Filtering

[Berserker53]

I'm trying to build a filternand have went with felt and want to use char as well. My question is can I use charred hard lump coal? I have a ton of it but not sure if there is a certain type to use.

[GrumbleStill]

The only two types of of charcoal filtering I’m aware of are activated carbon filtering to clean up a neutral/ vodka, or sugar maple filtering of bourbon, aka the Lincoln County Process. Both are quite specific types of charcoal, and are ground down to a pretty fine consistency. I doubt that lump coal would do the job tbh.

Be interested to hear what others say though.

I’ve assumed (moafa) by hard lump coal you meant the stuff that comes from wood, not the stuff that comes from a mine. I wouldn’t want that in my drink.

Cheers

[Twisted Brick]

Do a Google search and enter:

‘homedistiller filtering with coal’

Results should answer some of your questions.

[still_stirrin]

Here’s a good read for the beginner, especially those who want to filter their spirits.

activated_book1.pdf

Charcoal Filtering

(645.39 KiB) Downloaded 224 times

Good luck.
ss

[contrahead]

I'm trying to build a filternand have went with felt and want to use char as well. My question is can I use charred hard lump coal? I have a ton of it but not sure if there is a certain type to use.

The answer is - you can make a good filter out of charcoal. My question is: what do you mean by “charred hard lump coal”? If you mean wood and only wood charcoal – OK fine. But if you mean anything like bituminous coal ; nope, that's something that might have questionable petroleum like residues in it. No thanks.

This is a picture of a simple, functional water filter that anyone can make. Just pick up dried clumps of charcoal from a campfire and then crush them into a powder. Layers of charcoal, layers of sand and a paper wad at the end of a 2 Liter soda bottle. It should get rid of 99% of the protozoans or chemical crap that you don't want to drink. The principle is simple, but for 'refined spirits' you'd want to use something besides plastic.

The link that still_stirrin offered talks about activated carbon – which is much more expensive and should be more effective than campfire type charcoal. The processes and temperatures involved in making real activated charcoal – remove all the potential poisonous volatiles. That might not at all be the case with your “charred hard lump coal”. Regular simple wood charcoal still works though; its micro pores are just not as numerous or small.

It is reasonable to presume that a used whisky barrel can never be as effective as a new one, because those pores are largely clogged up already – and therefore can no longer function as efficiently as a new filter (barrel).

The choice of charcoal is important. Henry Ford did not invent charcoal, but for Americans – he put it on the map. The die hard capitalist saw all these sawed off stubs of oak rolling around the factory floor, from making Model -T automotive wheels. So he created the charcoal briquette and what was to become the the Kingsford charcoal company.

I would not use any charcoal like Kingsford for example, unless I knew exactly how it was made. According to the Wikipedia page, Kingsford briquettes made today use mineral char and mineral carbon, which means COAL. And I ain't swallowing that...

-------- also
https://www.extraordinarybbq.com/is-roy ... -charcoal/

[Saltbush Bill]

Normal charcoal will do nothing to clean neutral if that's what is wanted, it needs to be proper activated carbon.

[contrahead]

Normal charcoal will do nothing to clean neutral if that's what is wanted....

Such a statement defies 90 years of Tennessee whiskey practice, and tells at least 10 commercial distillerys that they don't know what they are doing. (Perhaps they don't; but they've sold one hell of a lot of product in the meantime).

Activated charcoal is made from natural charcoal. The process vastly increases the degree of microporosity. That does not in any way diminish the fact that natural charcoal still functions as a absorbent and filter. Normal charcoal will help clean neutral. But agreed, it won't be nearly as effective as (properly) activated charcoal.

Define “filter”:
1. A porous material through which a liquid or gas is passed in order to separate the fluid from suspended particulate matter.
2. A device containing such a material, especially one used to extract impurities from air or water.

https://thewhiskyguide.com/best-charcoa ... r-whiskey/
Some Tennessee distillers combine chill filtration along with charcoal filtration. Others outright obviously declare that “(normal charcoal) acts as a natural filter to remove various compounds from the whiskey, which can modify its flavor, contributing to the maturation of the whiskey".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_County_Process
To be labeled “Tennessee whiskey”, maple charcoal filtering is now required by state law.

[OlympicMtDoo]

Very interesting reading contrahead thanks for sharing.

[jonnys_spirit]

LCP is not just JD but JD is probably the biggest supplier of LCP likker worldwide if I had to guess. It's a far cry from Neutral.

AC filtering is a polishing finish for neutral or vodka.

LCP is a whiskey enhancing process.

I might try out some LCP in one of my coming whiskey runs for fun

Cheers,
j

[Saltbush Bill]

AC filtering is a polishing finish for neutral or vodka.
LCP is a whiskey enhancing process.

The facts pure and simple Jonnys_spirit.
The two different methods are used to give two different outcomes to two very different products.
Its the old story, you can eat soup with a fork, but it is the wrong tool for the job.

[OlympicMtDoo]

Great discussion and very interesting to me, two very different applications of carbon filtering for completly different reasons. This is what I love about this forum, do I bonce the ball or dribble it?

[Berserker53]

Yep I was talking about hardwood. I burn coal I. My stove and would bever think to use that. Great information thank you

[Bushman]

Another method is to use filtering sheets.
https://store.proof33.com/collections/filtration
I also filter to clear botanicals especially in liqueurs. This is my Vacuum filtration system.

[OlympicMtDoo]

Damn Bushman i watched the video that is very impressive thanks for that!