Activated Charcoal Polish build

Treatment and handling of your distillate.

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Tabucowboy
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Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by Tabucowboy »

All,

I read somewhere that alcohol polished thru activated charcoal should be done from the bottom.
Is this correct?
Do I need to wet activated charcoal before doing this?
What proof should alcohol be polished at?
Is 24" long enough filter?

Trying to get as pure vodka as I can. Ran thru pot still 4x, our normal drinking flavor.
Just playing to see if we can taste the difference.

Does this look sensible?
AC.jpg
both storage containers are glass.
CM Reflux Still -- Copper mesh 16" ,column 31" tall, dia. 2",temp at boiler,top of column, power - PAC w5500w Element
Pot Still -- Copper mesh 16",column, 23" tall dia. 2", temp at boiler, power - PAC w5500w Element
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Rrmuf
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by Rrmuf »

I never heard that, but maybe. I think I will rely on gravity: it never breaks down.
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still_stirrin
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by still_stirrin »

activated_book1.pdf
(645.39 KiB) Downloaded 305 times
This booklet has the answers to your “carbon filtering” questions. Enjoy.
ss
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by Yummyrum »

Interesting read SS :thumbup:

I never knew about using hot water to rinse and presoak .Only ever used cold .
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by Rrmuf »

still_stirrin wrote: Thu Jan 28, 2021 7:04 am activated_book1.pdf

This booklet has the answers to your “carbon filtering” questions. Enjoy.
ss
Thanks for the information SS. Lots of new info for me in there. :thumbup: I never seriously considered carbon filtering before.
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

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Any thoughts on whether this might be a good idea for "pre-processing" feints prior to re-distillation?
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by Bushman »

This morning I feel a bit foolish. Because of this post and another I figured out how to open a PDF on my iPad. Unlike my PC it saves and needs to be open with a download button at the top right of my screen. :mrgreen:
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

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Bushman wrote: Fri Jan 29, 2021 5:26 am This morning I feel a bit foolish. Because of this post and another I figured out how to open a PDF on my iPad. Unlike my PC it saves and needs to be open with a download button at the top right of my screen. :mrgreen:
You keep helping us with distilling and we'll do our best to help you with tech. Deal? :lol:
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by cob »

Tabucowboy; if you position your unfiltered container above the stainless filter and the filtered

container below the stainless filter it will still gravity feed. use longer connecting tube and

eliminate the pump. copper or stainless tube are cheaper than stainless pumps 8)

that is unless you already have the pump 8)
be water my friend
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by shadylane »

Rrmuf wrote: Fri Jan 29, 2021 5:08 am Any thoughts on whether this might be a good idea for "pre-processing" feints prior to re-distillation?
Not so much faint's
But I have thought about using activated carbon to "pre-process" low-wines.

Lately, I've been using maple charcoal for a Lincoln county process.
I use a 4" X 48" SS spool, with end caps.
Cap one end of the spool and fill it part way with washed maple charcoal.
Then fill it almost completely full with newmake and cap it.
Lay spool on the shop floor for a day or two before draining it into jugs for ageing
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by Chucker »

Commercially they run from the top down but they limit the throughout rate to effect a minimum contact or contact time. Flow from the bottom may dislodge or disturb the bed and continually float small bits that would more easily be retained by the bed itself. Keeping the column filled, but moving downward is the way. The height and flow rate may be used to calculate the residence time.
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by Saltbush Bill »

For what its worth Ive never heard of anyone filtering from the bottom up.
Id be interested to know where that idea / information came from.
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by Rrmuf »

shadylane wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 5:01 pm
Rrmuf wrote: Fri Jan 29, 2021 5:08 am Any thoughts on whether this might be a good idea for "pre-processing" feints prior to re-distillation?
Not so much faint's
But I have thought about using activated carbon to "pre-process" low-wines.

Lately, I've been using maple charcoal for a Lincoln county process.
I use a 4" X 48" SS spool, with end caps.
Cap one end of the spool and fill it part way with washed maple charcoal.
Then fill it almost completely full with newmake and cap it.
Lay spool on the shop floor for a day or two before draining it into jugs for ageing
I might give it a try with feints then. I don't think it will hurt, and it's probably a good way to learn how to do it. I'm curious as to the ABV effect abd of course whether there is a discernable impact on odour etc.

... I'm thinking about how to get a jug setup atop a ss column filled with carbon.... sort of like the way 20l water jugs and dispensers work.
-- Rrmuf
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by Boozewaves »

Rrmuf wrote: Fri Jan 29, 2021 5:08 am Any thoughts on whether this might be a good idea for "pre-processing" feints prior to re-distillation?
Similarly to what shady wrote I have not tried feints but as an experiment late last year I tried making the cleanest neutral possible (for vodka like the original poster) and so I carbon filtered all the low wines before reflux distilling them as part of the process , I was going to carbon filter again afterwards but it didn't need it . it was the best I had made all year AND it did make cuts easier. hopefully I can recreate it when I start again .

