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ThomasM

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Everything posted by ThomasM

  1. Howdy folks, I'm writing from Balcones Distilling in Waco, TX and we're looking at getting into selling new-make to DSP's that are either getting off the ground or in need of more capacity. We don't have any interest in selling aged stock at the moment, but would rather like to work with distillers or aspiring distillers to help them create their own unique product. I will say, we're probably not a producer for everyone. What we make is a very different liquid than what's available from the "big boys" in that we're offering customizability of mashbill and because we operate 100% on Pot Distillation. For folks who are less familiar with Pot Distillation, it is the "old world" method of distillation that results in a rich/viscous mouthfeel that isn't achievable with modern column distillation. We can make Whisky/Whiskey and for the right volume are willing to produce Rum but will not be producing anything else at the moment. Equipment available for use: 125 hl/3300 gallon cereal cooker 250 hl/6600 gallon mashtun (7) 250hl/6600 gallon fermentors with complete temp control and continuous agitation available (2) 125 hl/3300 gallon Forsyths Wash Stills (2) 85 hl/2200 gallon Forsyths Spirit Stills Feel free to ask any questions you might have either on this thread or shoot me an email. We're currently looking at a "processing cost" of $15/PG plus your chosen raw material. (For instance, Malt whisky can be produced for around $8.50/PG on our system while Bourbon/Rye is closer to $4.50/PG.) Thanks! production@balconesdistilling.com
  2. Howdy folks, Balcones Distilling is a whisky distillery in Waco, TX. We make whisky from "grain to glass" as people say these days. (How else would one make whisky? Anyway...) We're looking to hire a production assistant that will work the evening shift which generally runs from about noon to 8pm. This position would ideally be someone with production experience and will split time between the brewhouse and stillhouse with more of the emphasis being on stillhouse. Essential Duties and Responsibilities to include (but are not limited to): • Distillation on both our 125 hL wash stills and 85 hL spirits stills. • Daily quality assurance/quality control responsibilities • Inventory management and record keeping • Receipt of raw materials and operation of fork lift • Helping other teams with proofing, blending, barreling and bottling of spirits • Cleaning of mashing, distilling, and bottling equipment Applicant Qualifications • 1-2 years of previous distilling or brewing experience preferred • Strong mechanical/light industrial background preferred • Experience in the beverage industry, with a passion for craft beverages in particular • Proven ability to work with little to no supervision • Be precise and detail oriented If interested, send your resume and a quick note as to why you think you'd be a good fit to jobs@balconesdistilling.com
  3. ABOUT Balcones Distilling is a full grain-to-glass production distillery in central Texas. Specializing in malt and corn whisky, we operate a 250 hL brewhouse and fermentor batch size with wash and spirit distillations running every day Monday through Friday. POSITION We are currently looking for someone to fill a position that will work on all facets of our spirits production from mashing and distilling operations to warehousing and packaging in addition to palate development. Candidates MUST be serious about safety, quality, and attention to detail. A good candidate will also need to lift up to 60 pounds, be able to twist and turn, be able to reach over your shoulders, and work in a standing, walking, or crouching position at a steady pace. Candidates must also be available to work Monday through Friday in the morning and during the day as well as some evenings. The candidate will work with and report any mechanical issues to the Plant Manager. An ideal candidate would have: An eagerness to learn and accept direction Strong problem solving and critical thinking skills The ability to work in hot and/or slippery conditions Strong written and verbal communication ability A flexible schedule as help will be needed both as early as 6AM and as late as 8PM with a possibility of split shifts on some days. The ability to operate a forklift and pallet jack safely A willingness to perform other jobs and help other employees in the distillery as needed A college degree in chemistry, microbiology, or food science; or applicable experience in a related field. Production brewing or production distilling experience of some kind. COMPENSATION Competitive wage based on previous work experience and expertise. (Cost of living is rather low here as well!) TO APPLY Send cover letter, resume, and references to: jobs@balconesdistilling.com
  4. Howdy Tallman! I definitely agree that you've got an interesting project ahead of you, but I would encourage you to continue to seek out opinions of folks in the industry around you to try to actually recreate the flavor profile of something that genuinely interests you. To think of yourself as "not in the distilling business" might be a great way to sell whisky but it's no way to contribute to an industry that's already bombarded with marketing noise. The end product is of the utmost importance. Best of luck!
  5. 3d0g made some good points. There's a lot of talk about distillation on this thread, but a major problem here is the fermentation as well. A 1.075 OG Wash being pulled at 1.022 seems problematic from a total yield standpoint. How old was the fermentation? Did it stall out?
  6. ThomasM

    What is it?

    Agreed. Corn oil! Tasty stuff!
  7. I would assume it's a proofing issue rather than mashbill, cleaning, etc. We've settled on leaving everything at 46% or above, because we have zero interest in chill filtering. Best of luck!
  8. I would rely on the same aroma qualities that you would for your other products. A lot of times, the ends of our runs will turn a little "artificial" smelling at the end. Dryer sheet or rubber hose-ish. Obviously it will be a little different for everyone but at 15-20% peated malt, it's not going to have a HUGE impact. That said, you might not notice much of the peated character at all in the beginning of the run. We tend to get most of the impact in the aroma towards the end of the day and that's with 100% peated malt. Best of luck!
  9. Welcome to Texas! Whereabouts are you located?
  10. *Chanting* IN THE STILL! IN THE STILL!
  11. Obviously any fermentation will have some amount of diacetyl, but I can't imagine what effect carrying the lees into the still would have on diacetyl perception specifically. In my experience, the time to minimize diacetyl is during fermentation. Clean it up prior to distillation and you won't have to worry about it. Curious to hear how your experience goes when/if you decide to add the lees back to distillation. Best of luck!
  12. Fair enough. I've chosen to ban it entirely as there are many other options for cleaning that are safer for us across the board. Also our facility only produces distilled spirits though, so I'm sure our cleaning requirements are very different. Cheers!
  13. I definitely agree, but I also think it's unwise to assume that anyone is immune. This was an outlier of a case for sure, but the take-away is that chlorine has no place in a distillery!
  14. Howdy there, quick question: Are you referring to diacetyl in the wash or in the distillate?
  15. Doesn't have to come from corks. It can be formed in the spirit and become noticeable in the barrel. Entire distilleries have been mothballed because of TCA in barrels well before packaging. Real stuff. http://nyloveswhisky.com/lost-spirits-update/
  16. Maybe the missing link here is in reference to cleaning floor drains with bleach? Chlorinated Bleach + any organic material (grain, barrels, etc.) becomes a serious TCA infection very easily. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/FS/FS-50-W.pdf
  17. Another vote for distilling WITH lees. That said, we've never tried to rack above yeast for any product so ours may be more a matter of convenience as all of our pumping takes place out of the bottom of the fermentor. Never have had any trouble or undesired flavors with this method though.
  18. Maybe. Seems odd. The article states that they add the hops in Portland, though. Maybe they just mean the dry hop addition? If they don't have kettle, I'm not sure what else that could mean. In regards to DME whiskey though, I would think the lack of control over the starch conversion process is a noteworthy drawback as well.
  19. I wouldn't necessarily say that lower pressure produces "more esters." Obviously there will be some difference in character, but I would guess that all else held equal, the reduced pressure would cause a cleaner fermentation. I would think that the hydrostatic pressure of a more vertical or cylindroconical tank would produce more esters due to physical stress on the yeast cell walls. If you're looking for yeast stress though, I'm sure you can think of lots of other ways to introduce it. Cheers!
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