Carbon Filtration and Fluctuating pH Levels

[mcq_101]

Hello Guys and Girls. When dosing my distillate with 10g of Activated Carbon per Liter of 40% ABV, I am seeing a jump in the pH of around .7-.9 . After filtering out in the next 24-48hrs, and letting sit for 7 days, I am seeing the pH drop back to where it was initially at prior to carbon treatment. Does anyone have any info on why this is occurring? Thanks much! Matt

[T-Pee]

Can you comment on this? http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 5#p7202872

tp

[bellybuster]

so you're a commercial distiller?

[mcq_101]

On a contract basis, yes. I do not own/run a commercial distillery of my own. I work for companies looking to improve their products. So basically I get paid to geek out on the chemistry side of making booze.

[T-Pee]

Nice gig!

tp

[rad14701]

I'd be leaning towards oxidation and nucleation being the culprits for the temporary pH swings... Was the activated carbon cleaned/whetted with water prior to introduction into the spirits...???

[bearriver]

I'd be leaning towards oxidation and nucleation being the culprits for the temporary pH swings... Was the activated carbon cleaned/whetted with water prior to introduction into the spirits...???

I've yet to see an example of someone here using carbon properly.

This was a very good read > http://homedistiller.org/activated_book1.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow. I think it has some useful information for anyone thinking about using carbon. Most of all for those interested in making a silver rum. There is a little bit of nonsense included in that pdf that has nothing to do with carbon filtering, especially the last part.

[mcq_101]

Great read! Thanks for sharing. The carbon was wetted, however the quality of AC that I am able to obtain from local sources is not industrial grade. The carbon was not cleaned with this boiling process. I will investigate this asap!

[bearriver]

Carbon filtering is a frowned upon practice by many home distillers here. That is unless it is implemented properly to remove the color from an aged rum. Making it a silver rum.

The majority of carbon users are either novice home distillers that are attempting to clean up swill or mega-distilleries that push deadlines by use of continuous stills = no cuts are made. Without the cuts or carbon filtering you would have a detectably offensive drink.

If someone you are consulting with wants to use carbon filtering on a premium product, you can assert that it is completely marketing nonsense. Someone who ferments and distills with respect for the craft will never need it...except for silver rum

[Doogie]

I don't know if it is "frowned upon" as much as realizing one should investigate the need for it. I have used it on occasion to finish off some product that was "almost" there ... nothing wrong with carbon filtering at all. It is completely safe and acceptable. The only time it is "frowned upon" is when people are using it to push production by being greedy - and that I can agree with.

But I am sure there are a few people around here that will finish a product with some carbon - especially when trying to make a vodka, and depending on their still.

I also know of a craft distiller (one that sells their 3 yr old whiskey for $70-100 per bottle) use it for their vodka to finish it off ... to each their own, but I believe that there is nothing wrong with it, as long as it is a "finishing" agent as opposed to a "fixing" agent. Heck - not all of us have 37 foot multiplated columns to run - so carbon filtering, when done conservatively and properly, can enhance certain types of likker

[Doogie]

More info from the parent site:

http://homedistiller.org/distill/polish/methods" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[bearriver]

Type in carbon into the search engine and you will quickly come to know the what the community usually has to say about using carbon. I wont bother reiterating anymore of it.

That link you provided Doogie is a golden example of the parent site having old and flat out low quality information. The ability to update the information there is beyond anybody's control here at this forum. While the parent site is very useful as a whole, pages like that one can do more harm than good.

Did you look at what the filter was made out of in the first picture?

[Doogie]

yes, I did notice the plastic tubing and such.

But on the original topic, the voices tend to state you do not need carbon, without reference to the producing still. As I stated using carbon is perfectly safe, perfectly legit, when used to finish a spirit (not correct a faulty production run where dilution and redistilling is best). This is used successfully by both members of this site, and by very successful commercial distillers (like grey goose) to produce very good product.

The "community" you mention is usually those that immediately jump onto someone for using carbon without fully appreciating the 1) setup and 2) the final goals of production. Yes, I will concede to you that if you search the forum that you will find more "make cuts better" posts than actual helpful information on using carbon to finish product, but that does not make it accurate

And I really do not think the parent site is loaded with "old and flat out low quality information" - it has flaws, but it also has good info - this is why it is usually referred to for new members ...

[Prairiepiss]

So what is the Ph to begin with? What kind of spirit is it?
What kind of water is being used to dilute it? What was the Ph of that water?

Assuming it is diluted with distilled water and has a Ph of 7? Then you add an activated carbon that can have a published Ph of 9 to 11. Depending on who produces it or the process used in manufacturing it. Well I would think the Ph would rise. But since the activated carbon is a solid. When removed the Ph drops back down to where or close to where it was originally.