Essencia Carbon Filter

[Opus 27]

Collected this filter yesterday. As yet I have not carried out a functional test but wil add to this thread as and when I do.

First ipression is based on build quality and this knocks the Z Filter for six.consider both are similar prices.

Hopefuly the folowing pictures will give some idea of what it\'s about.

More info later.
Opus 27

[Bottleofrum]

Now that is something huh.
Please let me know how is goes, it looks great.
BOR

[Bottleofrum]

Just phoned the guy in store about this,
He has told me its that good you can filter unwanted spirts for example SS Brandy through the system and get back neutral spirit.But its a little slow he added.

Also that the carbon filter and ceramic filter are about £18ish and are good for around 45 litres.(Forgot to add these to website, doing so in next couple of days)
I Cannot wait to place my order but going to have to wait a little as my house boiler has just packed up!
BOR

[Opus 27]

Re the filter cartridges, yes they are £18. But it's the carbon one only that needs changing after 45 litres the ceramic is good for 500 Litres.

Incidently I paid £67.50 for the complete filter.
Opus

[Bottleofrum]

But it\'s the carbon one only that needs changing after 45 litres the ceramic is good for 500 Litres.

Oh my mistake.

[optic]

Opus 27

Thanks for the post,nice clear photos pity the websites cant do as good a job.The Z filter looks even more heath robinson now,think i will have to ask my HB shop to get me one.
Optic

[hoppinmad]

Yes thanks from me too opus, a great find. I was toying with the idea of investing in a z but now I will think again
Cheers Hoppin

[Opus 27]

Ok I\'ve now started a batch through this filter so heres a few findings.

Firstly both cartridges have to be soaked in water for 1 hour. I used RO water as I have it on tap.

Secondly it\'s suggested that you put 3 litres of water through the filter first as a flushing. I would sugest leaving it overnight.

After this flushing I emptied the residual 400+ ML of water left below the tap out.

My first batch was 4.5 Litres at about 45% ABV.

The first 1 Litre that came through the filter was basicaly water, obviously what was left in the cartridges, this included what was below the tap again.

I collected another 400 ML which came out at 35% ABV so obviously I was still pulling out water.

Finally I collected another 200 ML at 40% ABV.

I have now left it to continue filtering the whole batch.

The 40% ABV I pulled of has absolutely no odour and is virtually tasteless.

The instructions, which you have to get as a PDF off the net suggest leaving the residual amount of alcohol in the the filter to keep the cartridges wet this would seem a good idea after eperiencing the ritual of removing water from them.

Overall I\'m very pleased with the system but obviouslly time wil tell how good it is.
Opus 27

[optic]

Opus 27

The thought of not having to mess around with bags of carbon is appealing.

[Opus 27]

Optic

believe me it was so much easier than filling that Z Filter with carbon and p***ing around with different connectors to flush it.
Opus

[Kred]

I\'m new to the forum but have been distilling for a number of years. I currently use a mates super reflux still, but now have the funds for a new one of my own. I\'m going to get the turbo 500, looks to be the best. I currently use the Z filter, which seems to work (better than my mates version of leaving spirit to soak on carbon). I was also looking to upgrade this process to maybe the essencia filter. Can you put the whole batch of 40% in at onece, say 8-9 litres into it and leave it in there, using it for storage as well?

[Opus 27]

I have\'nt really took note of how much I get into it in one go but I guess it\'s about 5 litres. Yes you can leave it filled as a storage system and in fact thats recommended as it keeps the filter wet. I\'ve run a coupe of large batches through it this past weekend and am now keeping it topped up and drawing off bottle at a time for mixing as required and that seems to be workig well. The one tip I would give is that when you initially prime with water, once you have pulled the water through empty the bottom container fully and put small amounts of spirit through untill you have pushed all the water out of the cartridge. The reason I say this is that I filled the top container with spirit before I realised how much water was still in the cartridge and trying to lift the top one out when it\'s full to empty the water from the bottom is not easy. I should explain that there is 400 ml left below the tap which keeps the the cartridge from drying out.
Opus 27

[bluecap]

It’s all nice and pretty the essencia filter but looking on sites its £30ish to replace the carbon filter which has to be done after 45 litres, that’s just the carbon filter not the ceramic one where as a bag of Alcotec carbon is about a £5 and does 50 litres unless I have missed something.
http://www.aussiebrewmakers.com.au/view ... 70450.html

[Opus 27]

It\'s actually £18 for the Carbon filter.
Opus 27

[hoppinmad]

AND its damn sexy to look at opus, and easier to use and what else are we gonna spend all that saved revenue on eh!