Classick

http://laist.com/2010/03/26/initiative_to_tax_alcohol_could_bri.php Thoughts on how to best let our representatives know that this would basically kill small producers in the state?

Do you have any pictures/videos of the labeler in action?

great topic for a thread scott.. thanks for sharing. I wish i had something to add.

i keep a flask of heads in my car for emergencies: de-icing windshield, starting campfires, pulling pranks on drunk frat guys, etc

We are at http://www.facebook.com/EssentialSpiritsDistilleries/ and http://www.facebook.com/sgtclassick and http://www.twitter.com/sgtclassick i think

We have used several ZEP products with good results... Generally, when we get buildup in the cooker, we use a mixture of FS lime remover and water, and let it soak overnight. you might consider http://www.zep.com/products/products.aspx?SubCategoryID=1015&SubCategory=Heavy%20Duty%20-%20Low%20Foaming also

we run steam for about 45 minutes.. thats about all it takes for us.. but we dont have any botanical traps or anything in our alambic still.

Im interested... i too have created such a tool in excel, including the expanded tables for accuracy... it'd be interesting to compare notes

hmm interesting... http://www.springerlink.com/content/v0x1u42m32084711/

Hi All, As distillers, we frequently have high proof spirits spilled on our hands, and i was just wondering if anyone was using anything special to counteract the dehydrating effect of alcohol on flesh. I suspect distillers in colder regions of the states are afflicted more by this, so i thought i'd post to see if anyone wanted to share their remedies

Here are the formulas as described in the book. http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr;sid=7fd095727e3e04133e3c57a36a99e62e;rgn=div8;view=text;node=27%3A1.0.1.1.25.5.479.7;idno=27;cc=ecfr This table is prescribed for use in correcting spirits to volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. To do this, multiply the wine gallons of spirits which it is desired to correct to volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit by the factor shown in the table at the percent of proof and temperature of the spirits. The product will be the corrected gallonage at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. This table is also prescribed for use in ascertaining the true capacity of containers where the wine gallon contents at 60 degrees Fahrenheit have been determined by weight in accordance with Tables 2, 3, 4, or 5. This is accomplished by dividing the wine gallons at 60 degrees Fahrenheit by the factor shown in the table at the percent of proof and temperature of the spirits. The quotient will be the true capacity of the container. Example. It is desired to ascertain the volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit of 1,000 wine gallons of 190 proof spirits at 76 degrees Fahrenheit: 1,000×0.991 equals 991 wine gallons, the corrected gallonage at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Example. It is desired to ascertain the capacity of a container of 190 proof spirits at 76 degrees Fahrenheit, shown by Table 2 to contain 55.1 wine gallons at 60 degrees Fahrenheit: 55.1 divided by 0.991 equals 55.6 wine gallons, the true capacity of the container when filled with spirits of 60 degrees temperature. It will be noted the table is prepared in multiples of 5 percent of proof and 2 degrees temperature. Where the spirits to be corrected are of an odd temperature, one-half of the difference, if any, between the factors for the next higher and lower temperature, should be added to the factor for the next higher temperature. Example. It is desired to correct spirits of 180 proof at 51 degrees temperature: 1.006 (50°)−1.005 (52°)=0.001 divided by 2=0.0005 0.0005+1.005=1.0055 correction factor at 51 °F. Example. It is desired to correct spirits of 180 proof at 53 degrees temperature: 1.005 (52°)−1.003 (54°)=0.002 divided by 2=0.001 0.001+1.003=1.004 correction factor at 53 °F. Where the percent of proof is other than a multiple of five, the difference, if any, between the factors for the next higher and lower proofs should be divided by five and multiplied by the degrees of proof beyond the next lower proof, and the fractional product so obtained should be added to the factor for the next lower proof (if the temperature is above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the fractional product so obtained must be subtracted from the factor for next lower proof), or if it is also necessary to correct the factor because of odd temperature, to the temperature corrected factor for the next lower proof. Example. It is desired to ascertain the correction factor for spirits of 112 proof at 47 degrees temperature: 1.006 (46°)−1.005 (48°)=0.001 divided by 2=0.0005 0.0005+1.005=1.0055 corrected factor at 47 °F. 1.007 (115 proof)−1.006 (110 proof)=0.001 0.001 divided by 5=0.0002 (for each percent of proof)×2 (for 112 proof)=0.0001 0.0004=1.0055 (corrected factor at 47 °F.)=1.0059 correction factor to be used for 112 proof at 47 °F Example. It is desired to ascertain the correction factor for spirits of 97 proof at 93 degrees temperature: 0.986 (92°)−0.985 (94°)=0.001 divided by 2=0.0005 0.0005+0.985=0.9855 corrected factor at 93 °F. 0.986 (95 proof)−0.985 (100 proof)=0.001 0.001 divided by 5=0.0002 (for each percent of proof)×2 (for 97 proof)=0.0004 0.9855 (corrected factor at 93 °F.)=0.0005=0.9851 correction factor to be used for 97 proof at 93 °F. (Sec. 201, Pub. L. 85–859, 72 Stat. 1358, as amended (26 U.S.C. 5204))

