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dgpoff

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Everything posted by dgpoff

  1. Expect to receive a cease and desist by the Irish Whiskey Society. We did when we launched a brand of product (4 yrs ago) named after a farmer who happened to be Irish.We were asked to change name and remove any "shamrocks" under the threat of a lawsuit. Not saying we caved, but the letter and threat will come and you will have to legally answer. They are as protective as we are about our "Bourbon." DGP
  2. Our next door neighbors, No-Li Brewhouse (Spokane, WA) are selling 5 fermentation vessels. They have been employed as primary fermentation vessels (beer) for two years. Two will be available late-April, two more will be available mid-to late-summer. The last vessel will be available in the fall. We are replacing the vessels with cylindro-conical fermenters. They are asking $12,000 each. Features: fabricated by Malrex (2009, UK, http://www.malrexfabrication.co.uk/) 304 stainless steel 1000 gallon total capacity standpipe and drain ports and valves (2" TC) atmospheric, closed-top with manway on top insulated and jacketed – one rectangular glycol zone CIP arm w/ 1.5” TC fitting and sprayball 25 degree conical bottom (similar to dish bottom) 9' 2” tall; 5' 9” wide stainless outer shell vacuum and pressure relief valve Will send pics. Please contact Damon Scott at damon.nolibrewhouse@gmail.com
  3. On one of our audits we were held to .15 proof. THE BAM reads .15% abv, but I think the explanation was that is .15ABv is the number and you have 40% abv stated, then you have a variance of 40 X.0015 or down to 39.94 proof or 79.88 proof. This is how our agent and the District guy applied the law. We all know this is how it works some times. BTW, I did get into a prolonged discussion about 3 years ago with the TTB all the way up to the top levels. The gauging manual says it is acceptable to use a thermometer accurate to .25 to 1.0 degrees and a hydrometer at .2 proof graduation. The use of a thermometer accurate to only 1.0 degrees will never allow you to be in compliance to .15 or .3 proof for that matter. DGP
  4. Along with John at SA, we have recently added a DMA 5000. Now that I am over the learning curve, it may just be the best $25K we have ever spent. We used certified/calibrated hydrometers to the highest accuracy available. Ditto with thermometers. Note that if you do this, just like any other instrument, they need to be re-calibrated/certified annually. Shooting at a .15 proof variance, and really only on the downside of the proof equation (below your stated bottle proof - above and you incur additional taxation, even at .01 proof over stated bottle proof) is extremely difficult to do with even the best analog instruments. And the TTB could care less what you are using, how you do it, etc.. If they send a sample out and you are out of compliance, you are written up and must go to great lengths to reestablish you ability to proof accurately. Fall below 79.85 proof on a bottle of 80 proof vodka in two successive compliance tests, and they will pull your cola. They are hardcore about this. They expect everyone to pull the variance line, regardless of method. And there is no sympathy for being a small guy who can't afford pricy instrumentation. Their answer to that is for you to farm out all proofing testing. Thus the statement that having and understanding the DMA 5000 makes me sleep way better at night. I now have certified, calibrated results, printed out, etc., without having to send samples to an outside lab and waiting for those results. DGP
  5. We bottled well over 500,000 bottles on an Enolmaster with little or no major repairs required. We did do annual maintenance (gaskets, etc.) We have just recently moved to a fully automated bottling line. DGP
  6. Since the US TTB definition is "Distilled to 190 proof or above", a mixture of anything with 190 NGS would then need to be redistilled to 190 proof again to meet the definition. Straight 190 NGS, even if it is diluted and run through a pot still does not have this requirement, as it has already met the definition. DGP
  7. It's actually 50% per product. You can download the Craft Distillery Monthly report form the WSLCB. DGP
  8. Carl is an amazing company and family. Bear in mind I am nothing more than an owner, and receive no "consulting fees" as a result of my endorsement. And Carl stills have won plenty of national and international awards. We make a few cases each year, that we sell in a few states. Can't comment on the others. I don't own any of them, nor use them daily. Don Dry Fly Daily Distiller
  9. "Better" is such a subjective word. We like to use the word "different." Are our products "better" than any of the larger producers? I don't think so, and I'm not sure anyone is qualified to use that word anyway. I do know they are different. And I also know that our approach to almost every aspect of the process is "different." We rest well using that word. I think we all have to be really careful in the phrasing and such we use. Saying that 3 days aging in a 12 ounce barrel is equal to a 25 year old barrel aging is plain stupid. It's different, I'll give you that. Better or equal, I don't think so. We like being different, and love it when our customers and fans recognize that fact! DGP
  10. I'd try duct tape and some zip ties. You can damn near fix anything with these two simple items. Don
  11. Cool. Glad you solved the problem. We pass spirit prior to bottling through a .25 micron filter to ensure we have no issue or the common "floaties." Part of our current Enolmaster filler. Don
  12. Are you making your vodka from scratch (raw materials?) What carbon filtering process do you employ. If you are simply adding water to spirit produced by someone else,then there is a filtration problem. Bottom line is that my guess is that somewhere, someone is not filtering out all of the activated carbon.
