Jump to content

A post on Chuck Cowdery's blog about his thoughts on craft distillers.


Recommended Posts

Use a parrot. Even a $7 0-200 proof hydrometer from the HomeBrew shop is probably going to be good enough. If not, get a bit more expensive one (an uncalibrated Bellweather one can be had for about $35). But you've got some nose and taste buds if you can tell the difference between 67.5% and 67.6%.

Let's say your cut point is 130 proof (65% ABV) (a random choice on my part). Looking at Table 1 of the Gauging Manual, at that proof for 61-70º F. tells you that the variance is 129.6 - 126.2. Looking further, you'll see that you'll want to make the cut between 134-131 proof at those particular temperatures. If your temperatures are different, look at Table 1. It's all there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I looked at that a few months ago. I got in touch with a rep and got some info, but decided against it at the time. What did TTB have to say?

I was interested in just that but had some skepticism from the TTB and never heard back from the manufacturer. So we went back to the good old breakable kind.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I brought that device up when speaking to the head of our field office. They expressed concern that a device that the TTB hadn't studied might not be reliable and accurate enough; basically skepticism of an unknown gadget. It was a casual conversation and my take-away was that to use it, we'd want to send it to the TTB's lab guys first so they could confirm it was up to snuff.

Not a big deal, but between that unknown testing time and getting no response from the maker, we decided to stick to glass for a bit. When things quiet down I may take a second look.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Liberty Bar - Seattle
To make a superior gin or absinthe requires me to use the best neutral spirits. Craft definitely comes into play in the growing and/or selecting the botanicals that I use in my craft of gin and absinthe making. Craft comes into play while distilling in my alembic, making cuts, and secondary infusions (in the case of absinthe). It's utter BS to insist that what I do is not "craft."

There's no doubt of that statement...

What Mr. Cowdery suggests when he wrote in another thread that when someone buys beer from a brewery and then distills it this beer, surely they are testing the patience of many people who have mixed their own beer, made their own mash and distilled their own spirit.

Now, there is surely and without question no small amount of craft to make a great gin from GNS - and Marc is proof of this.

Again - we're talking about definitions of measures and definitions. Surely someone that makes their own first-run GNS and the creates an outstanding gin from that has some bragging rights, do they not? Maybe we should call them 'Craftier Distillers"? (Quick - someone trademark that!)

The real discussion here anyway seems to be around whiskey, not gin or absinthe. The whole manner of making gin or absinthe is to take one product and continue to affect it to make a new product. But, when one makes whiskey, I believe that there is a lack of distinction if one does not control the whole process or if one manipulates the outcome. There's a reason that only a handful of distilleries and labels have lasted the test of time. Not many multi-generational empires have resulted by taking shortcuts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Equipment is not the determining factor in "craft". It is the work, experience, knowledge and care the producer brings to bear on the creation of their final product.

I think that the argument over what constitutes "craft" can go on forever. But it will always be a philosophical discussion. For the purposes of practical application, we should stick to defining "micro" and leave the other debate for after the meetings over whiskey, or absinthe, or gin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...