Is carbon filtering vital??

[kronikbud]

I am relatively new to distilling, i have a t500 reflux still. My question is, I up until recently have always carbon filtered my neutral spirit but lately ive just been putting it straight onto JD's oak chips to age and flavour. I havnt noticed any difference in taste from filtered to non filtered neutral and ive been getting what i would consider to be pretty nice stuff. But after a discussion with a fellow distiller i know ive been told that not carbon filtering is extremely dangerous and could poisen or potentially kill someone!!! Is this true???

[kronikbud]

Sorry if this topic is covered somewhere else, i had a look around but couldnt find anything about this...

[rubber duck]

You need to stop going to that brew shop.

It's nearly impossible to poison yourself and if you some how manage to screw up that badly carbon filtering isn't going to help.

Carbon filtering isn't necessary at all as far as safety is concerned.

If you want to use it to make an average vodka better you can but if your run a reflux rig correctly it's not needed.

[kronikbud]

Thanks for that, i thought that was the case but after a long debate with a fellow stiller it got me doubting myself...

[rubber duck]

It was a brew shop that told you that right?

[kronikbud]

Nah it was a friend who has an older reflux, bout 20years old... I have learnt from this site to avoid information from the brewshop...lol

[kronikbud]

However when i first got my still i was told by the brewshop to carbon filter to smooth out the neutral. but like i said i cant taste much difference from filtering to non filtering. If anything the carbon filtered stuff is abit sweet tasting to me...

[rubber duck]

Well sounds like your doing ok, if you like what's coming out of the still then your doing something right.

[kronikbud]

Cheers, yeah im very happy with it and everyone who has tasted it says the same.. I think its better than alot of the store bought stuff! I drunk some Jim Beam on the weekend and it tasted terrible, maybe its psycological but i prefer mine a hell of alot more and i dont get hangovers with my stuff!!! wooohooo.

[LWTCS]

A good recipe and an optimal run strategy while driving your still to ensure good carry over ( or no carry over) and finally some selective blending back at the cutting bench should relagate the need to filter to the "fix a mistake" or "nasty feins" part of your tool box...imo.