I remember reading in the compleat distiller that alcohol should be about 55 ABV to filter , my low wines all together would have been lower than that . reading that and also joy of home distilling book is what got me into trying carbon . That PDF posted will be added to my homebrew folder , Thanks SS :)

my filter is a wall mounted 2.5 inch wide glass tube with 25 inches of activated carbon in it (I bought one kg) its fed from the top .I'd never heard of feeding from the bottom , I have read commercial distilleries feed steam from the bottom to clean the carbon . this may be a future project for my filter because boiling and rinsing the carbon over and over when it starts to smell like a wet dog is a pain .

filtering more than once can make a difference too
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by Rrmuf »

Boozewaves wrote: Mon Feb 01, 2021 10:55 am
Rrmuf wrote: Fri Jan 29, 2021 5:08 am Any thoughts on whether this might be a good idea for "pre-processing" feints prior to re-distillation?
Similarly to what shady wrote I have not tried feints but as an experiment late last year I tried making the cleanest neutral possible (for vodka like the original poster) and so I carbon filtered all the low wines before reflux distilling them as part of the process , I was going to carbon filter again afterwards but it didn't need it . it was the best I had made all year AND it did make cuts easier. hopefully I can recreate it when I start again .

I remember reading in the compleat distiller that alcohol should be about 55 ABV to filter , my low wines all together would have been lower than that . reading that and also joy of home distilling book is what got me into trying carbon . That PDF posted will be added to my homebrew folder , Thanks SS :)

my filter is a wall mounted 2.5 inch wide glass tube with 25 inches of activated carbon in it (I bought one kg) its fed from the top .I'd never heard of feeding from the bottom , I have read commercial distilleries feed steam from the bottom to clean the carbon . this may be a future project for my filter because boiling and rinsing the carbon over and over when it starts to smell like a wet dog is a pain .

filtering more than once can make a difference too
Thanks for sharing that experience. I will definitely get around to doing this!
-- Rrmuf
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by atarijedi »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 7:03 pm For what its worth Ive never heard of anyone filtering from the bottom up.
Id be interested to know where that idea / information came from.
Could be from the book that SS posted. It talks about filtering from the bottom up. Seems their reasoning is that it is done slower, so there is more contact time between the alcohol and the activated carbon.

They also state that it is an industry standard method.
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by Saltbush Bill »

atarijedi wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 11:50 pm They also state that it is an industry standard method
Cant help but wonder whos industry standard, "the industry standard" or Gert Strands "Industry standard", hes in the game of selling charcoal, filters , turbo yeast , air stills and essences to people who think they need and want such things.
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by atarijedi »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:24 am
atarijedi wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 11:50 pm They also state that it is an industry standard method
Cant help but wonder whos industry standard, "the industry standard" or Gert Strands "Industry standard", hes in the game of selling charcoal, filters , turbo yeast , air stills and essences to people who think they need and want such things.
I agree wholeheartedly. He recommends "stone" carbon in his little book, as well as sells it. Stone carbon, aka anthracite coal carbon, is the last thing I'd recommend anyone use. Coal has heavy metals in it, has compounds like arsenic in it, you can't get away from it. Even making activated carbon by chemical means, there will still be some left over. It's one of the major reasons that the big professional distilleries stopped using it, decades ago. The risk is too high. That he recommends it makes me doubt the veracity of everything else he is saying.
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by Saltbush Bill »

atarijedi wrote: Sat Mar 27, 2021 3:50 am That he recommends it makes me doubt the veracity of everything else he is saying.
Ive never been a fan....to me hes just another wholesaler /retailer in the world of distilling who will sell people anything he can.
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Re: Activated Charcoal Polish build

Post by Chucker »

Boozewaves wrote: Mon Feb 01, 2021 10:55 am
Rrmuf wrote: Fri Jan 29, 2021 5:08 am Any thoughts on whether this might be a good idea for "pre-processing" feints prior to re-distillation?
Similarly to what shady wrote I have not tried feints but as an experiment late last year I tried making the cleanest neutral possible (for vodka like the original poster) and so I carbon filtered all the low wines before reflux distilling them as part of the process , I was going to carbon filter again afterwards but it didn't need it . it was the best I had made all year AND it did make cuts easier. hopefully I can recreate it when I start again .

I remember reading in the compleat distiller that alcohol should be about 55 ABV to filter , my low wines all together would have been lower than that . reading that and also joy of home distilling book is what got me into trying carbon . That PDF posted will be added to my homebrew folder , Thanks SS :)

my filter is a wall mounted 2.5 inch wide glass tube with 25 inches of activated carbon in it (I bought one kg) its fed from the top .I'd never heard of feeding from the bottom , I have read commercial distilleries feed steam from the bottom to clean the carbon . this may be a future project for my filter because boiling and rinsing the carbon over and over when it starts to smell like a wet dog is a pain .

filtering more than once can make a difference too
I’ve been fortunate enough to occasionally have access to some neutral malt base after reverse osmosis processing that was already quite clean and about 15% abv. It makes some rather decent vodka without a lot of applied reflux. Not entirely a pure neutral but not highly nor unpleasantly flavored.
This was made specifically to be treated by membranes and carbon to effectively be flavor neutral without distillation. While not low wines I just found it to be a unique perspective and a good use of free raw material.
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