Filtering with a MiniJet

[Rich]

Filtering your wine with a minijet..

Filtering your wine is the last stage before bottling.

So, your wine should be finished, stabilised, and bulk aged for as long as you want to. I then rack it again so there isn’t any sediment at all in the jar.

The minijet is good, as you can rack with it as well as filter. It doesn’t like bits in your wine though like grape seeds etc. It can rack upwards too, so no need to go lifting heavy carboys up!

First of all, clean the area your using. I’m using the kitchen, as the wife is in bed and can’t argue!

I’ve set the minijet up in the middle of the 2 carboys I’m using, no need to though as the hoses it comes with are quite long.

[Rich]

Unwrap the filter pads you’ll be using and soak them as per the instructions.

I’ve cleaned and sanitised my sink bowl. (100g sulphite in a 1litre spray bottle, Brilliant!)

The filter pads for the miniJet come in 3 types, 1 Coarse for lumpy wines, 2 medium for normal (what I’m using here) and 3 for very fine polishing.

The 3 filter pads go in the bowl of water to soak for a minute or so. Just enough time to strip the filter holder down and give it a sanitising and rinse.

The filter pads have a correct and incorrect way round to sit, the rough side faces the front of the filter assembly, with all the holes lined up. Hopefully the pic shows the rough and smooth sides.

[Rich]

Rough and smooth sides of filter pads..

[Rich]

Pads assembled into filter housing.

I tighten the turnscrews up as tight as I can by hand, then use a rubber square ‘jar opener assistant’ to help me screw them up some more.

The odd tweak on the turnscrews as the filter works helps too. I’ve read that some people use G clamps etc on their minijet. I’ve never felt the need, it doesn’t leak too much unless you block the filters up!

Making sure all the filters are seated correctly before you start is a good idea!

[Rich]

I then run through a couple of gallons of sulphite water to clean any loose bits off the pads.

[Rich]

Once the sulphite water is done I empty the last bit out the carboy and that becomes my receiving carboy.

Then the filter gets to earn its keep!

[Rich]

Nearly there…

Carboy tilted on 2 corks (make sure it’s stable!)

[Rich]

Once all the wine is filtered through and in the receiving carboy it is time to clean the pump. Remember that sulphite water we pumped through originally? Put that back on the intake hose, and the drain tube handily fits into the pump output hose to extend it and that can then fit into the carboy that used to have the wine in. This cleans the pump out, and gets some water into the carboy to clean it!.

Whilst that is pumping, I get an orange cap on the carboy with the wine in, and maybe a few strokes of the vacuvin if there is time!

[Rich]

The pump is clean, so get the filter pads out, then the filter area cleaned up.

[Rich]

The wine is now ready to be bottled. Just 30 bottles or so to clean/de label/sanitise and we'll be away!

Hope this helps someone, (anyone even!) I was a bit dubious about buying a minijet but I now I've used it a few times I really like it.

Pads for it aren't cheap though, but then again neither are the wine kits I'm putting through it!

Rich.

[lockwood1956]

fantastic Rich

well done, you have earned your bed at my house on monday!

cheers dude
Bob