Beer Filtering Forced Vs Gravity

[TBird]

I've just done my first beer filtering and pleased with the results. I've decided not to filter every brew because in some styles I believe non filtered beer is both appropriate and tastes better.
I filtered using two kegs and forced the beer using co2 as I'm terrified of picking up oxygen in the transfer. I flushed all the lines, kegs and filter with co2 before transferring the beer.
However, it does take up considerable time and resources (an additional keg to clean, sterilize and purge) and want to ask those who filter by gravity if they have any problems with picking up oxygen in their method.
My kegs usually last a couple of months hence my concern in keeping out the dreaded oxygen.
Are my concerns warranted?
Cheers

 

[dougsbrew]

id suggest you continue to purge you filter whether you gravity feed or not.
i cant see any adverse effects from either ways aslong as you purge.
i find the best way to purge is to fill filter with water, then disperse all water
through inlet tube with co2, this ensures the entire volume inside housing is co2.

 

[donburke]

I've just done my first beer filtering and pleased with the results. I've decided not to filter every brew because in some styles I believe non filtered beer is both appropriate and tastes better.
I filtered using two kegs and forced the beer using co2 as I'm terrified of picking up oxygen in the transfer. I flushed all the lines, kegs and filter with co2 before transferring the beer.
However, it does take up considerable time and resources (an additional keg to clean, sterilize and purge) and want to ask those who filter by gravity if they have any problems with picking up oxygen in their method.
My kegs usually last a couple of months hence my concern in keeping out the dreaded oxygen.
Are my concerns warranted?
Cheers

i filter the occasional brew, and do it with gravity

if you let the filter fill up slowly (press the button on the top to allow the air to escape), it will fill with beer and then will not have any air in it, then you can start the flow into the receiving vessel

the amount of air initially in contact with the beer as the filter fills doesnt concern me, and probably not much different than the exposure to air from just using a transfer hose to fill a keg with the hatch open

 

[squirt in the turns]

My method is:
1) Purge the destination keg with CO2. Seal, and leave the gas connected and the reg set at low pressure.
2) Fill the filter housing with Starsan (filter cartridge in place) and screw the lid on
3) Connect the filter to the liquid out post on the destination keg so that CO2 pressure pushes the Starsan out of the filter. Be ready to connect the other filter line to the liquid out on the source keg as you turn off the gas. The filter is now sanitised and purged with CO2, and the system is enclosed.
4) Connect the gas in posts on both kegs together, or use a t-piece and connect them both to the same regulator with a bit of pressure on.
5) Put the source keg higher than the destination keg. Give the pressure valve a quick pull on the destination keg and the flow should start. It can help to disconnect the gas line from the dest keg, pull the release valve, then quickly reattach the gas. Leave until the siphon transfer has finished.
6) Turn of the gas (if connected to a reg), disconnect everything from the dest keg, and release the pressure from the source keg (this stops any residual liquid from surprising you by flying out when you disconnect everything else).

It can take ages, but you don't need to be present at all during the process and it will just sit there when finished - no gas is being consumed and it remains enclosed and protected. Apart from that, it's got all the benefits of both gas and gravity powered filtering.

It's basically the method Ross outlines for keg-to-keg transfers here, with a filter thrown in (that thread probably goes on to say what I've said above. I haven't read it all).

The method is also similar (identical?) to a process Braukaiser describes in his wiki (the lagering page IIRC).

 

[Thefatdoghead]

I filter from primary fermentor to keg. I purge filter lines and keg with co2 then just open the fermentor tap and purge the co2 space in the filter by pressing the relief button on the lid until the beer is at the top. Takes me about 40 minutes to filter 50 litters of beer. I pretty much just follow the instructions on the CB website. I think as long as there isn't to much yeast in suspension you will be good. Iv'e used the filter this way for 3 batches now and all have worked spot on and the beer is bright as the bought stuff.

 

[dent]

How would you filtering guys rate the longevity of the beer in the keg, after filtering?

 

[Spork]

How would you filtering guys rate the longevity of the beer in the keg, after filtering?

Mine lasts 2-3 weeks...

 

[jacknohe]

Mine lasts 2-3 weeks...

LOL!!!
I suspect, like me, Spork drinks his before he would ever have to worry about the beer use by...

 

[Thirsty Boy]

my filtered beer is still in decent shape up to 6 months after kegging.

Purge destination keg as suggested by filling completely with no-rinse. Push out the no rinse with C02 to completely displace ALL the air in the keg. If it so happens that your filter and lines are connected to the keg as you are pushing out the sanitiser, they too will completely fill up with sanitiser, become sanitised and have 100% of the air pushed out of them.

Run your beer from the fermenter into the filter and then keg via the liquid post on the keg. Now its closed all the way and running through/into 100% purged spaces, the only place air is in the system at all, is the stuff that will be pulled into the fermenter as it empties into the keg. Fortunately, you also need to let out the C02 in the keg or it wont fill... Attach a gas qd and some line, pull out your airlock from the fermenter and shove the line in there. Now as liquid falls into the keg, it will push C02 out of the keg, into the headspace of the fermenter at exactly the same rate, precluding the need for air to be pulled in.

Closed air/oxygen free transfer and full displacement of all air.... more or less best practice.

TB