Jump to content

H-D

Members
  • Posts

    31
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    3

H-D last won the day on December 4 2023

H-D had the most liked content!

Recent Profile Visitors

907 profile views

H-D's Achievements

Contributor

Contributor (2/3)

3

Reputation

  1. So I believe I was able to find a solution to the problem I was having. As I was comparing old (good) corks with new (bad) corks, I noticed the old ones felt a bit softer. So I purchased a durometer hardness tester and checked the actual hardness of the stoppers. The new stoppers were measurably harder/stiffer. After Tapi looked into it again they did confirm the material can have different density from the plant, and said we can specifically request a lower density stopper. So we had them run a new batch of lower density stoppers, and so far they seem to be working normally like they used to.
  2. We're considering expanding our retail gift shop to do bottle sales and merchandise, as well as non-cocktail samplings. Curious to hear, what are your best times of the day and days of the week for retail customer visits? We're considering more limited hours, and want to focus those on the most productive days/hours.
  3. You’re not going to find a For Sale sign in front of our distillery, and we do not have any specific need to sell currently. It’s been very rewarding sitting at the helm of our business, and guiding our brand to become one of the best selling vodkas in California. But after more than a decade, and tens of thousands of cases sold, I do sometimes wonder about the possibility of letting someone else take the wheel. I’m not opposed to at least having a discussion about it, and curious what sort of people might be interested.
  4. I'm glad to hear I'm not crazy, and not the only one that has had a problem. For those of you that have seen issues with difficult insertions/removals, have you inquired about the issue with Tapi? Did you get a response? They did previously tell me there is lubricant applied to the rubber stoppers, but it can evaporate over time. They tested the first batch of stoppers I was having trouble with and said they were out of spec, and did replace them for me with newly made stoppers. However the new stoppers are also much tighter than what we've gotten in years past. Wetting the stoppers with product makes them easy to insert, so lubrication certainly seems a potential issue, but still a bit of head-scratcher on why it's still an issue with brand new corks. Unfortunately wetting the cork to get it into the bottle doesn't make extraction any easier after it's sit around a few days, so it's not something I want to send out into the market and frustrate someone's grandma like a stubborn pickle jar lid.
  5. We've been using the Enblock synthetic monoblock T-top stoppers from Tapi for about 10 years. Same bottle and same stopper, without previous issues. However we've had a problem the last couple batches of stoppers being too hard insert or remove. I have QC samples of old bottles from years back, and can replicated the same issue with them, so I don't believe it's a case of my bottle changing. However they report no change in their own materials or process, and that none of their other customers have complained. The implication being it's not their problem. So I thought I would check if anyone else here has any feedback or seen any issues themselves?
  6. We have an in-house team of successful sales and marketing professionals working full-time in California. As we're refining our business plan for next year, we're contemplating the potential efficiencies of representing another brand in addition to ours. To be clear, if this turns out be be a viable option, you would still need a distributor since we are just a supplier ourselves. We have experience working with RNDC and SGWS.
  7. I don't want to deal with messy dust, not to mention extra safety hazards. Also benchtop tests do show improved yields, which definitely adds up when you're using organic grains. Thanks for the tips so far. A meat grinder sounds like an interesting option, although we're looking at 1000lbs per batch and I'm not sure how practical it would be.
  8. Thanks, that is a relevant article and similar to what I'd envision. I am still interested in a discussion of specific models and feedback, if anyone has any experience with them...
  9. I'm interested in exploring options for wet milling grain. Perhaps some sort of batch shear mixer or in-line grinder pump type system. Curious if anyone has any suggestions for specific models that are appropriately sized and priced for a microdistillery?
  10. Fortunately for you and consumers, the term organic is already explicitly defined by Federal law, so there is no ambiguity about what it means and no further explanation or disclaimers should be necessary. Compliance is also strictly enforced with detailed recorded keeping and annual inspections by an accredited certifying agency: https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/organic-standards I'm not sure how widely irradiated agricultural products are actually being used by distilleries, but this is still a decent example of thinking beyond the individual consumer. I believe there is evidence that irradiated food can be chemically altered and may reduce nutritional content. However if we accept your assumption that the finished product is perfectly safe and unaltered, should that make it acceptable to the consumer? For many consumers it does still matter. You can't have irradiated products without an irradiation facility. What kind of radioactive materials do they use, and what's the risk of contamination to the environment? Do they generate radioactively contaminated waste? Would you mind if they opened a facility in your neighborhood? If not, how far away is acceptable? Would you have any concerns if they transported their waste products down your street on the way to dumping it at your local landfill? How many years will it stay hazardous?
  11. We're a certified organic distillery, so I can answer this one. The main benefit is that it's better for the environment overall. Perhaps in a refined finished product like distilled spirits, you might not worry as much about directly consuming residual poisons, herbicides, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, genetically engineered biochemicals, irradiated materials, etc. However if it's still an appropriate option if you'd prefer to reduce all of those in the world you live in. Let's say you're a fisherman in the Gulf of Mexico that enjoys bourbon made from Midwestern corn. You also know from first hand experience that the Dead Zone is bigger than ever and affecting your livelihood. Perhaps that might have some influence on your consumer product choices?
  12. Humboldt Distillery produces organic spirits in Humboldt County, on California's North Coast. We're currently looking for a full-time distiller. This position will be responsible for a broad range of duties within the distillery, including: distillation, mashing, fermentation, cleaning, blending and gauging spirits, bottling, packaging, record keeping, and even more cleaning. Previous experience at a distillery, brewery, winery or other production facility would be preferable, but not a strict requirement. A technical aptitude, a desire to learn new skills, and ability to lift 50 pounds are requirements. If you're interested, please email your resume to the address below. It may take a week or two before we have a chance to review, and please accept our apologies in advance if we are unable to respond to every inquiry. humboldtdistillery-jobs@yahoo.com
  13. Humboldt Distillery produces organic spirits in Humboldt County, on California's North Coast. We're currently looking for a full-time distiller. This position will be responsible for a broad range of duties within the distillery, including: distillation, mashing, fermentation, cleaning, blending and gauging spirits, bottling, packaging, record keeping, and even more cleaning. Previous experience at a distillery, brewery, winery or other production facility would be preferable, but not a strict requirement. A technical aptitude, a desire to learn new skills, and ability to lift 50 pounds are requirements. For more information, please email humboldtdistillery-jobs@yahoo.com
  14. Looks like our post was a bit premature. We just determined it's going to be too hard to find quick replacements for new barrels with air seasoned wood, and are going to reuse these barrels. We'll post these again in the future to see if anyone is interested in twice used barrels. Also, in case anyone was curious about market prices, I did have a few offers for these barrels in the $40-60 price which I'm sure would have been fair if we decided not to reuse them.
  15. We have 12 used barrels for sale, all five gallon American oak that had a #3 char. These aged organic malt whiskey for 8-9 months. I'm not sure exactly how to price them, so send me a PM and let me know what they may be worth to you. They'll ship from N. California and each barrel weighs about 19 pounds, and all of them would easily fit on a single pallet.
×
×
  • Create New...