Filtering wine

[Koom]

I know there are fancy filtering tools out there and I read alot about them on the forums. But is there a cheap alternative? Maybe sometype of coffee filter, or sanitized cleaning pad? This would only be used at bottling and after several rackings. Any ideas or suggestions? I don't have a lot of money so any household remedies would be great

 

[Wade E]

This is about as cheap as it gets. Its works fine but is a little slow. I have this and have used it for years. It takes about 45 minutes from start to finish with 6 gallons.
http://www.finevinewines.com/ProdDetA.asp?PartNumber=5292

 

[Koom]

How long does one pad last? I assume only one racking?

 

[Wade E]

One batch!

 

[jet]

Does that work with gravity siphoning (i.e. it doesn't require a pump)?

 

[Wade E]

No pump needed althigh you can hook it up to a pump, I havent used it like that Ive seen this hooked up t a fish aquarium oumo where the pump was pushing and not pulling.

 

[Koom]

I just read using a google search that wine makers have used water filtering systems using pumps or even swimming pool filters. Comments?

 

[Runningwolf]

You could use a whole house water filter with a vacuum pump. Again they would be a one time use but you could do multiple batches at one time. Just start with your lightest and do the reds last. You'll also want to make sure what the micron reading s are when you buy them. I typically filter with a 1 micron filter. I would recommend looking at a mini jet filter. They can be bought new for $130-$230 depending on where you buy it at.

 

[Lurker]

I typically filter with a 1 micron filter.

At what point do you rack with a 1 mic filter? First rack, second, etc? Do you filter all, that is the sediment also or do you leave the sed at the bottom of the carboy?

 

[Tom]

Yes I love my Boun Vino Mini-Jet filter

 

[Wade E]

Do not use a carbon filter what ever you do people as it will strip almost all the flavor and most of the color out of your wine. The pleated filters are the best and ye you can use a whole house filter canister and cartridge to filter your wine via a pump. Basically it s what is offered on a few sites by manufacturers such as Enolmatic and Valley Vintner. Here is a pic from Valley Vintner for their set up which really isnt a bad price but you may be able to beat it at Walmart but not by much except for not paying shipping. I will say the filters on that site would be better then what Walmart would probably have and here is also a link for their filters, just scroll down. The Enolmatic is a Glorified whole house filter canister but they offer filters that you can use to Sterile filter your wine meaning that it will remove all the yeast cells so you dont need to use Potassium sorbate in your wine to sweeten. This is the best you can do pretty much for the home winemaker without getting into serious $ systems and you can bottle with this unit and also use tandem filters in a row. Many small wineries actually use this. The best thing about this unit is that you can stop the wine from fermenting by old crashing the wine at the residual sweetness you want by chilling it then immediately filter it with a rough filter right to the sterile filter in tandem and wala. you have a sweet wine that can ot ferment any more thus not needing to add many chems besides sulfite to further protect your wine.
http://valleyvintner.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=WE-30-4850&Category_Code=PF
http://valleyvintner.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=PF

 

[kerbos5]

Ok I have a question or two.....I bought a home house filter and hooked it up, ran some water from one carboy to the next to make sure there are no leaks, and there wasn't, but I was getting a lot of air on the back side going to the filtered carboy, does this hurt anything?...should it be just a nice steady stream?...is there a home house filter that works better than another? The link listed below is what I am using. Thanks for the help.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_89376-59019...pl=1&currentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=sediment+filter

 

[Runningwolf]

It sounds like you are introducing oxygen into your wine which is not good. Are all of your hose connections tight? You may need to use hose clamps.

 

[kerbos5]

all connections are tight, and I do have everything clamped, thats what is so odd.

 

[Sirs]

could be air coming from the filter itself

 

[kerbos5]

Thats what I'm thinking might have to get a different filter, anybody have a whole home filter that has worked for them faithfully that I can get online?

 

[mxsteve625]

Ok I have a question or two.....I bought a home house filter and hooked it up, ran some water from one carboy to the next to make sure there are no leaks, and there wasn't, but I was getting a lot of air on the back side going to the filtered carboy, does this hurt anything?...should it be just a nice steady stream?...is there a home house filter that works better than another? The link listed below is what I am using. Thanks for the help.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_89376-59019...pl=1&currentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=sediment+filter

I don't see an air release button on your filter. I have one on mine and it usually takes a few seconds to get the air out of the filter housing and line. There is alot of air in a unit that has no fluid in it.

 

[grapeman]

I agree with steve. There should be an air release button on it. You can also check to make sure that the housing is tight and leak free. Make sure the gasket its wet before assembling and tightening. Some air probably won't hurt as you are moving it under vacuum so that is ridding the air from the carboy.

 

[Wade E]

As wine makers we are much more cautious of introducing 02 to our wines then really needed as long as our wines are sulfited properly. Remember that typically wine can sit in barrel for quite some time and this slowly introduces 02 to the wine the whole time its in there. If your win e is sulfited properly you have no problem at all. That being said take precautions to not further introduce this wine to much more just to be safe.

 

[Runningwolf]

I also agree with the possiblity of it being caused by no air release button. The enolmatic has a bypass that you open to rid all of theair out of it.