Why Do I Always Have Trouble Filtering My Black Beers?

[grinder]

I am currently trying to filter an AG porter and I have had to back flush my filter 3 times already!

This is not the first time I have had this problem. It seems that all my dark beers slow down my filter dramatically. It filters aprox 2 -3 litrs then blocks up!.

Is my filter stuffed? or should I just forget about filtering the dark beers all together?

My filter is a 0.5 micron absolute pleated.

The dark beers I have tried to filter are 90% pale grain and the last 10% is made up of torrified wheat, chock malt, crystal and roasted wheat.
Any suggestions??

 

[homebrewworld.com]

Gday Grinder,
Bummer your not filtering as expected !
Explain you filter/ferment process, and i'm sure your prob can be solved.
The colour of you grain has a neg effect on you filtering process ( not clarity anyway )
Wheat, well you only have a tad in there anyway.
No need for back-flush etc,
You can always ask ' Ross' the filter Guru on our forum for advise on filtering !
oNYA rOSS!

 

[grinder]

Finished fermenting (2 consecutive identical FG readings 1.020. starting gravity=1.064), Chill overnight to around 0-4 deg C, Filter.
Don't usually have any problems with the lighter beers i,e lagers, heffe wheats, pale ales etc.\
Should probably let them cold condition for a week or so b4 filtering, but too impatient.

 

[glennheinzel]

Cold conditioning for a couple of days should help because it would drop the heavier stuff out of suspension which in turn should make filtering a bit easier.

Perhaps filter size is a part of the problem? You mention that you are using 0.5 micron absolute filter. I get great results from Ross's 1 micron absolute filters. I can even bottle beers after they've been filtered, although it takes a bit longer to carbonate.

 

[Screwtop]

Rack, cold cond, filter. Why protienaceous stuff like raw/torrified wheat if your filtering.

 

[Duff]

Why filter a black beer?

 

[oldbugman]

I filter all my beers except wheat beers.

 

[Keith the Beer Guy]

Grinder,

I do not filter my beer at home. And I suspect that if there is a god, she would tell you filtering black beer is a sin.

I am guessing you are having problems with the darker beers because the darker malts have more proteinaceous material in them; hence more junk to filter out and in turn more blocked filter pores.

This is probably exasperated by using a pleated filter design (but I am not tied to this suggestion 100%).

And certainly as suggested the finer the filter; the greater the propensity for it to block up. It depends on why you are filtering. If you are filtering to remove all the yeast stick to the sub 0.5 micron baby, if you are just after improved clarity you will get that with a 1 micron filter. The word "absolute" has been used a couple of times in this thread, but I dont know what it means in this sense. Does it mean that no material >0.5 (or 1.0) micron gets through the filter?

Rukh's suggestion to cold condition your beers for a couple of days is going to cost you less money. Drop that temperature as low as you can and leave it there for a while. BOTH the cold temperature thing (and O deg C is much better thean 4 deg C) and the time frame are improtant. It takes time for the proteinaceous material to lump together and fall to the bottom of your container. If you are happy to change filter size (or design) you could give that a whirl.

Cheers,

Keith
ps. And as an aside your apparent attenuation is very low, are you mashing really high?

 

[grinder]

According to my thermometer, I mashed this brew t 65 degrees C. I bought this thermometer at a "House" shop at my local shopping centre.
I am going to buy a new one next week as I consistantly get too higher FG readings IMO. I think it might be inaccurate.

As far as filtering dark beers is concerned. I like to filter all my beers including dark beers as I take alot of pride in the appearance of the finished product, as well as flavour of course. Especially when your presenting your beers to your mates, family, fellow brewers etc, I think that a nice clear beer is important.

I also tend to belive that getting rid of all the suspended rubbish gives the beer a more cleaner, crisper and true flavour. Probably all in my head but it's is what I think anyway.

 

[roger mellie]

Grinder

This may be of absolutely no help to you - but the only beer I have ever had difficulty filtering had a wild yeast infection.

I use a 1 micron pleated (craftbrewer)

The Beer was a dark bitter - I actually stalled my peristaltic pump there was that much stuff in suspension. Ended up chucking it - even after filtering it was still murky.

RM

 

[Kai]

Why filter a black beer?

A bright black beer does look a lot better than a cloudy one.

 

[Hopsta]

A bright black beer does look a lot better than a cloudy one.

To the very discerning eye that would be true, although its still black and tastes the same. I wouldnt bother. But best of luck in working it out :icon_cheers:

 

[Pumpy]

Why filter a black beer?

Funny that all my beers wih a bit of crystal or roasted barley come out really clear.

Why is that so ?

Pumpy

 

[Tony]

dont filter black beer.

use yeast that floccs quick and let it sit in secondary off the primary cake for a week or 2.

instant clear beer.

and yes..... i too think its a sin to filter black beer.

Its like mowing dirt.

Pointless.

cheers

 

[Ross]

Why is filtering black beer pointless against a pale beer :unsure:

If you don't filter that's fine...

But.... The main reason for filtering is to remove the yeast quickly, rather than having to wait for it to drop out. This applies equally to either style of beer. Beer that is meant to be bright, generally IMO tastes crap yeasty.
I filter pale ales to russian imperial stouts...

Cheers Ross

 

[Tony]

yeah but your.........Ross.

you have to filter everything

If you dont..........we will all loose faith in the filter god

:lol: ahhhh its friday night and im having fun.

I do agree... yeast tastes like crap.

cheers

 

[Ross]

yeah but your.........Ross.

you have to filter everything

If you dont..........we will all loose faith in the filter god

:lol: ahhhh its friday night and im having fun.

I do agree... yeast tastes like crap.

cheers

I have to Tony, it's the only way i can keep all 10 taps flowing
Though i'm not filtering my roggenbier going on tap tomorrow, it will be full of yeasty goodness :chug:

Cheers Ross

 

[albrews]

Why filter a black beer?

hi, does filtering produce a white foam or head on the beer.?

cheers, alan

 

[Pumpy]

Why is filtering black beer pointless against a pale beer :unsure:

If you don't filter that's fine...

But.... The main reason for filtering is to remove the yeast quickly, rather than having to wait for it to drop out. This applies equally to either style of beer. Beer that is meant to be bright, generally IMO tastes crap yeasty.
I filter pale ales to russian imperial stouts...

Cheers Ross

Thats a good explanation for the reason to filter Ross

Pumpy

 

[Ross]

hi, does filtering produce a white foam or head on the beer.?

cheers, alan

Hi Alan, the head is unaffected by filtering - The filtering process is simply a substitute for prolonged cold conditioning to remove suspended yeast.
This allows you to drink bright kegged beer as soon as primary fermentation has ceased. Some yeats will drop bright very quickly on their own, others can take weeks. If you have the time/inclination to wait, then little point in filtering. The end product once clear, is the same.

cheers Ross