Filtering And Bottle Carbonating

[xa_jg66]

Hi all, new to this forum but been lurking for a couple of weeks - hope this is in the correct section etc.

I would like to filter my beer as im bottling to reduce sediment in the finished beer but i need some residual yeast to bottle carbonate (brew drops). the filter im looking at is a 130micron disc filter which can be easily cleaned, sterilised and reused but a little unsure wether this would leave enough yeast behind to carbonate,

Ayone have any thoughts or better still experience in this area?

Thanks

 

[Thirsty Boy]

130 micron will leave plenty of yeast for carbonation... Mainly because it will leave all of it.

To filter yeast you need something much much finer.

For instance.. A 1 micron filter will give you nice bright beer, and leave just enough yeast to naturally carbonate - if you are patient.

In your case, if what your are looking to do is less to make your beer "bright" from filtration, than simply to minimize your bottle sediment... Then I suggest a 5 micron filter. This will make your beer pretty clear, leave basically the minimum of yeast on the bottom of the bottle - but still plenty for carbonation.

Now, I have to stress, I haven't done it this way. But I do know of home brewers who filter at 5 microns to get pretty good clarity results - and I also know that it's possible to naturally carbonate a beer filtered down to 1 micron. So combining the two leads me to think that a 5 micron filter is probably what you want.

Cheers

Thirsty

 

[xa_jg66]

Thanks for the advice. So i would be wasting my time with a 130 micron filter? I dont seem to be able to source anything finer thats reusable and i also dont think gravity feeding through 1-5 micron is feasible, because i obviously want to keep oxygen and infections away.

 

[Thunderlips]

Thanks for the advice. So i would be wasting my time with a 130 micron filter? I dont seem to be able to source anything finer thats reusable and i also dont think gravity feeding through 1-5 micron is feasible, because i obviously want to keep oxygen and infections away.

You want something like this which can be cleaned and used plenty of times.

http://www.clarencewaterfilters.com.au/sho...p;productId=389

Craftbrewer sells them but their site appears to be down at the moment.

You can also check Ebay, here's one for $25 but I can't vouch for them.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/REPLACEMENT-CARTRID...=item43a298f93b

Note, the above are both 1 micron absolute, not 5 micron.

 

[xa_jg66]

excellent thats what i need then. i would not have thought you could clean/sanitise that style of filter but obviously it is possible.

thanks to all

 

[Thunderlips]

i would not have thought you could clean/sanitise that style of filter but obviously it is possible.

Been a little while since I've used mine but I think a tablespoon of napisan and hot water is all you need and leave it overnight.
Sometimes you'll need to do it twice.

 

[np1962]

You want something like this which can be cleaned and used plenty of times.

http://www.clarencewaterfilters.com.au/sho...p;productId=389

Craftbrewer sells them but their site appears to be down at the moment.

You can also check Ebay, here's one for $25 but I can't vouch for them.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/REPLACEMENT-CARTRID...=item43a298f93b

Note, the above are both 1 micron absolute, not 5 micron.

Craftbrewer site is not taking orders this week as the staff have all gone to Melbourne for Anhc this weekend, will be up again on Tuesday for orders.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I started out with a Clarence Water Filter 1micron absolute filter and hated every minute of its existence. I then (after a great deal of soul-searching) bought a CraftBrewer 1micron filter and have never looked back. There's quite a difference in price, but heaps in value.

The cheaper filter never really sealed that well against the housing so the filtration was rarely, if ever, as good as I wanted/expected. I played with all sorts of kludges trying to make it work. None of that happens with the expensive filter. It just works. Every single time.

Having said that, Keg King have cheaper filters that look different again and might be worth experimenting with.

I pass all my cider through a filter on its way to a bottle. I've got some bottles from most recent batch that are displaying the warning signs of Not Carbonated while others definitely are. I think I should have kept them in the Warm Room for a bit longer...

Stuff to be aware of. Unless you can purge your filter with CO2 beforehand, the first couple of bottles might get more oxidised than you would like. It will also test your sanitation regime.

 

[Crusty]

I started out with a Clarence Water Filter 1micron absolute filter and hated every minute of its existence. I then (after a great deal of soul-searching) bought a CraftBrewer 1micron filter and have never looked back. There's quite a difference in price, but heaps in value.

