Filtering wine

[Lurker]

your right no air release hmmm, can anybody suggest a good filter thats worked for them, out of sears, ace, lowes, homedepot...yada yada, I live in the midwest. I think I'm gonna take this back, didn't know what to looke for...live and learn.

General Electric at Home Depot

 

[KSKOH]

Do you use a vacuum or air pump to increase the flow through the filter or just gravity? How long does it take for a 6 gallon carboy? I have 10 6 gallon carboys that will need to be bottled in the next six months and any help I can get to speed the process would be appreciated.

If you have pictures of the setup, that would be very helpful.

Thanks
Ken

 

[homer]

This is about as cheap as it gets. Its works fine but is a little slow. I have this and have used it for years. It takes about 45 minutes from start to finish with 6 gallons.
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=5292

Wade, could I not hook up my new vacuum pump to the bottom carboy and pull the wine through the gravity filter quicker? bk

 

[mxsteve625]

If you do use a home house filter, how long, or how many 6 gallon carboys can you get out of one filter. Also, if you can get more then one time out of a filter, how long can wait till you filter your next batch of wine with the same filter. Red wine only. Happy Holidays To All

If you want to reuse your filter, there is a good article in the Wine Makers Manual that talks about backwashing and perserving with 100 proof vodka.

It's up to the individual which way they want to go.
Heres a link winemakers manual[1].pdf (620.5 KB)

View attachment winemakers manual[1].pdf

 

[Runningwolf]

Steve looking over the filtration chapter real quick I could not find that artical. What I did find was this:
One-micron (nominal) depth type cartridges cost about $4, and they are suitable for rough filtration of all types of wine. Either 0.5-micron (nominal) depth cartridges, costing about $7, or 0.2-micron (nominal) depth cartridges costing $20 can be used for polish filtration. A 0.2-micron nominal cartridge is preferred for final filtration of white and blush wines.

I disagree with this paragraph. Without my wine being totally free of sediment I would not use a 1 micron filter that they recommend for rough filtration. I use the 1 micron to polish all of my wines. Folks using the mini jet filter with the #2 pad are also using 1 micron. If I had to do a rough filtration I would use a 3 or 5 micron.

I do reuse my filter cartridges as they cost 40-60 dollars a piece. I do not backwash them as the filter was designed for the fluid to go in, not out and I dot not want to hurt the membrane. I run about 3-4 gallons of cold water through mine followed up with a 1 hour soaking in PBW and then another 3 gallons of cold water through it. The cartridge is then stored in a canister with a k-meta/citric acid solution.

With that said, if I was just using a 5 dollar house filter, I would wait till I had a lot of wine to filter and then just toss it.

 

[mxsteve625]

Dan
Here it is from chapter 22: It does discuss the use of 5 micron filters. I like your way of storing used filters better.

Wine FilterInexpensive but effective wine filters can be made from standard, 10-inch cartridge type water filters.
These filters are available at hardware stores, and a variety of cartridges are manufactured to fit these
standard housings. Five-micron water filter cartridges are available at hardware stores. These
cartridges are inexpensive, and they are useful for rough filtering large quantities of wine. However,
a 5-micron cartridge is quite porous and will not completely clarify dirty wine. One-micron cartridges
are used for general clarification, and many home winemakers use cartridges with 0.5 or 0.2 micron
ratings for filtering wine at bottling time.
Wine Filter UseAll filter media should be washed before any wine is filtered. First, completely assemble the filter
system, and then flush the system with several gallons of clean water. The water coming out of the
filter should be tasted to make sure no “paper” taste remains. If the rinse water tastes clean, the filter
is drained and used. Washing is continued if the water has a paper taste. Some winemakers prefer to
wash the complete filter system with a 1 percent citric acid solution. The citric acid seems to remove
the paper taste quickly, and the acid helps sterilize the filter. After the acid solution is removed, the
filter system is washed with clean water. A short length of plastic tubing permanently attached to a
hose connector is handy for flushing small filters.
145
Storing Used Filter CartridgesUsed filter cartridges are difficult to maintain, but the following method works well. Immediately
after use, the filter should be back flushed with several gallons of clean water. Then the water is
drained, and the housing is filled with a 50% ethyl alcohol solution (inexpensive 100 proof Vodka).
The inlet and outlet of the housing should be tightly sealed with small rubber stoppers, and the filter
should be stored in a cool, dry place. When the filter is needed, drain the alcohol, and flush the
housing with clean water. Set the alcohol aside, so it can be reused later.

 

[Runningwolf]

Steve thanks for the update and I did locate it where you said is was. I store the filter in a 3" pvc capsule I made. The manual has lots of good things in it but was also written in 1998. For instance it talks about soaking hard corks for several hours in water. I along with others on here to prefer to only put them in dry, but this does require a floor corker. If my corks were old and hard I would probably replace them. A good rule of thumb is not to buy any more then you're going to use. If you make large quanities of wine and buy in bulk like many of us do then use a corkidor. Once again it also has a lot of good ideas and tips in it.

This is a picture of one of my filter capsules...

 

[Teamsterjohn]

I no nothing about the Buon vino mini jet filter. Am I right in thinking that it has its own pump?

 

[Wade E]

Wade, could I not hook up my new vacuum pump to the bottom carboy and pull the wine through the gravity filter quicker? bk

I wouldnt try it as even trying to blow through it usually ends up in a blown filter pad.

 

[homer]

I agree but we're talking about sucking not blowing. You got to try and lets know. bk

 

[Wade E]

No thanks, you first on this one.

 

[mxsteve625]

Steve thanks for the update and I did locate it where you said is was. I store the filter in a 3" pvc capsule I made. The manual has lots of good things in it but was also written in 1998. For instance it talks about soaking hard corks for several hours in water. I along with others on here to prefer to only put them in dry, but this does require a floor corker. If my corks were old and hard I would probably replace them. A good rule of thumb is not to buy any more then you're going to use. If you make large quanities of wine and buy in bulk like many of us do then use a corkidor. Once again it also has a lot of good ideas and tips in it.

This is a picture of one of my filter capsules...

Dan, you are absolutley right. I do use a floor corker and a cork a dor as they say. This manual was recommended and I think is good for the basics of home wine making, but one can, learn as I have, alot more on this forum.