Micron Rating Use Guide

There are many more uses for The Brew Bag than beer making. Some we're sure we've never heard of, but here's the list of known uses and the appropriate micron rating that users have found successful. 

We're often asked how to clean the bags and if there are any chemicals that shouldn't be used on the bags. For most users washing with an emulsifying detergent like Dawn followed by a triple rinse is sufficient, however, for commercial use there are FDA standards to consider. Below is a chart that identifies chemical reaction levels to nylon, which the majority of our bags are made from. 

https://www.calpaclab.com/nylon-chemical-compatibility-chart/

You can reference a chart here that converts mesh to micron -https://gacc.nifc.gov/nrcc/dispatch/equipment_supplies/agree-contract/forms/MicronMesh.pdf

Typical product / micron filter size is listed next to the product. 

Beer / Barley - no recirculation - 200 
Beer / Recirculation - 400
Infusions of ground spices - alcohol, tea, juice kombucha - 55-75
Cold Brew Coffee - 55
Supplement ingredients - 55
Sauces - 55-75-125
Berries - depending on seed size - 55-75
Tea - leaves or ground - 200
Hemp extraction - manual or centrifugal - 125 -200
Organic teas using multiple ingredients - 200
Wine - all fruits - 200 - 300
Wood infusion - chunks, shredded, dust -200 -300 -400 -800
Mushroom Compost - 300 - 400 

Larger micron openings allow for greater outflow, or through flow if recirculating or washing. Some grains that create a more gelatinous mash require a larger opening to allow liquid to flow out of the bag.

The following benefit from micron openings between 200 and 800. 

Cider - 200-300-400
Distilling- corn / barley mix - 400 - all corn - 800
Juices - 55-75-125-200
Sake - 200
Tea - leaf - 300 -400
Mashed or Pureed fruits and vegetables -125 -200 -300
Plastics - lining waste drums - 200-300-400-800
Worm Casting Tea - 200
Mushroom Tea -200 -300 -400

For reference micron opening does NOT equal mesh size, so the smaller the micron number the smaller the opening in the fabric. To give you an idea of size, 100 microns is about the same size as a single human hair.  

Depending on the application, thread (filament) can be manufactured bigger or smaller while the opening is the same. That means the number of threads per inch varies based on the diameter of the thread. Those factors translate to fabric strength and stiffness.