you might want to follow this thread. http://adiforums.com/index.php?showtopic=726&view=&hl=TTB%20Tables&fromsearch=1

well i tried the wax dipping last week... what a failure. lol we ended up melting the wax in a big pasta pot, and using a small camping stove to control the heat... i dont know what we were doing wrong, but the wax was either too thin (or too hot) or it was too think, and didnt apply well. Plus, the hot wax seemed to create an air bubble in the space between the bartop and the top of the glass, leading to a very unattractive "mole" on the wax seal. I think i am recommending to my client that he move to a spin on or a pvc shrink... Wax is not going to work.

Thanks for the tips Guy.+

From the Trademark Office WRT Makers Mark Description of Mark THE MARK CONSISTS OF A WAX-LIKE COATING COVERING THE CAP OF THE BOTTLE AND TRICKLING DOWN THE NECK OF THE BOTTLE IN A FREEFORM IRREGULAR PATTERN. THE STIPPLING SHOWN IN THE MARK OF THE DRAWING IS FOR SHADING PURPOSES ONLY. How did they get away with this? the description is so arbitrary, that it could include any drip of wax on any bottle, in any color.. how the hell did they trademark "free-form irregular pattern"? Well if they have eyes on us, and this product in particular, i welcome the lawyers note, because it means we are successful enough for them to notice. Image: http://tess2.uspto.gov/ImageAgent/ImageAgentProxy?getImage=73526578

Thanks Robert... i guess ill just have to play around with it.

lol i dont think someone can trademark a drip... think about how many drips there are in public domain... paint dripping, water dripping, etc. plus, i seriously doubt they'd be worried about the 100 cases of grappa im going to do.

yeah thats who we used.. or rather, we used their california equivalent. apparently they all get their wax from the same supplier in the midwest

Hmmm thanks for the advice. I was not in charge of ordering the wax, but i know that it came from a company than specialized in wax for sealing bottles, so hopefully it will be right stuff. As for the crockpot... i believe we are only using one color, and this is only for one client. They are providing the heating vessel, but i will forward along the info to my client for their consideration. Any tips on dipping technique? did you have to twist at the end, like when pouring wine?, did the wax drip evenly down the bottle neck before solidifying? Thanks much Ralph.

Anybody on here using a wax dip to seal your bottles, as opposed to a heat shrink or spin on? I have a client that has opted to go with this finish, and as i have never applied wax before, just looking for any suggestions. We will be heating the wax in a crock pot to the manufactures specified melting temp. I have been advised that the wax is specially formulated to dry almost instantly, and should only need 1-2 dips to properly seal the top. Thanks in advance for input.

we used Tom Ingalls from Ingalls Design, in San Francisco for our Sgt Classick Rum labels, as well as our pear brandy They do great work. 10 Arkansas St # E San Francisco, CA 94107-2457 (415) 626-6395 http://www.ingallsdesign.com

to my knowledge, such a program doesnt exist... i had to write my own. ( and let me tell ya... talk about tedious) I put the TTB tables into excel and wrote a "double lookup" equation that first looks at the cell with the observed temperature, then the observed proof, and returns to an adjacent cell the "true" proof. Dont forget you also have to weigh the sample and multiply by the wine gallon and proof gallon correction factors to get total volume, THEN multiply that volume by the correction factor to get the volume at 60 degrees... this is the number you are responsible for reporting to the TTB

Hi Frank, Can you please specify whether these bartops are synthetic or natural cork... and what a minimum order would be? thanks much

John... perhaps you can post the height and diameter of the capsules.... are these just leftover "stock" capsules you happen to have, or are you a supplier? Stock sizes ( at least here in CA) tend to be 29.5mm x 55mm, which is suitable for most wine bottles... though some suppliers have other stock sizes as well. Also, is there any embossing on the tops, ie grapes, fig leaves, etc. Thanks much.

I believe you are allowed to sparge using air/other inert gas only, as opposed to sparge with air and water. something to do with residual water in the bottle affecting proof at bottling time. We use a 2 prong air/water sparger with the water option disabled.