Just purchased a vacuum pump. What say ye?

[ibglowin]

There is filtering (as in polishing the wine what most of us do) and then there is sterile filtering. Typically 0.5u or less absolute. This is usually done in commercial wineries to remove the yeast so they don't need to use sorbate or they could also stop a fermentation at a given SG by removing the yeast as well making the need to back sweeten unnecessary. Large commercial wineries will actually purchase industrial size centrifuges to remove yeast, sediment, etc. Pretty cool technology!

 

[SpoiledRotten]

Thanks for the expert explanation, Mike. I guess at this stage in my wine making, I'll use it for polishing as well.
When I grow up. I want to be like you.

 

[BobF]

Thanks for the expert explanation, Mike. I guess at this stage in my wine making, I'll use it for polishing as well.
When I grow up. I want to be like you.

You don't really mean that!

 

[ibglowin]

Sure he does!

 

[SpoiledRotten]

You guys are crazy.

 

[ibglowin]

31 years in Analytical Chemistry.......

They don't call it "Mad Scientist" for nothing!

 

[rhoffart]

Randy, please be careful. I have been in the A/C business for 30 years. That pump is able to pull a 30" vacuum, or on a micron scale down to 500 microns. We once pulled a vacuum on a 55 gallon steel drum and it was sucked flat like an aluminum coke can. I have no doubt you can implode a carboy with that baby.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogY7rRIdrxI[/ame]

 

[bzac]

I understand your concern but a sterile bottling line is quite impossible for an amateur to achieve regardless if the filter is absolute or not. I have used these filters and they have done a great job in achieving the level of polish I was after. Especially for the price. My wines were dry whites. If I were making I sweet wine I would use Sorbate no matter what.

I absolutely agree , anyone bottleing a sweet wine with a home filter and no sorbate is making hand grenades

 

[SpoiledRotten]

Thanks rhoffart. I do have a regulator on it and on another note, I haven't put a vacuum on a bottle and walked off for over 20 minutes at a time. I don't allow a full powered vacuum on the carboys for a main reason that I don't want the frothing and the pulling of the foam/liquid out of the vessel that takes place with a more aggressive vacuum, so I regulate the amount to around 15". That pulls lots of gas out of the wine. I don't have problems leaving some of the gas in it anyway. I cork and then top off with the shrink caps and those pretty well lock the corks in.

 

[SpoiledRotten]

What can I expect from using a .35 micron filter on fruit wine? I've got one coming for the whole house filter I ordered. Should I not use one that fine?

 

[BobF]

Is that .35u absolute, nominal, or mean?

 

[rhoffart]

What can I expect from using a .35 micron filter on fruit wine? I've got one coming for the whole house filter I ordered. Should I not use one that fine?

no clue ... I use a 1 micron on white and 5 micron on red only that is what i was told here. Makes sense you don't want to filter too much from a red. I say fruit would be like red ... 5 micron would be the one I would choose.

 

[SpoiledRotten]

Is that .35u absolute, nominal, or mean?

I really don't know, Bob. Does this tell you anything. It the one in one of my previous posts.

Model: Flow-Max Standard
Part Number: FM-0.35-975
Alt. Part Number: 801-.35W

 

[SpoiledRotten]

I assume you have little experience filtering. You cannot filter for the first pass with a .35 and expect very much volume to pass before the filter closes down. Even a somewhat clear white will clog a .35 rapidly. Usually I start with a 1micon or a .5 if I have less volume to filter. The .35 is used at bottling to get that extra shine.
I am usually satisfied with a 1 micron for reds at bottling. This is not to clear the wine but to make sure any missed sediment is not introduced in the bottle. A fruit wine could have lots of pectin. I am assuming you use a pectic enzyme to help settle and clear the wine. Pectic Enzymes are used to increase yield and help in filtering. With Whites again Fruit or Grape, fining with at least Bentonite and possibly a 2 step fining as a second line of defense is necessary before you use a .35.
My regime is to filter with 1 micron out of the fermenting tank while transferring it to another tank for fining. Then after an evaluation is made on the clarity and the wine is ready to bottle I use the .35 As far as taking away from a red by filtering we can have that argument until the cows come home. In my experience 1 micron has not altered any of my wines.

Your assumption is absolutely correct in that I have NO experience in filtering. I believe I'll go with the 5 micron filters and let the .35s sit around for a while until I see a need for them.

 

[rhoffart]

Marty, sorry to hear about your cows.

 

[Runningwolf]

In the past I filtered all of my wines (red and whites) at home only with a .45 micron. I have never had any issues. With that said my wines are racked numerous times, I use super kleer on all of them and when I filter there is no sediment. I agree if you're going to use a tight filter, ensure there is no sediment at all.

Now about the cows...Yes your first couple of bottles (red's) will be lighter then the rest of the batch. Contributing to this would be the filter and sanitizing solution residue in the filter, hoses and filler. I always dump the first 2-3 bottles back into the main batch. After that there is no issue in flavor or color. By doing this, I have no worries about color or flavor regardless of the size filter I am using.

In a few months I'll be bottling my country apple and plan on using a .2 filter. Last year I had one bottle pop a cork out of 90 and heard others talk about apple popping corks. This will be sort of an experiment since I have about 30 gallons to bottle.

I hope this helps and I'm open to any comments.

 

[Runningwolf]

Marty, thanks that is great information I did not know anything about. Is it worthwhile to do an MLF on apple wine in the future? This is all started with unpasturized apple cider.

 

[grapeman]

Dan I used to have a saying when making apple wine. Mallo for Mellow. By that I meant that letting apple wine go through MLF would result in a much softer, more mellow wine. To me apple wine is a bit harsh on its own, so I let it go through mlf before bottling. Check the malic acid levels and see how high they are. Some apples are much higher than others.

 

[SpoiledRotten]

When you guys de-gas with your pump, does your line collapse or do you use a special medical non-crushable tube? Mine is pulling a vacuum but the lines are collapsing on me in the process.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

When you guys de-gas with your pump, does your line collapse or do you use a special medical non-crushable tube? Mine is pulling a vacuum but the lines are collapsing on me in the process.

Yes you have to buy the thicker wall tubing - not normally sold at most wine stores - typically only sold in 100 foot rolls.