Is the filter OK with bleach as a sanitiser or would that taint / damage the filter element? I am thinking of assembling tonight and leaving overnight with a very weak bleach solution to protect / sanitise, before doing the filtering tomorrow night. Iodophor will probably stain overnight.

2. How much brew can you push through in a session? I have four batches to do tomorrow, am I likely to need to flush out the filter in between or will it be good for all four?

3. Is it easy to tell when they are getting clogged?

 

[tangent]

while you're waiting for anyone....

1. I try to avoid bleach with plastic, it soaks up the smell.
2. Depends on how much crud is in the beer.
3. Not really easy to tell. Only a flush reveals just how much crud it's taken out.
I'd flush with boiled water after each batch.


anyone....

 

[Ross]

Wortgames,

I usually filter 4 at a time, but it does depend on how yeasty they are. By the 4th beer it's usually slowing right down & i'll often replace with a new cartridge for this one. I keep slowly increasing the pressure up to approx 100kpa, if the flow stops, you need to replace/clean the cartridge.

cheers Ross

 

[Thunderlips]

Finally, is it best to store the element wet (in sanitiser) or dry it out between uses?

I've always stored mine dry. I used to keep them in the fridge but don't really bother anymore. Sometimes I run sanitiser through them before I filter and sometimes (usually) I don't. Never had a problem.

 

[Wortgames]

Sweet, thanks guys - I think I've got it all sussed out now. Thanks again Ross for the email reply!

I was just a bit paranoid that the filter element might need special care, or that I could inadvertently do something which would destroy its fragile structure or something - but it all looks fairly logical now.

Ross, if you are putting instructions together (not a bad idea probably, given how easily confusable some of us are...) another thing which had me scratching my head for a while was the pre-lubricated o-ring. I couldn't quite figure out why it was pre-lubricated when it appeared that it was going to contact the beer, and would therefore presumably need sanitising. I was trying to figure out how much of this thing I should sanitise and how much I should leave alone - and then it dawned on me while I was writing my first post that the lube is probably just put there by the manufacturer so that it is ready to go for household water right?

Also, another potential speed bump for the uninitiated (ie, me) was that I tend to assume that you use PTFE tape when you want something to go together kind of permanently - but we presumably dismantle everything fully between uses?

I'm really doing a good job of overcomplicating a simple thing aren't I?

Sometimes I think I think too much...

 

[Ross]

I just remove the lines from the JG fittings & submerse the head of the unit & the other parts into a container of non rinse sanitiser. So no, I dont undo the threaded fittings.
The filter cartridge is left in the unit overnight in hot tap water with 1 tsp of napisan - I do this twice, to bring the cartridge back to like new condition. I then rinse thouroughly with water & give a quick submerge in a non-rinse sanitiser, then finally air dry in the sun before storing. A quick spray with a non-rinse on filtering day.

 

[Wortgames]

Thanks Ross.

Does it matter which way up the filter element goes? It is slightly different at each end but I can't really tell from the housing which way (if any) it is supposed to be?

 

[Ross]

Thanks Ross.

Does it matter which way up the filter element goes? It is slightly different at each end but I can't really tell from the housing which way (if any) it is supposed to be?

Either way is fine

cheers Ross

 

[Wortgames]

Thanks Ross.

Now is there any particular tongue position that I should use while filtering - or is the standard slight poke out of the left corner OK?

:beer:

 

[Trough Lolly]

<<<snip>>>
Ross, if you are putting instructions together (not a bad idea probably, given how easily confusable some of us are...)
<<<snip>>>

Here here! h34r:

Is there a set of numpty instructions available on the filter kit? I'd like to read a primer on how to assemble and use the unit before a hand tool challenged person like me buys one! I'm just glad PP beat me to the punch re using a shrinkwrapped filter!

Cheers,
TL

 

[Ross]

Here here! h34r:

Is there a set of numpty instructions available on the filter kit? I'd like to read a primer on how to assemble and use the unit before a hand tool challenged person like me buys one! I'm just glad PP beat me to the punch re using a shrinkwrapped filter!

Cheers,
TL

I'd soon knock some up for you TL . Definatley on the "to do" list...

cheers Ross

 

[Trough Lolly]

Onya Ross!

 

[AndrewQLD]

I'd soon knock some up for you TL . Definatley on the "to do" list...

cheers Ross

I'd be up for a look at that too Ross.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[bugwan]

Probably not of great assistance to those wanting a step-by-step instruction manual, but the whole set up is very simple (or so I found). All connectors are well marked (in/out) and the build quality is definitely heavy-duty.

Here's mine filtering a recent Koelsch. (Iodophor solution is never far away when transferring beer)

Flowing from right to left...from one beer-out post to the other.

 

[tangent]

i don't use a disconnect for the receiving keg, i just open the lid and put the end of the tube in.

 

[Trough Lolly]

i don't use a disconnect for the receiving keg, i just open the lid and put the end of the tube in.

Which means you could bottle some of the filtered beer for samples whilst keeping the filtered keg in long storage - if you can!!

Cheers,
TL

 

[Dr Gonzo]

Which means you could bottle some of the filtered beer for samples whilst keeping the filtered keg in long storage - if you can!!

I very much doubt that Tangent has ever had a keg last more than 2 weeks

 

[Trough Lolly]

Heh, that's why I have 8 kegs - to give a few a fighting chance of lasting more than a fortnight!!

Cheers,
TL

 

[Kingy]

that looks to easy i reckon i could get used to filtering beer. Does it make a huge differance?

 

[tangent]

hehe, i just saw that DrG
now i'm making bigger batches and have commandeered the inside fridge, i'm drinking the first keg in 2 weeks as usual, but have another of the same batch ready to go that HAS been lagering for 2 weeks
You'll have to come by and have another tasting session when SWMBO is at work.