  13. What about Oeneo? Sarah Peters - 206-799-8428 - probably not your rep - but she is the cork top Queen and will hook you up.
  14. Dry Fly Distilling will be adding a Second Shift Distiller and is seeking applications from interested parties. Feel free to check us out at www.dryflydistilling.com. E-mails with resumes should be sent to don@dryflydistilling.com and should include "Second Shift Distiller" in the topic line. NO PHONE INQUIRIES PLEASE. Dry Fly offers a competitive compensation package including medical insurance and a 401K.
  15. Bevlaw.com is a great resource once you move forward with your labeling project. Robert Lehrman (sp?) can assist you in getting almost any formula approved. He is the party responsible for getting the TTB to approve the first absinthe in the US. We have used him for all of our label approvals. He is both efficient, quick, and inexpensive. Don
  16. We are open M-F 8-5 and Saturday 10-4. We do tours and tastings at any time. As a result, we are averaging $15K plus in monthly retail sales. Don
  17. We chill filter all of our white spirits prior to bottling. Down to 32-34F and then through a plate and frame filter. Carbon filtering is a completely different subject and is done at a different time in our process. Don
  18. Paul, We are committed through this year, but would happily cooperate if we could cut costs. By the way - congrats on an AWESOME review of your Vodka in Spirit Journal! Don
  19. Sonja, We have a booth at the NRA. You can contact Kent for information. Don
  20. Basically because I think that there should be an advantage to someone who uses Washington grown agriculture. And the farm lobby helped us get this passed. Without their support there is no way this legislation would have been heard, let alone passed in a short session. I am not about to turn my back on those who were instrumental in getting us this put in place. Loyalty is still important to me. And what is currently on the books is not at all confusing to us or the 2-3 other producers licensed under this law currently. Don
  21. Robert, As always clearly thought out and concise remarks. Rather than changing legislation that was widely supported, endorsed by numerous agricultural lobby groups (which assisted in it's passing), and quite frankly took a significant amount of effort and money on our behalf, why not create new legislation that addresses the needs of other small scale spirit producers? This new legislation could create a new classification that would include the activities of those who do NGS flavoring and distilling, as well as items that rely on things not grown in Washington. Maybe the new legislation would set an annual license fee higher than the current law, giving a small advantage to producers who do adopt a "Washington" approach. It could include tasting and retail sales provisions as well. It's not hard to figure out. It will take both significant effort and some money. But then that's how we got done what we did in 2007. So instead of dwelling on the fact that the original legislation was not a free for all package (nor was it ever intended to be - GS feel free to quote this), why not put some money and effort towards creating something that addresses everyones needs. Want our support? Add provisions to the new law that remove the 20,000 PG ceiling (possibly adapting the 60,000 PG number used in some states) on production as we will eventually either need to address this in the current bill or could do so in a new bill. Don
  22. If you want to be a distiller, then distill. If you want to be solely a marketing company, then take that path. Not much "craft" to putting something someone else made into a bottle right? Don
  23. Ah Mr. Stone, I thought you were beyond this stage. Too bad. You are an angry person. I however am not going to play a game of selectively quoting media and dragging you through the mud. I see no reason to stoop to your level. With your love of Oregon, maybe a move is in order. It is a wonderful state! I'll try not to shed any tears. Don
  24. Washington is not Oregon. The agricultural component (51%) is not unique to Washington. And given the importance of agriculture in our state, I think is is the right thing to do. I would oppose any change in that portion of the law, and am fairly confident that there are other groups that would oppose this as well. The reason the craft distillery bill passed in the first place was this provision. I know. I was there and with the process every step of the way. FYI - I'm tired of the "DF business plan" line. It's had nothing to do with our plan. It has everything to do with what we were told we would have to do to get a bill passed. Those who had minimal involvement in the process or discussions would have no knowledge of what it actually took to get the law changed. And that my friends is fact and not conjecture. Go ahead and approach the senate and house. I'll see you at the hearings in 2010 0r 2011 if you can get it through committee. Don
  25. Why soften the raw ingredient clause?
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