Filtering Flavored Spirits, Macerations, Cordials etc.?

Since producing my first passable batch of neutrals, I have been having a blast making flavored products like bitters, coffee liqueurs, apple pie, and so forth. The most awkward process for me so far is the filtering prior to bottling. I have a medium sized funnel that I have been using with coffee filters, but the process is slow and a bit pain staking. I suppose I could get a bigger funnel and matching filters, but I was hoping/assuming some of yall have figured out a more elegant solution. I am usually dealing with 2-4 quarts of product at a time as far a sizing goes, but would be interested in equipment that scales up as well. Thanks in advance!

Comments

  • @brewsmith I've always had the same problem.
    I've tried so many things and everything is incredibly slow.
    No matter how I pre-filter with cloth, etc... the time spent with the coffee filters is the most cumbersome.
    With apple pie, I find it best to just let the cloud settle to the bottom and rack off the clear.
    Strawberry Panty Dropper is a labor of love because its so hard to filter I'd only make it for someone that I truly cared for.

  • 4 inch filter disc and some coffee filter under a 4 inch pipe would allow you to fill and walk away. The bigger circumference of the filter area would slow down the paper blocking. You could experiment with coarser mediums further up and have scoria to seperate.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • edited May 2014

    I loaned my set up to a friend the other day so I cant take pics but the best and easiest way I found is with a water aspirater, buchner funnel, filter paper and appropriate flask. Just like this.

    Everything can be sourced on ebay and it will solve all your problems. I found freezing my applepie over night or at least a few hours seperated the solids out better.

    Hook up the aspirator to your kitchen sink, the water flow creates a vacuum and away you go.

  • I have been looking into the lab filtering setups, and will probably go that route once I recoup some funds. I did just get a few 2" and 4" filter disks and a massive 36" long 4" column that will hold about three gallons by my calculations, so that may be handy for doing a coarse bulk filter, then polishing it up with the buchner funnel.

  • edited May 2014

    filter at the speed of light

    Filter flask

    its how i do it. you pull the liquid through the filter

  • That looks fantastic @DemBones. If I see something like that here I'll definitely snatch it up.

  • edited May 2014

    you can do it with all sorts of different containers . all you really need is a vacuum pump , screens - filter disk and a container that works

    I already had a vacume pump and a bunch of erlenmeyer flask so i just got this part

    1000ml,24/40,Glass Buchner Funnel,3# Coarse Filter Disk,W/Vacuum Adapter(10mm)

  • works really nice on my 2000ml flask

Sign In or Register to comment.