Home made wine filter?

[malcmackenzie]

Are you talking about something like the setup in the photo below? This is how I filter most of my wines. I have a vacuum pump with an overflow rig that pulls wine from one carboy through a cartridge type filter and into a receiving carboy. It works like a charm, however, when using very tight filters (0.25, 0.45 micron), it can take some time to filter even 5 gallons.

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Hi Steve
Can you tell me what micron filter you were using in this rig and does the wine come out drinkable clarity? Polished?

Malcolm

[Cellar_Rat]

..good steep at 80 deg for 30 mins at least (Post-boil)

For flavour presumably?

... along with protofoc/Whirlfloc at 15 mins to go before the end of the boil....

I am an irish moss man, but yes 15 before the end.

..Are you doing BIAB Brian? If so, are you putting the hops in a bag during the boil....also how are you emptying the boiler? Maybe cloudyness is protein/hot break carry over from the boil?????

No BIAB. I have the hops in a huge strainer so they are fully free. These are removed whole - after 30 mins and the brew left to cool 'till next day.

[Cellar_Rat]

Good news.

.. but am not sure that it is designed to draw a vacuum for long periods of time..

I am not sure that is a vac pump from the picture. Input-> pump-> filter-> output

1. Wine foams at the end of the filter cycle, make sure you have enough head space.
2. Make sure all your seals are leak proof.
3. Reinforced tubing is stubborn- wonder if I could have gotten away with normal tubing.
4. Filter lasts forever, but threw it out at the end of the session, at 2GBP each, I think I can afford to throw them out after each session. Freezing, drying, keeping it in K-meta until the next filter session sounds too complicated.
5. Having the wifey help is a must

Foam generally means air ingress. Watch your sulphite levels - particularly in ageing white wines.
I suggested whites first because your will easily see the difference. Did you do a taste test too.

You only need reinforced tubing for pump input side. Output normal hose.

Throwing away filters- oooo I need to sit down !!. Reverse the flow, pump 1 DJ of clean water (or until clean). Keep in a jar (plastic lid) with a little K-met till next time. Rinse, insert, use. IF it fails - then throw it out.

You might find filtering red's removes some of the flavour.

Sounds like you had great success. Be interesting to see the finished thing. Nice one thanksf or all the updates.

[krakowmike]

Hi Brian

The foaming happens right at the end when the pump pushes out the last bit of wine from the filter. Do you still think that small amount needs sulphite level monitoring?

[Cellar_Rat]

Not such an issue I thought you meant all the time.

[malcmackenzie]

Hi Brian

The foaming happens right at the end when the pump pushes out the last bit of wine from the filter. Do you still think that small amount needs sulphite level monitoring?

Hello Mike would you mind telling me how many microns your filter is?

[krakowmike]

Hi Malc

I used a 1 micron filter, got them for 2GBP each shipped (in packs of 3) from ebay. http://www.winexpert.com/wine-wiki/show/Filtering+Pads Says that 1.8 micron filter is recommended for kit wines.

[malcmackenzie]

Hi Malc

I used a 1 micron filter, got them for 2GBP each shipped (in packs of 3) from ebay. http://www.winexpert.com/wine-wiki/show/Filtering+Pads Says that 1.8 micron filter is recommended for kit wines.

Many thanks ... but tell me would that filter out all the old yeast at that size? and make it nice and clean?

[malcmackenzie]

Mike

Do you have the ebay link?

[Cellar_Rat]

Many thanks ... but tell me would that filter out all the old yeast at that size? and make it nice and clean?

For that your would need a 'sterile filter'

[krakowmike]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-x-1micro...item1e6f5f8083 Thats the link for th 1 micron filter. But if you search 10" water sediment filter, more companies will come up. I think yeasts are quite large at 5- 10 micron so a 1 micron filter should filter them out.

[lockwood1956]

Just an aside....

Filtering is meant to polish (add sparkle to) an already clear wine, it isnt to clean up cloudy or otherwise not clear wines, gravity will take care of most things.

regards
Bob

[krakowmike]

Yes- the wines I've filtered have been clearing for several months now. That was a first mistake I've made when I started making wine, was trying to filter an unclear wine. Went thought several filters (Harris) which took several hours for 30 bottles.

[krakowmike]

Final price list

1. 3/8" to 1/2" hose adaptor: 2.64
2. 2m of reinforced 3/8" hose: 4.20
3. 10" filter housing: 13.98
4. 3x 1 micron 10" spun filters: 5.95
5. 80 psi 12vdc pump: 23.50
6. electric tape: 0.99
7. 48w AC-DC12 convertor: 8.33
8. 5m 1/2" reinforced tubing: 8.95

total: 67.55

This price includes shipping and 3 filters which will last a very long time. I over spent by 17.55, but had the unexpected expense of th extra house and the 1/2" to 3/8" adaptor. If you plan on making your own filter, make sure to find a filter housing with the same port size as the pump ports.

[malcmackenzie]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-x-1micro...item1e6f5f8083 Thats the link for th 1 micron filter. But if you search 10" water sediment filter, more companies will come up. I think yeasts are quite large at 5- 10 micron so a 1 micron filter should filter them out.

Many thanks for all your help everyone.