Filtering question for Mike McDole

[breyton]

Mike McDole Wrote: I've tried lower microns with marginally better results and unneeded problems.

Mike,

Could you elaborate on what problems you experienced when going to lower micron rated pads? I typically use the MoreBeer Rough filter, but was thinking about using the Williams 3 micron rated pads on my pale ales and IPAs go give them a brighter appearance.

Also, when you say filtering effects can be addressed by recipe adjustments, can you explain how you have adjusted your recipes based on your experience with filtering. For example, if a recipe from Jamils book calls for 1 oz. of Cascade for dry hopping, when you brew it, would you bump this amount up to account for what ever "losses" filtering may cause? Is there a certain percentage increase in ingredients (amount of hops, etc) that you apply to recipes you brew?

Thanks
Chris
boston, ma

[TastyMcD]

I only use the 3 micron pads when the 7 micron pads fail to clear the beer. That usually implies some sort of protein/tannin and unless the beer is for some special purpose like a friend's wedding or competition, I usually just leave the haze, apologize every time I pour someone a pint, and fix the problem in my process or ingredients. (I'm talking about the pads from Williams here. The last time I used MoreBeer pads they were similar but different.)

When I say to adjust the recipe if you feel filtering has an effect, I'm not saying that's an analytical adjustment before you make the beer but instead a subjective adjustment after you taste the filtered beer. If the beer lacks bitterness, aroma, mouthfeel, or whatever, adjust the recipe or process accordingly. When someone gives me a recipe and I know they don't filter, I never make any adjustments because I feel that filtering has no effect on what I like in beer. I don't have any science but I really doubt that anything good in beer is larger than 7 microns. When someone puts a $5.50 pint of cloudy IPA in front of me, I have to wonder why the brewer would want that stuff floating in there to leave the brewery. I definitely don't want it.

So whether is finings or filtering, for me, it's not beer until it's clear.

Just sayin....

Tasty

[breyton]

Tasty.

Thanks for the quick response.

[Cuda]

Danny,

I feel that I get a better seal with that extra thickness.
Tasty

Me too!!

[BeerPal]

I feel that I get a better seal with that extra thickness.

That's what she said.

[Thirsty Boy]

I'd like to offer an alternative to mike's method.

I too filter basically every single beer I make. I don't use the filter pads though, I use a 10inch household water filter housing and a 1 micron absolute pleated polyester filter cartridge. The original set-up cost is higher than if you use the hexagonal filter and pads.. but the cartridges are washable and good for upwards of 1000L of beer.

In general, I filter directly from my primary fermenter (I don't use a secondary) via gravity through the filter into a keg - but sometimes I will filter from keg to keg, it can be done via gravity, but I usually push it with a bit of C02 pressure.

Here's the filter unit. Note the red button in the top, which allows you to vent any gas that gets trapped in the cartridge.


I will fill a keg with starsan, then push the startsan out with C02, through the filter. This sanitises the keg, sanitises the filter and purges both the keg and filter of all oxygen. I usually push the starsan into a spare keg... then that one is ready to go for next time and I don't waste the starsan.

Then its attach filter to primary and filter into the keg via gravity - this is not my actual system, I don't have a photo, but it is in nearly every way identical


or occasionally If I have transfered a beer to a corny for aging, I will filter from keg to keg


And of course... the money shot. Results! I add PVPP to the fermentor before filtering and with the 1 micron I get diamond bright beer with no chill haze, every single time. This is Denny Con's Rye IIPA and it was in the primary fermentor 2 days ago. Filtering does much of the work of aging and lagering and gets the beer from grain to brain much more speedily (a week or so will still improve this beer though)


Hope that gives a little more info to any potential filterers out there.

Cheers

Thirsty

[saq]

Thirsty Boy,
What model filter is that which you say is washable and reusable? I got that filter kit from morebeer.com but it uses spun polypropylene filters which are non-washable and only good for one 'session'. Granted they are $3 but a washable one sounds nice.

[Thirsty Boy]

I don't have a brand name for you - sorry

But descriptively it is a

1 micron absolute
Pleated polyester
Washable filter

You can get cheaper ones - but they are made of thinner almost paper like stuff and aren't robust enough for multiple use.

Water filtration places will usually have them. Make sure you get good quality (usually American made in this case) filters and make sure its an absolute rating on the microns. Mine Cost about $65 Australian dollars - it will no doubt be stupidly less expensive in the US.

I use 8mm (5/16") John Guest pushfit gas and liquid connectors to deal with all the tubing - they are much much easier than barbs, clamps, nuts and tails etc etc

Cheers

Thirsty