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  • Brewpub Filtering

    I'm going to be adding a jacketed 7bbl fermenter and brite to our arsenal. I'm planning on just using the 7bbl fermenter for lagers. For the sake of time, I'm thinking of fermenting and crashing in the fermenter. Then filtering into and carbing in the brite. Keg off and let kegs sit in the cold room for a few weeks.

    I've never used a filter before and am leaning towards a lenticular filter but don't know if a P&F would be better. I realize that using a lenticular as a primary might be asking a lot but we're only talking 7bbls, right? I'll probably only be filtering once every 2-3 weeks.

    My biggest question is if I'll be able to filter 7bbls in one pass without backflushing in a lenticular. I just want to get most of the yeast out....Don't need to get it all.

    What size/type filter would work best for a small 7bbl brewpub?
    Last edited by d_striker; 02-03-2017, 11:56 PM.

  • #2
    Originally posted by d_striker View Post
    For the sake of time, I'm thinking of fermenting and crashing in the fermenter. Then filtering into and carbing in the brite.

    This is basic procedure. except standard operating procedure would be to spund carbonate in the fermenter assuming that it is a closed tank, then filter into bright under counter pressure. I assume that you are going with a conical unitank where you can harvest and dump settled yeast and trub. You may adjust carbonation in the bright tank.

    Keg off and let kegs sit in the cold room for a few weeks.

    No need to wait, the beer is ready to drink at this point.

    I've never used a filter before and am leaning towards a lenticular filter but don't know if a P&F would be better. I realize that using a lenticular as a primary might be asking a lot but we're only talking 7bbls, right? I'll probably only be filtering once every 2-3 weeks.

    Lenticular filters are best used for sterile or close filtration of beer when bottling.

    My biggest question is if I'll be able to filter 7bbls in one pass without backflushing in a lenticular.

    Lenticular filters are meant to be backflushed and reused.

    Lenticular filters are used as a final polish filter to get everything out, even at the protein level.

    I just want to get most of the yeast out....Don't need to get it all.

    You get most of the yeast out from dumping and harvesting from the bottom valve of the unitank. Give the beer time to settle.

    What size/type filter would work best for a small 7bbl brewpub?
    A 19-25 plate 40x40 plate and frame would be perfect for you. That should easily run 10 bbls. You can always take plates out if needed, but may have to make a spacer. If you want to do perfect clarity in beers, you can add a divider plate so that you can run coarse then fine filtration. But, if you run pads at 7-10 micron, you should get good clarity if your brewing practices produce clean wort.
    Last edited by Todd Hicks; 02-04-2017, 06:03 PM.
    Todd G Hicks
    BeerDenizen Brewing Services

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    • #3
      Todd is spot-on. Plate & frame with 7micron pads will give you the clarity you are after. The diverter plate is a nice option but for on-site consumption of a brewpub it really may be overkill since you are looking for visual clarity and are not really trying to edge towards a "sterile" product. Perhaps after you develop more experience with filtering you will want to eye types of options.
      Luck to you.

      Prost!
      Dave
      Glacier Brewing Company
      406-883-2595
      info@glacierbrewing.com

      "who said what now?"

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      • #4
        Thanks for the replies. You are both correct that sterile beer is not a priority as we don't distribute keg beer.

        Clarity is pretty important to us. All of our non-wheat beers are about as brilliant as possible with fining after a week of pouring. I would like to get our lagers this brilliant as well from the first pint poured. The lager strain we use does not floc out as well as our house ale strain, though, which is why I want to filter.

        I'll try the 7 micron as you guys both suggested and see what that looks like.

        Regarding the diverter/divider plate....Why is that necessary? Can you not just stack a bunch of coarse filters and then run fine filters downstream of them without the diverter plate?

        Additionally, can you provide some brands we should be looking into for a 19-25 40x40 P&F? Also, what is the advantage of a 20 Plate 40x40 over a 40 plate 20x20. The 20x20's seem cheaper up front but I'm guessing you'd be paying more in the long run for filters?
        Last edited by d_striker; 02-04-2017, 04:53 PM.

