Filter Setup 101

[SJW]

I dont filter my beer.......yet...... but do u waste much beer in the filter? It looks like it would hold at least a litre?
And are the filters re-useable?
And do u need to run the beer into the keg via the beer out post or could u just run the beer line in through the opening in the top of the keg?
And where do u get the gravity type of filters?
Steve

 

[Jye]

I dont filter my beer.......yet...... but do u waste much beer in the filter? It looks like it would hold at least a litre?

You can completely drain the filter housing using co2 but via gravity you may leave a bit.

And are the filters re-useable?

Yep, they just need a soak in some sodium percarbonate (napisan) to clean them up.

And do u need to run the beer into the keg via the beer out post or could u just run the beer line in through the opening in the top of the keg?

Through the lid is fine, just run the beer line to the base of the keg like you would normally when racking.

And where do u get the gravity type of filters?

They are the same as normal filters... unless Pumpy has developed something

 

[SJW]

They are the same as normal filters... unless Pumpy has developed something

Maybe it's a question for Ross then as his site says to use co2.?

Steve

 

[Jye]

I have the same filter and have used it under gravity a couple of times no worries.

 

[SJW]

Could u convet a water filter to filter beer?

 

[Pumpy]

The Filter is the same as Ross sells with a lilac Silicone rubber top and bottom from the USA it comes up like new everytime I soak in Napisan .

I do loose about half litre in the filter housing ,its not a big issue for me .

Pumpy

 

[Trough Lolly]

Could u convet a water filter to filter beer?

....do a search in the Gear and Equipment section for "filter" and you'll get heaps of info including answers to this very question (which is yes, but you need to have a method of purging air from the cannister and making sure that you have the right type of filter in the cannister to make the process work efficiently and effectively)...

Cheers,
TL

 

[Jye]

but you need to have a method of purging air from the cannister...

And its nice to have a clear cannister so you can check.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

You do lose a bit to the filter, but you make up some of that by getting more out of the fermenter. Without Filtering, I leave something less a litre in the bottom of the fermenter before it gets too cloudy for my liking. With filtering, I leave about the same amount or less in the filter housing.

If you flush the entire canister and your keg with CO2 before you commence filtering, purging all gas from the thing is less important. You could go in via the beer-out of your keg, letting the CO2 vent out through the pressure release or gas-in and maintain a completely closed system. I've watched Thirsty Boy do this with real kegs and it all seems fairly straightforward.

I don't bother - I just use PET for the first and last two bottles, force carbonate them and they are my 'testers'.

 

[Trough Lolly]

...if you purge the cannister with CO2 and then fill it, I doubt you'd lose all that much if you filter with the cannister inverted...

 

[NRB]

Does that work TL? Doesn't leak through the relief screw?

 

[Trough Lolly]

I was told about inverting the cannister from Ross - no it's fine...

Cheers,
TL

 

[stillscottish]

I dont filter my beer.......yet...... but do u waste much beer in the filter? It looks like it would hold at least a litre?

Steve

I always have 2 or 3 litres left in the fermenter to bottle so any that is left in the filter just gets poured in with that.

Campbell

 

[Ross]

Does that work TL? Doesn't leak through the relief screw?

As TL says, it's fine.

It is the better way of using the filter IMO, as they can be unstable with the lines coming out of the top, also any trapped air will rise to the bottom of the canister, away from where your beer is entering/leaving the unit, reducing the chance of oxidisation.

We are just in the process of releasing a new model, as our current cannisters are no longer made with a relief valve & we have exhausted the importers stock. This will come with an optional stand, so the unit can be run upside down with the lines at the bottom & will make the unit far more stable. I'm pretty sure the stand will fit the old model as well, but will confirm once we get all the parts sorted.

cheers Ross

 

[Trough Lolly]

Thanks for the info on the new gear Ross....my wife's gonna give you a belting if she ever catches up with you!!

On a related note, I like to bottle a couple from each batch as keepers or possible comp entries. Does having the ball valve on the output bush of the cannister allow me to effectively choke down flow to let me fill some bottles relatively undisturbed or is there a better way of filling bottles from the filter unit?

Cheers,
TL

 

[Ross]

Thanks for the info on the new gear Ross....my wife's gonna give you a belting if she ever catches up with you!!

On a related note, I like to bottle a couple from each batch as keepers or possible comp entries. Does having the ball valve on the output bush of the cannister allow me to effectively choke down flow to let me fill some bottles relatively undisturbed or is there a better way of filling bottles from the filter unit?

Cheers,
TL

Hi TL,

Yes, works perfectly - just run a line into the bottom of your bottle & turn off the valve between bottles. The filter should allow enough yeast to carbonate as well, without adding additional yeast.

Cheers Ross.

 

[samhighley]

I'm currently setting up my Craftbrewer filter setup for gravity filtering.

Should my objective be to get the filter unit as low as possible in relation to the output fermenter?

My reasoning is to provide as much 'head' as possible to the filter unit to facilitate pushing the beer through the filter.

So, should I have as long a hose as possible between the fermenter and the filter, or as short a hose as possible?

Sam

 

[Jye]

Hey Sam, you will only need about 0.5 m drop between the fermenter tap and filter. Any higher and the flow rate will be to fast and more yeast will get through.

Of course this depends on how clear your beer is initially, so it may help to have a longer piece of tubing and the height can be increase when the flow rate drops.

 

[tangent]

since I'm purging with CO2, I just give it a little push with some gas at the same time.

Keg into keg.

 

[Darren]

Hey Sam, you will only need about 0.5 m drop between the fermenter tap and filter. Any higher and the flow rate will be to fast and more yeast will get through.

Of course this depends on how clear your beer is initially, so it may help to have a longer piece of tubing and the height can be increase when the flow rate drops.

Hey Jye,

Why would yeast get through the filter?

cheers

Darren