Trouble with filtering

shard · Post by **shard** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 8:54 pm

Hi! I'm new to making spirits so am just learning the art and trying to do it as cheap as possible at first. The problem is after I distil the mash I put the resulting spirit through a recommended Z filter filled with recommended carbon (Still Spirits brand) and the alcohol content drops about 1/3 and I don't know why. My distilling method leaves the spirit at only 40% as it is so I don't want it any weaker.
I rang the brewer shops here and they say it can't happen, but it does.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated from you REAL experts.
Thanks

Post by **Tater** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 8:57 pm

your carbon wet from being washed when your doing this?

shard · Post by **shard** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 9:03 pm

Yes I read to run water through the carbon filter before using it

Post by **Grayson_Stewart** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 9:11 pm

well water plus alcohol will dilute the alcohol.

possum · Post by **possum** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 9:18 pm

THIS HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I SOAKED MY SPIRIT ON CHARRED WOOD FOR FLAVOR, SPITIT WAS DILLUTED WHEN THE SOAKED WOOD INTERACTED.

shard · Post by **shard** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 9:21 pm

I ran the water through first then let it drain though I didn't then dry the carbon but I didnt think the water trapped in the filter would dilute 4 litres of alcohol from 40% down to 22%

possum · Post by **possum** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 10:07 pm

IF YOU MEASURE YOUR %ABV WHILE THE SPIRIT IS HOT, THAT WILL ALSO DISTORT YOUR APPEARENT %ABV TO READ HIGHER. IF YOU MEASURE LATER, THEN IT WILL APPEAR WEAKER WHEN MEASURED AT A LOWER TEMP.

lawnman · Post by **lawnman** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:18 am

what vol of alchol are you putting through your filter?
i filter at 50%
when fully filtered i check my alcohol %
and if i need to water i down i do so to 40% and generally i do have to water down,with about 1-2lts of water.
i drink it at 40%
somethings going real wrong if your only getting 22%.
try hooking up with some-one close to you or in your area who does brewing and get them to give you a hand or show you what to do.
check the site for members.

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:50 am

Even using a pot still you should be able to get you distillate up to at least 65%. If I'm making whiskey I usually do my tails cut at around 40%. Do you do 2 runs?
All I ever filter is neutral spirits. These are distilled until they are 92-93% AV and then diluted to 60 or 70% or so and then carbon filtered. After the filtering, I dilute them again to bottle strength 40-45%.

Sounds like you are trying to filter low wines.