As harvest fast approaches, it is important for drinks producers to be prepared for filtration, whether it be beer, cider, or wine, to prevent delays and ensure efficiency.
At Vigo, we provide a wide range of filtration equipment for breweries, cideries, and distilleries of all sizes, at whatever stage of production they may be.
So, what is the best filtration method for beer, wine and other beverages?
Stage 1 – Coarse filtration
At this stage, it is important to remove pulp, yeast clumps and larger particles to prevent clogging later in production.
Ideal equipment for this stage:
Sheet filters
Beverage filtration units, designed for sheet filtration of wine, cider, beer, and other beverages.
These filters can hold many filter sheets in a row and handle large batches of liquid, cleaning wine or beer quickly.
Our 40 x 40cm sheet filter is a popular choice amongst beverage producers, ideal for both small and large operations, for reliable clarity and quality.
Filter sheets
Sheets made from cellulose fibres, which provide precise filtration and clarifying efficiency. Filter sheets come in different grades for rough or fine cleaning.
Beco 40 x 40cm filter sheets separate coarse and fine haze substances. They ensure colloid retention and microbe reduction, whilst preserving beneficial components.
Stage 2 – Fine polishing
At this stage, filtration equipment removes smaller yeast cells and haze-forming proteins, ensuring a clear and bright liquid.
Ideal equipment for this stage:
Filter housings
Protective, pressure-resistant casings that hold internal filter elements. Housings are important for channelling liquids through the filtration media.
Filter housings are excellent for security, preventing leaks and maintaining the correct pressure.
A popular choice at Vigo is the Amazon 51 series 10” Stainless Steel DOE filter housing.
This product is ideal for polishing beverages when used with the 10"SupaSpun II DOE filter cartridge.
Filter cartridges
For beer, wine, and cider, cartridge filters help remove fine yeast cells, haze-forming particles, and remaining sediment. These cylindrical tubes fit easily into filter housings.
Stage 3 – Bottling prep
This stage is a final sterile filtration prior to bottling. This last stage is important because it removes fine particles that may have passed through the polishing filter and microorganisms which could cause spoilage. Bottling prep protects packaging quality and shelf life.
Our absolute filter membrane cartridges are ideal for this stage. For example, the Amazon SupaPore FPW 10” Absolute Pleated C7 Filter is perfect for a fine, sterile filtration, ensuring clarity, stability and quality. These filters fit perfectly with the Amazon 72 10" C7 Housing.
Crossflow/tangential filters – systems that combine all three stages for you
Crossflow/tangential filters are ideal for producers who want to maximise product recovery and minimise downtime.
So, how does tangential flow filtration work?
Tangential flow filtration (or crossflow) pumps liquid in a continuous sweeping motion parallel across the surface of a membrane instead of straight through the filter; this prevents debris from clogging.
A product highlight for this would be the Bared Crossflow Filter, which removes haze and clarifies beer. The automatic backwash system helps to keep membranes clean and performance efficient.
A smarter filtration method
The Juclas MMF Hybrid – Orthogonal is ideal for wine and cider, combining crossflow and orthogonal filtration. This solution utilises the best features of both methods.
Orthogonal filtration is an outside-in microfiltration method to clarify wine and cider. It is primarily used for delicate drinks to ensure mouthfeel, colour and aroma remain intact.
The MMF Hybrid uses quick ‘smart’ washing with minimum volumes of water, a simple touch screen display for setting filtration parameters and reduces the need for powder or paper filters; it is efficient and easy to clean, allowing producers to scale up production without any extra complication.
With an early harvest looking likely, don’t leave your preparation to the last minute. Auditing your filtration equipment and media and ordering consumables such as filter sheets and cartridges now means you will meet production deadlines.
Harvest downtime impacts your bottom line. Partnering with Vigo means you will be provided with in-house engineering support and technical backup to keep production running smoothly at this busy time.
Explore our filtration systems and media, from renowned filtration equipment manufacturers.
View our wide range of winery, cidery and brewery equipment and consumables.
