newbie making a filter

by **nissedasapewt** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 4:59 pm

hi all, im a complete newb to all this so please be gentle

i have done a load of reading lately and think ive got most of it under control, ive got an alcotec 48 with 8kg of sugar bubbling away, was hoping it would be finishing today (day5) but looks like it will continue going for a bit longer especially after reading some other posts, but i too am very impatient and so will be trying to find a way to get it ready by the weekend so i can have a play (was wondering if i chucked a campden tab or two in it might bring it to an end providing it has a good sg reading first).
anyway back to my question, i have been reading up on making a carbon filter and from what i understand, maybe im wrong, please correct me if i am as it would make things a lot easier for me, but in the activated carbon pdf it says to make a filter the pipe must not be less than 38mm or a wall effect will occur, but from the diy carbon filter post on here a 25mm pipe is being used, is this ok as i have some 35mm copper pipe, but am now wondering if its ok to use as 38mm seems a bit of a precise number to just have been plucked from the air, and now im thinking is it easier to just stick with the teabags at two quid odd for 6.
sorry for the long winded question, but basicly just saying hello also, this place looks a nice friendly place to learn lots so hopefully i will be gaining quite a bit of info here.

by **optic** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:28 am

nissedasapewt

like you im a newbie,i have only run a few times myself and i know what you mean i was keen to do a run as soon as poss,what i do is check the sg if its 990 or below its good to go,just give it a bloody good stir to get rid of the gas and pop the turbo clear in for 24hrs or so,i also put the wash in a bottle and give it a good shake before i run it just to make sure its gas free.

Sorry cant help with the carbon filter,i do know the carbon filter that comes with the air still is about as much use as a chocolate teapot!

optic

by **nissedasapewt** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 3:45 am

hi thanks for the reply i was begining to wonder if anyone still came here lol. i think from reading other threads you have a different type of filter on your ss than me, so hopefully this one wont be too bad, guess ill just have to give it a go and keep looking for the right carbon at the right price.

cheers

by **Phantom** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 7:52 pm

The earlier machines were sold with a small filter holder that sat between the collector container and the spout of the still i.e. the spout dripped straight into the filter holder which in turn sat on the collector neck.
That\'s the one I\'ve got...
I suspect that the pipe dimensions given in the activated carbon e-book/pdf will have more to do with the diameters of pipe available in Sweden. I don\'t see how the \"wall effect\" is likely to be a problem, because as I understand it, that\'s only a problem with reflux stills, not filters.
Plus, if you keep the outlet hole in a homebrew carbon filter small, so that the spirit passes through very slowly, then the carbon\'s still gonna have a reasonable filtering effect. You might want to run it through more than once if that\'s you chosen way of doing this......
Either way, you\'re still gonna end up with a reasonable level of purity straight out of the still, as it\'s a relatively pure wash in the first place......

by **optic** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:11 am

I have given up with the crap filter that came with the still,and have just ordered a Z filter from wineworks,will get it on tuesday,Richard at wineworks is very helpfull and the service superb,would be good if he could open up a shop nearer to where I live.

by **kakoljunior** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 7:36 pm

i got a ez filter,seems ok so far

bout $120 (aus) bucks for the unit then like 8 bucks for replacment cartridges,

by **Notts19** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 1:43 pm

Optic, let me know how you get on with the Z filter , I only got my ss on saturday and ive been running water through it with the filter that came with the machine and it seems ok , so the filter what came with my SS is no good for spirit filtering? , cant you tell iam so new to this LOL, And i do think this site is brilliant for information for distilling, and just to make people envious of me LOL iam only 20 mins (in the car)from Wineworks Chesterfield , Thats all for now CHEERS Everybody.

by **optic** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 12:08 am

Notts19,Ibet you will be going to wineworks in the near future for a Z filter as I can assure you if you have got the same filter as I got with mine it is useless IMO,mine had like an oversized polo mint piece of carbon that fits on a plastic screw between two foam washers and is only good for about 2ltrs of spirit and it takes hours to do,I know the Z filter is Â£51 but it saves a lot of hassle and frustration!