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        • #5
          difference between 40x40 20-plate vs 20x20 40-plate

          The 40x40 20-plate has twice the filter area. Remember a 40x40 pad has 4x the area (not 2x the area) of a 20x20 pad.

          It actually has a little better than twice the area, since you lose a little useful area around the perimeter of each pad. For example, if you "lose" 1 cm around the perimeter of each pad, that's a loss of 76 cm2 per 20x20 pad (i.e. 1900 cm2 lost per m2 of filter) versus a loss of 156 cm2 per 40x40 pad (i.e. 975 cm2 lost per m2 of filter)
          Last edited by Yellowbeard; 02-04-2017, 05:37 PM. Reason: typo

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          • #6
            Originally posted by d_striker View Post
            Thanks for the replies. You are both correct that sterile beer is not a priority as we don't distribute keg beer.

            Clarity is pretty important to us. All of our non-wheat beers are about as brilliant as possible with fining after a week of pouring. I would like to get our lagers this brilliant as well from the first pint poured. The lager strain we use does not floc out as well as our house ale strain, though, which is why I want to filter.

            I'll try the 7 micron as you guys both suggested and see what that looks like.

            Regarding the diverter/divider plate....Why is that necessary? Can you not just stack a bunch of coarse filters and then run fine filters downstream of them without the diverter plate?

            Additionally, can you provide some brands we should be looking into for a 19-25 40x40 P&F? Also, what is the advantage of a 20 Plate 40x40 over a 40 plate 20x20. The 20x20's seem cheaper up front but I'm guessing you'd be paying more in the long run for filters?
            Plate and frame filter pads are parallel, not serial run. All of the pads are used at the same time and fill up with filtered material (solids) from bottom to top at about the same rate.

            The diverter plate IS your down stream. You can add a diverter plate for most of not all filter brands later on down the road if you want.

            20 x 20 is more for lab use. Waste of time.

            Get a more floc lager strain. Adapt procedure for diacetyl rest as necessary, Lager for an appropriate amount of time.

            I have turned out a very clean and crisp and crystal clear 11.0P Pilsner in 21 days with WY2278 fermented at 48F, D-rest to 65 under spund, crash cool over 3 days, lager 7-10 days, filter and serve. May have a little residual sulfur for a day or two, but dissipates quickly and malt comes out full of hops. Over 140 generations with same yeast reharvested. You can do this in a small brewery with care.
            Todd G Hicks
            BeerDenizen Brewing Services

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Todd Hicks View Post
              Plate and frame filter pads are parallel, not serial run. All of the pads are used at the same time and fill up with filtered material (solids) from bottom to top at about the same rate.

              The diverter plate IS your down stream. You can add a diverter plate for most of not all filter brands later on down the road if you want.

              20 x 20 is more for lab use. Waste of time.

              Get a more floc lager strain. Adapt procedure for diacetyl rest as necessary, Lager for an appropriate amount of time.

              I have turned out a very clean and crisp and crystal clear 11.0P Pilsner in 21 days with WY2278 fermented at 48F, D-rest to 65 under spund, crash cool over 3 days, lager 7-10 days, filter and serve. May have a little residual sulfur for a day or two, but dissipates quickly and malt comes out full of hops. Over 140 generations with same yeast reharvested. You can do this in a small brewery with care.
              Thanks again Todd. Great info and I understand now. I guess I was thinking that beer was flowing through the stack of filters horizontally in series rather than vertically all at the same time.
              Last edited by d_striker; 02-04-2017, 11:31 PM.

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              • #8
                We run 30 bbl batches through a 40x40 with about 50 plates and rarely need to backflush. Used a diversion plate when we first got the filter but found it to be more of a hassle than anything. As mentioned, you could probably get away with 20 plates, or a 20x20 filter.

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