Filtering higher % Alcohol

by **marc83** » Wed May 19, 2010 12:21 am

Wanting to know how others are filtering their higher % stuff....Only want to filter at around 55%ABV,Just for some good whiskey/bourbon.I usually filter and drink mine at 40% but i want to make a few bottles at a little higher to age for a year or two.

I dont really want to put it through my essencia filter as i dont want to screw it and the carbon filter.

Any thoughts???Should i make up a Z type filter and use activated carbon??

by **hoppinmad** » Wed May 19, 2010 12:45 am

i marc83, i have sucessfully filtered up to 60% just using the small filter that came with my air still (the type that you put the tbag style carbon inside) if you dont have one of these i suppose you could use a paper coffee filter filled with activated carbon to drip it into.
on saying all that it completely depends on the quality of the wash/distilled spirit, i personally wouldnt contemplate it with unless the distill had no off smell or taste
cheers, hoppin

by **BundyRed** » Wed May 19, 2010 3:50 am

Would double distilling refine the spirit enough to not have to filter at all. My Z filter instructions say to filter at 50%, could do that and not worry about the extra 5%.
Quote from the Essencia filter:
\"The highly specialized carbon used to treat the alcohol is more efficient at removing the impurity particles when the alcohol is diluted. Note: Activated Carbon is not capable of effectively treating alcohol if the strength of the alcohol is greater than 55% ABV. The alcohol carbon in the Carbon Cartridge will only treat a certain amount of alcohol, ie 45 litres at 40%, or 33 litres at 55%. Higher strength alcohol merely reduces the effectiveness of the alcohol carbon at removing the impurities.\"
I think I read somewhere to leave the lid off as the lid my crack. Just use a plate instead.

Up to you though.

by **marc83** » Wed May 19, 2010 11:42 am

I should have read that bundy,would just reduce the amount of spirit i can put through my filter,im about to replace it anyway,i wonder i i should run the higher % tghrough before i chuck it and see what it smells like...may give it a shot.cheers

by **freelancement** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 9:27 am

the high % also apparantly turns the carbon ineffective, ie. to clay ....

the idea of carbon is to attract the impurity molecules and trap them in the pores of the carbon, different types of carbons will react in different ways and alco will effect the results.
.... now again from memory to beleive there are around 13 different types of carbon blended for the different types of impurities to be filtered in the old Still Spirits Z filter carbon.
dilution will make it easier to filter because its motion active carbon usually your using, the more movement there is, easier it is for it to do its work

think the threshold is about 55% to memory