by **Notts19** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 1:17 am

Optic , Mine is the tea bag filter that fits in a little white plastic holder that fits underneath the nozzle of the Smart Still and then it goes on top of the collection plastic jug it works fantastic with water thats all iam doing at the present is water just to get a good stock of distilled water, then i will be doing some mash , but at the present iam stuck between on what to decide which flavourings to use Prestige or Top shelf I can get Prestige from my local HBS but not Top shelf so any advice on this matter I would be gratefull, Ive only had the SS since last Saturday so iam a very very newbie on this matter , but ive been brewing beer , wine ,cider etc. for the past 15 years or so but this matter of distilling iam so green at LOL Anyway thats all for me for now. CHEERS

by **HangOver** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:25 pm

your 35ml pipe will be fine

by **optic** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:17 am

Notts19

the prestige flavours i have tried are as follows

peach schnapps...very good dont put in the full ammount of sugar i find 120grms is bestIMO.

ambrosia black label scotch whisky....i like this one a realy smooth drinking single malt style whisky

i havegot several others to try will post the result when i have mixed them,out of the SS essences the classic whisky is good as is the clasic vsop brandy,the irish cream is close to baileys,apricot brandy is good,not so keen on the cherry brandy it has not got much flavour to it,again got several others that i have not mixed yet.

by **Notts19** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:11 pm

Optic,

Thanks for the advice , Iam going to have a trip down to wineworks and probably get a mixture of the 2 and then take it from there , one thing is for certain these burbs etc. are putting me off a little bit cos i dont want to upset \"Her that must be obeyed\" LOL, anyway thats all from me for now. CHEERS.

by **Phantom** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 12:51 pm

I don\'t use the \"top shelf\" ones, only the Still Spirits \"classic\" range (the card packet that contain 2 sachet and make a total of 3 x 750ml bottles) or the Prestige/Ambrosia range for single 750ml bottles.
The problem is, is that it\'s all relative, because only you know what you\'ll like. I\'ve been lucky in life and have tried/experienced a couple of very expensive brandies (both cognac and armagnac - and I prefer armagnac), so I\'ve only enjoyed the \"mild brandy\" from the prestige/ambrosia range - it\'s like drinking cheap \"cooking\" brandy and is fine with a mixer.
If you like Jack Daniels, then the SS Classic Tennessee Sour Mash, is pretty close. The Prestige Irish whiskey is pretty good, though you do have to mix it and let it stand for a couple of days for the taste to develop properly.
The Ambrosia Black Label Scotch is also excellent. The SS classic (Scotch?) whiskey, in the green card pack (3 bottles), I personally haven\'t tried properly as I don\'t like blended whiskey, but those who I\'ve offered it to say it\'s very good.
Cinnamon schnapps? Bleargh! Black Sambucca? Not bad, just add 2/3 to 3/4 of the suggested sugar first and mix it up - I found that it wouldn\'t dissolve the whole amount and I had a tiny bit of sugar residue in the bottom of the bottle.
Oh and I like the Prestige/Ambrosia Calvados. I find that\'s very good.
As for making a filter ? I suggest that it\'s worth the effort of either buying a Z filter, because you know that you\'re not going to pick up any plasticisers from the PET that it\'s made from, or you find a plumbers merchant that sells \"commercial standard\" piping and just make the filter from 54mm pipe and a blanking cap. Low temperature, lead free plumbing solder should be fine as it\'s not being heated up. Just find a couple of those tiny \"circuit board\" drills of 1 mm or less and carefully drill some holes in the blanking cap, then fill it with carbon (oh and get a copy of Gert Strands e-book about carbon filtration so you follow how to \"clean\" it for re-use - personally I use mine about half a dozen times before cleaning it). Copper has the advantage that it will assist in the removal of any sulphurous compounds that might still be present, post-distilling.......
p.s. I seem to recall that there\'s a \"flavourings/essence\" thread that has write-ups about some of the flavours etc

by **Notts19** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 4:49 pm

Hi Phantom,

As you say its only me that will know what I like,But I just wanted to know what other people are drinking and their comments on different flavours that they are using, but on taste I like a single malt whisky like a glenmorangie and a decent cherry brandy,I also like tia maria & baileys. Once again thank you for your advice.

CHEERS

Notts19

by **optic** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 1:41 am

I mixed up a bottle of ambrosia french brandy four days ago,just tasted it and it is terrible,tastes nothing like brandy at all IMO,the still spirits classic vsop brandy is far better but is still not fantastic,has anyone found a really good brandy essence?

the ambrosia black label nectar of the glen scotch whisky is outstanding everyone who has tried it, likes it,thats the one i will be sticking to now.