7 replies to this topic

[Bklmt2000]

Getting prepped for a weekday brewday this week, and I noticed my block filter (pictured below) has started to develop some mold spots (black and pink; blech!) on the outer, white fabric part of the filter, underneath the plastic mesh.

 

I filter my water off our utility sink in the basement, and in between brewdays, I leave it to sit horizontally, to drain dry.  However, seeing the presence of mold has me rethinking my storage practices, since I certainly don't want to ehance the spread of mold in my fermenation area or the rest of the house.

 

For those of you who use the same type of carbon filter, how do you store it to avoid, or at least delay, the onset of mold?

 

I have a few spares on hand (bought a 4 pack 2 years ago, so maybe it was time to replace anyway), but if I can get additional life out of a filter by storing it differently, i'd rather not spend more $$ than I have to.

[LeftyMPfrmDE]

have the same filter. what i do, if after use, let it dry (until the end of brewday), then throw it in a gallon ziplock bag and toss it in the freezer. let it thaw out a day or two before brew day. filter lasts about two years (or 700 gallons, which ever happens first-thats the lifespan of these type of filters.) never had a issue with mold. 

[Stout_fan]

same except I omit the bag. A frost free freezer puls out all the water from the filter. Been doing t his for two decades now. No worries... or mold

[djinkc]

Mine started discoloring around 2005 - 2006.  It's been stored in the local landfill ever since.  I guess I don't need one.

[Stout_fan]

Mine started discoloring around 2005 - 2006.  It's been stored in the local landfill ever since.  I guess I don't need one.

Was it your beer that had the chloro-phenol problems I judged last year?

[djinkc]

Was it your beer that had the chloro-phenol problems I judged last year?

No - haven't entered anything in years.  I knock out chloramines with campden

[SchwanzBrewer]

I have charcoal filters for chlorine but no particulate filters. I don't do anything to the charcoal filters. I run the filter for about a minute before I start collecting water.

[Stout_fan]

...  I knock out chloramines with campden

Precisely this! Carbon don't do stink for chloramines. Here in Balmer we have good old chlorine.

 

You can tell by the stink... and the water report.