Home Distiller

Hi guys

Sorry I haven't been on for a while, I've been preoccupied with other things/business. Anyways, I came up with a little trick that I thought I'd share with you guys that DO actually use carbon filtering. I'm not starting a debate or anything, I personally like to use it.. And I respect anyone who doesn't, Personal preference.

I like to see that my carbon filtering is working, so I decided to put some food colouring into my booze and then run it through my filter. I doubt I am the first to have done this, so If this is something most people do on these forums, excuse my ignorance. But on the off chance that no one does, I thought I'd share this little idea.

This way I can tell if my carbon is ready to throw out or not, and I personally just love SEEING things work.

I hope you guys are all doing well, and I hope that this was worth sharing.

Cheers,
Intoxicated.

PS: I was going to search this before I posted, but I didn't know what to search for.. Sorry if this has been done.

So when food coloring come through the carbon is ready to be washed or tossed out?

rubber duck wrote:So when food coloring come through the carbon is ready to be washed or tossed out?

I assume so, though I wasn't really planning on testing that out. All I really expected from the food colour was to see if the filter was working well enough.. Which it LOOKS like it is, I'm yet to test it. I'm starting to think my little idea isn't as useful as I first thought, but atleast I now know that my filter works nicely.

Maybe someone could enlighten me to if it is wise to chuck out the carbon when a tint starts to come out?

Cheers,
Intoxicated


EDIT: Sorry, misread that Rubber Duck. I don't wash my carbon tbh, I just toss it. I've heard both ends of the argument as far as washing carbon goes and I really haven't made up my mind on it, and I don't have the time/patience to really test it out.

Now, I dont know if food coloring is different but I have filtered some aged whiskey with new carbon, and it goes in brown and comes out brown. The carbon didnt remove the color. But it deffinately affected the taste.

I have been toying with the idea of rather that carbon filtering
How about a teeny tiny drip into a wood charcoal filter that could also add a bit of flavor.
Kinda like a barrel but a slow drip flavor chamber

Thoughts ??

Hi still crazy,

I don't see anything wrong with your idea but do you think that it would be any better than just soaking charred wood in the distillate?

I guess you would just have to do it to find out. Maybe it would pull flavor out without as much tannins (maybe not) but then again, maybe like in wines, those tannins are what gives the aged stuff its depth.