Not too sure about that.
I have been using greg's 1 micron absolute filters for around 2 1/2 years now & would like to state:

1. Never had any leaking issues
2. Bright crystal clear beer each & every time
3. Soaked in Napisan & water after rinsing, leave for 24hrs, rinse, dry & store in the freezer

I get nearly everything from Ross @ Craftbrewer as he's, IMO, by far the best source of home brewing supplies around. Price is great too.
I get my filters from CWF cause he's only 800m down the road from me.

Crusty

 

[KillerRx4]

I started out with a Clarence Water Filter 1micron absolute filter and hated every minute of its existence. I then (after a great deal of soul-searching) bought a CraftBrewer 1micron filter and have never looked back. There's quite a difference in price, but heaps in value.

The cheaper filter never really sealed that well against the housing so the filtration was rarely, if ever, as good as I wanted/expected. I played with all sorts of kludges trying to make it work. None of that happens with the expensive filter. It just works. Every single time.

Did you buy craftbrewers complete housing/filter assembly or are you talking filter cartridges only?

I am feeling the pain everytime I try to filter with my clarence water filter setup.

 

[Crusty]

Did you buy craftbrewers complete housing/filter assembly or are you talking filter cartridges only?

I am feeling the pain everytime I try to filter with my clarence water filter setup.

What issues are you guys having?
I have a gravity one with the purge button as well as one which has the JG quick disconnects on it. I filter from keg to keg with Co2 & stand the filter upright with the lid not screwed up tight to purge any air out. When it is full I turn off my valve thats coming into the filter ( Co2 line ) screw it up tight, turn it upside down & open up the CO2 valve again. Never had a leak yet & have been doing this for 2 1/2 years now.
I would email CWF & have a chat to Greg & explain how you are filtering. Something wrong somewhere guys.

 

[Banshee]

Here it says yeast is about 3-4 microns in size so wouldn't 1 micron filter out all the yast?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeast

For filters see below

http://www.psifilters.com.au/buy-online/de...diment-filters-[9--x-2.5].html

 

[Thunderlips]

Here it says yeast is about 3-4 microns in size so wouldn't 1 micron filter out all the yast?

As Thirsty Boy said, it should leave enough to carbonate but it'll probably take a while.
I wouldn't have the patience.

So for bottling maybe a 5 micron should be used but I've used one before and my memory of it was not a very clear beer.
Was a while ago though.

I only linked to that 1 micron filter to give xa_jg66 an idea on the kind of filter he should be looking for.
I keg so I use 1 micron and it comes out perfectly clear unless there's some chill haze, but that's another story.

 

[Banshee]

As Thirsty Boy said, it should leave enough to carbonate but it'll probably take a while.
I wouldn't have the patience.

Be waiting a bloody long time to carbonate if there is no yeast in the bottle.

 

[Thunderlips]

Be waiting a bloody long time to carbonate if there is no yeast in the bottle.

Well I don't know about that wikipedia article.

People who have been using beer filters for a while should know best.

This one says a 1 micron filter will filter out 80-90% of the yeast.
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/midwest-bee...ter-system.html

 

[hoohaaman]

Be waiting a bloody long time to carbonate if there is no yeast in the bottle.

Plenty yeast for carbonation.

Can't anyone write/correct wikipedia articles?I'd believe a sub continental cricketer wasn't corrupt or a cheat before wiki.

 

[Banshee]

Well I don't know about that wikipedia article.

People who have been using beer filters for a while should know best.

This one says a 1 micron filter will filter out 80-90% of the yeast.
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/midwest-bee...ter-system.html

Personally I have never tried to carbonate my beer after filtering through my 1 micron. All I know is if you want to get something large through a small hole you have to try and force it.
So what is the normal micron of a yeast cell?

 

[BoilerBoy]

I have been using a 1 micron filter for over 3 years and only bottle, there is no yeast issue it just takes a little longer to carb up...about 4 weeks usually, sometimes longer if the weather is cold.

Cheers,
BB

 

[xa_jg66]

even if i could say halve the amount of yeast/sediment that ends up in the bottle i would be happy. ginger beer in particular has a lot of sediment in it. how would you guys go about it if you were to gravity feed a 5 micron filter? you would have to do it during racking i spose cos it would be awful slow i imagine...

 

[Silo Ted]

Why is filtering on a homebrew scale worthwhile, when there are so many positive reports of using gelatine finings and crash chilling? I have done neither because cloudy beer doesn't bother me, but might start CC'ing some of my paler beers for competition purposes.