 Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/22/2012(UTC)
Posts: 201
|
Quick question on charcoal filtering.. See many articles that say filter over charcoal which I've heard before but just have a question on the type.. Does it have to be activated or would lets say Kingsford grill coal work?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 7/25/2009(UTC)
Posts: 2,209
|
definitely activated  THERE IS A FREE E BOOK ON THE SUBJECT THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD FROM THE BREWHAUS STORE http://www.brewhaus.com/...ed-Carbon-Book-C106.aspx
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 15 post(s)
|
brewhaus sells just what you need. Look at the home page
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/22/2012(UTC)
Posts: 201
|
Lots of good info there thanks. I'll have to order some.. Brewhaus seems fair on all their prices so I'll probably do all my distilling business with them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 7/25/2009(UTC)
Posts: 2,209
|
Yes the prices are not out of line on anything. I just wish he had a larger selection. Here is my latest untested mod to my brewhaus SS carbon filter  I need to run across the street to the welder and have him make me a braket to attach to the wall. I hope to hang the device with wulleys and then fill the tube to learn the drip rate setting fo 400ml/hr..
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/31/2012(UTC)
Posts: 109
|
I have read where some recommend Charcoal filtering while others recommend Active Carbon filtering. What is the difference, pros and cons of each? I have done Active carbon which tends to clear but also removes most flavor, I have read that Charcoal keeps more of the flavor. Any body with experience with either care to chime in?
Thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 7/25/2009(UTC)
Posts: 2,209
|
"Only vodkas or pure alcohol should be carbon filtered. The activated carbon traps the larger molecules which are the reason for off flavors in in your vodkas.
I dont believe that you should carbon filter whiskey because the flavored molecules again are the ones that are larger than the pure alcohol molecules. You will have flavorless whiskey.
The way to control off flavores in whiskey is to control your ingredients, your mashing and mostly control your ferment."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 15 post(s)
|
something I saw on Discovery channel. They burned a big pile of sugar maple they called the stack a "rick" I believe. About 10 feet tall and 20 feet wide. They used forshots from the distillery to start the fire - you know as a lighter fluid. As the pile was burned down and all that was left was charcoal they doused the fire and thats what they filter the new whitedawg through to mellow it. That was the JackD distillery. Just a note JimB does not imploy the charcoal filtering method and -I- can really tell the difference now that I've made my own. Did they hide any little factoids soas not to give away any trade secrets??? thats very possible - is that called activated charcoal or carbon??? Well I'm not sure but I've used coconut carbon that was used in a water softening system and god only knows how much water goes through that in a years time before its cahnged out. It did seem to work very well though, just something to ponder.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 7/25/2009(UTC)
Posts: 2,209
|
Hey hEELER-- I was thinking about that process after reading your post. Possibly they say its carbon filtering but just one method of ADDING color and flavor.
Do you think that might be possible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 15 post(s)
|
Scotty, ya know I seem to recall that it was a white likker they added to the barrel but it sure could be for the flavor addition too. It prolly cleans and flavors it all the way through that big holding tank that they drip it through. the tank was like 40 feet in diameter and 10 feet deep and they dripped it VERY slow so maybe it did gather some flavor as well as the usual carbon filter cleaning. With no real wood left in the pile just charcoal I just cant see any wood flavor being left. In a barrel its the char TO the wood that gives flavor and color, the pours of the wood are opened up so to speak, but in a bed of coals, man I dont think its possible to get anything but a cleaning form that. Something to ponder though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 15 post(s)
|
" Originally Posted by: Fusefinder  I have read where some recommend Charcoal filtering while others recommend Active Carbon filtering. What is the difference, pros and cons of each? I have done Active carbon which tends to clear but also removes most flavor, I have read that Charcoal keeps more of the flavor. Any body with experience with either care to chime in?
Thanks I recently saw a video on Discovery channel about carbon. Carbon is the charcoal we all associate with and think about and --Activated Carbon -- is processed with heat to creat it. Its still the same carbon but its heated to 2000F and that cleans out anything and everything in the molecule of carbon. Picture the molecule of carbon being like a sponge being full on water, (thats a carbon molecule) then squeeze the sponge and remove all the water (thats the activated carbon molecule). Activated carbon will hold 20,000 times more molecules of the unwanted kind than carbon untreated or regular carbon. So in closeing the activated carbon will clean your hooch much better than regular carbon but on our scale I'm not covinced its that big of a deal. If you can buy activated carbon for the same money well thats what I would use. I used coconut carbon with great results but I'm not sure if was activated carbon or not. But this is just something to ponder."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.
