paulNL

@Uks Inc : Why don't you tell it's a Tenco Enolmaster?

One of the biggest/most important competitions in the world, IWSC (the International Wines and Spirits Competition) in London has always requested four. So it's not -that- unusual.

@Davidksa : if it isn't from foam going all the way up your column (solution: use a silicon based antifoam product), it probably comes from one of the botanicals you use. One of the drinks I make is an award-winning distilled absinthe, it comes out with a beer-like yellow color.

100 bottles a batch is no problem for the Avvinatore, you might have to change the water/whatever a few times in between but that only takes seconds. If you find a better system to drain the bottles I'm certainly interested!

Cheapest but quite effective bottle washer you can get is the Avvinatore from Enolandia, you can find it on Ebay. That's what all the small winemakers in Europe use. Rack style bottle draining/storage is often limited indeed, I found one that holds 8 of my (wide) gin bottles even though it's designed for 25 beer bottles or 16 wine bottles.

Short answer: no. Somewhat longer answer: why would I bother if power outages (>100ms <6hrs) only happen once every few years? Even if in the middle of an (electrically powered) distilling run just shut everything down and continue the day after... YMMV.

Any potstill will do, as long as the resulting distillate is >70% ABV.

Do check Brenntag UK, ask for "potable alcohol". In the Netherlands Brenntag sells it under the name "Nedalco", they bought the Cargill ethanol division.

I would say buy a bigger but still affordable boiler. A 200L milk can boiler with 4" top port from China can be brought to the UK for less than a thousand UKP, including transport and import duties. Yes not all NGS is the same: different grains, different number of plates used... One of the stranger things I found out was that a particular one had trace amounts of particles in it, probably caused by carbon filtering and not running it through a very fine (think 0.2 micron) filter afterwards. If you dilute it to 40-45% ABV and let the bottles rest for a few months a haze at the bottom would appear. Now if you would have distilled this NGS with your botanicals it wouldn't be a problem at all.

You're talking about gin production, right? Quite a few UK based producers do so, ranging from nano distilleries running a 25L boiler to most of the big names. I don't, and there is growing resistance against this. But the rules certainly allow it. Oh and you need to be sure your NGS/GNS is flawless.

Stills are a bit difficult to find second hand in the UK, new still with column in this size range would costs you 2.000 UKP new or more. Stainless steel collection and storage vessels are cheap, 100-200 UKP new for 100-300L. Enolmatic might be difficult to find second hand. Reverse osmosis you don't want second hand, <100 UKP if it doesn't need to be very fast. PM me for brand/vendor names.

You all use cheap, lightweight bottles I guess. 1 pallet of Saverglass Neos 75cl (960 bottles) weights in at a hefty 1812lbs (822kg).

@Still_Holler If no one replies over here just have a look at the iStill blog, you see postings about almost every distillery that has them. Just give the distillery a call or find them on Facebook. I don't have much experience with the iStill myself yet but can bring you into contact with someone who does if you can't find anyone.

No you're right, a competition has some substantial costs. Then again some people might find it profitable to organise their own competition to make a profit. As a producer you vote with your wallet, if you want a medal from a reputable competition you send your products there. If you want "any medal" just send it to the cheapest, nearest or first available competition. And as a producer you can always organise your own competition, having your local Rotary or Lions as the judges. Has been done. Not by me.

"I assembled a control panel" seems pretty clear to me?

I think ADI has a nice list for all states, with all the details about distribution, direct sales, tasting and what not.

*DON'T* grind 'm, ever. Crushing can be done but the result won't be reproducable. You can save on juniper (at the expensive of having to wait 1 or more days) by macerating as Glenlyon suggested. I don't.

Well you can come to the Complete and certified distilling training by Odin in the Netherlands. And if you're a bit unlucky meet me there as well ?

10-15g/l of Juniper seems about right, enough room for the other botanicals. You can macerate both juniper and coriander for one or more days in 60% before you dilute everything to get to a safe ABV to start distilling, and add your other botanicals. jenschmunk: yes, 71.3g/l is excessive.

71.3g per liter of boiler content is a lot! 20-35g/l seems to be what most people use. Example: 35g x 600 L = 21kg of botanicals. That would be $273 at your prices, maybe slightly over a dollar a bottle (at .7L). If you buy some botanicals in bulk volumes the price might go down significantly. I know I spend a bit less.

Symbols for recycling, drink/driving and pregnancy are not a part of the European laws as specified in EU regulation 110/2008. Every country MAY introduce laws or guidelines regarding these symbols themselves, and most have done so. Example: in the Netherlands most of the big distillers are a member of the trade organisation SpiritsNL, and they ask their members to use these symbols. I'm not a member myself (and therefor not required to use them), but I do.

More info in fill levels in the EU: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A31975L0107

The "e" symbol tells the consumer that you've filled the bottle to almost exactly the amount as shown on the label. Without the "e" on the label there's a bigger margin allowed. And no, I don't have the "e" symbol on my labels, like most smaller producers of spirits and wines. Not a single consumer or shop has refused my bottles because of this. I've discussed this with a botteling plant, even though they can fill bottles to the "e" specification they said I can leave the "e" off just so I can use the same label design on everything I bottle myself. I don't know the exact margins allowed off the top of my head, but if you can't find it I'll try to help you.

@indyspirits - it's computer controlled, so it starts heating up during the night and keeps a safe temperature (below boiling) if it took less time than anticipated. Ready to start distilling in the morning!

Definitely have a look at iStill. 5000L fully automated still that does anything from a simple potstill up to 96% ABV in one go, excellent service and even better training. Highly recommended.