How do you filter your product

All about grains. Malting, smoking, grinding and other preparations.
Which grains are hot, which are not.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
Full_moon
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 191
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 11:58 am
Location: So. Ca.

How do you filter your product

Post by Full_moon »

I do all grain, usually NCHooches bourbon or Jimbos all grain. The filtering I do is after the aging on charred oak to get the fine particles of charred oak carbon out. I filter through a coned coffee filter directly to bottle.
Today I talked to a feller who also does all grain, usually Jimbos all grain. He says he filters through a charcoal filter prior to aging and then again with a coffee filter after aging.
I thought that a carbon filter would take flavor out, although I must admit he makes a good drop. What do you all do? Should I change to his double filter method.
For my boubons, scotchs etc I use a pot still. Havnt used my reflex still in over 2 years. (edit)
Last edited by Full_moon on Sat Sep 02, 2017 1:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13062
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: How do you filter your product

Post by NZChris »

Try it, you might like it. I decant mine and filter any leftover dregs through my liver.
User avatar
kiwi Bruce
Distiller
Posts: 2324
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:38 pm
Location: Transplanted Kiwi living in the States

Re: How do you filter your product

Post by kiwi Bruce »

Bourbons rely on the oak for there predominant flavor, and not on the congeners that make up a good part of the taste in a Scotch or Brandy. A pre-aging filter through charcoal will remove most of the remaining congeners from the spirit, from a column still run ...IF THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT...I like the fact that the trend is going the other way with the reintroduction of the pot still in Corn Whiskey making. This captures the massive flavor of the corn, which gives a great balance with the Oak.
If and when I filter, generally after a cock-up, I also use coffee filters.
Last edited by kiwi Bruce on Sat Sep 02, 2017 2:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Getting hung up all day on smiles
User avatar
Kareltje
Distiller
Posts: 2176
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2016 4:29 pm

Re: How do you filter your product

Post by Kareltje »

I do not age or use charcoal, but I do macerations.
I sieve the larger parts out and than I mostly use a coffeefilter. This I wet a bit with water beforehand, to prevent the fibres to soak up much of the alcoholmixture.
Just leave it resting and precipitating might help too. You can decant the clear fluid for your product and ingest the sediment while you are making it.
Pikey
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2444
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2016 3:29 pm
Location: At the edge of the Wild Wood

Re: How do you filter your product

Post by Pikey »

Wtching "moonshiners" I understand from the one who went "Legit" and his description that it was a requirement of the "Legitness" to carbon filter before ageing. :?

I don't do any such thing what I age is crystal clear - after oaking - kitchen towel in a coffee filter funnel and then make a decision as to whther to let the gut filter the rest or use a coffee filter.
Full_moon
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 191
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 11:58 am
Location: So. Ca.

Re: How do you filter your product

Post by Full_moon »

Karelje
interesting bit about wetting coffee filter. Does this help in the amount of flow through the coffee filter. I know after a bit the amount of flow subsides using a dry (non water wetted filter).
Can you elaborate a bit?
User avatar
Kareltje
Distiller
Posts: 2176
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2016 4:29 pm

Re: How do you filter your product

Post by Kareltje »

Full_moon wrote:Karelje
interesting bit about wetting coffee filter. Does this help in the amount of flow through the coffee filter. I know after a bit the amount of flow subsides using a dry (non water wetted filter).
Can you elaborate a bit?
Sorry: no!
I did not really test it, mainly because I do not have the equipment to test it. And I think the difference is really too subtle to notice.
But if you found a difference, please let us know.

I think after a bit the filtered substances are filling the holes between the fibres and so hindering the flow of the fluid. Anyway, if one uses dry or wet filters.
zapata
Distiller
Posts: 1664
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 1:06 pm

Re: How do you filter your product

Post by zapata »

I always wet filter paper with the solvent, no idea if it matters, picked it up in a lab and do it without thinking. I even wet my coffee filters with water before making coffee now that I think about it!
Anyway, I have a fine ss mesh coffee cone filter I use a lot, its fast, never clogs, doesnt absorb anything. If I'm going to share a bottle, I will typically run it through paper in the same holder.
Personally would never use carbon on whiskey.
User avatar
der wo
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3817
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2015 2:40 am
Location: Rote Flora, Hamburg

Re: How do you filter your product

Post by der wo »

I like freeze filtering.
I put it in the fridge for a night and then pour it slowly through a coffee filter. The difference is not really huge.
In this way, imperialism brings catastrophe as a mode of existence back from the periphery of capitalist development to its point of departure. - Rosa Luxemburg
Shine0n
Distiller
Posts: 2488
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2016 6:00 am
Location: Eastern Virginia

Re: How do you filter your product

Post by Shine0n »

I filter using un-dyed white felt, I put it in a ss funnel folded a couple times and it catches everything.

You can get 5 micron filters from Lowes but for the price of one I can get a yard of felt that has lasted me almost 2 years now.

wash by hand with no soap obviously and hang dry. Good stuff :thumbup:
pigroaster
Novice
Posts: 62
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 5:41 pm
Location: Canada: Where fish say "Eh"

Re: How do you filter your product

Post by pigroaster »

What a super idea. Reminds me of a filter I used to use for maple syrup!
Post Reply