Roger

We have used our centrifugal pump exclusively for years running : bourbon mash, wheat mash, malt mash, grape concentrate, molasses......, from tun to fermenters, through tube and shell exchangers, from fermenter to stills, etc.... Temps from 50f to 185f. So far are maintenance and repair has amounted to: zero. The only reason I could see for running an impeller is for the self priming aspect.

Sadly, it is entirely correct that the Tax Break primarily goes to millionaires and billionaires. It should have been stepped, 100% reduction for first 5000pg, 90% for the next 5000, then 10% less reduction for each following 10,000 pg, until at full FET. DISCS and ACSA refused to sign onto any FET reduction legislation unless Big Liquor was rewarded. A stepped DSP FET reduction would have been a viable offset to the economy of scale provided by bulk producers. As if now stands it actually encourages BIG Liquor to push for the devleopment of more fake brands run by NDP's, putting more pressure on True Craft DSP's.

My Flux Capacitor will not energize. More alcohol consumed internally is needed !

Richard - Even if there was air entrapment in a non-sealed system that somehow could not escape, it would at the very least cause turbulence in the laminar flow of the liquid. Now what is the net effect of turbulence in heat exchanging fluids ? Paul - I would recommend you look at increasing the amount of space between the coolant returns and the ends of the shells, to increase air entrapment turbulence (if there actually is any) so as to increase the efficiency of the heat exchanger.

Just ran a complete yield analysis for the past 5 months. We are averaging $1.35 in propane usage per barrel put way.

This cracks me up

It makes sense to "right size" a process boiler for continuous operation if you always have the same demand, but that's not necessarily the case in many situation. We have 3 stills and a mash tun and very seldom run them all in the same sequence, and/or at the same time.

My boiler runs less than 50% of the time. I have it set to come on at 6# and off at 14#. My stills running full on (morning heat up) at 3#. Once up to temp they run at aprox 2# all day long. I believe you are way over thinking this.

If you currently use a CPA, talk to them. Most decent accountants are quite adept at appraising and brokering businesses, and or are able to put you in contact with the appropriate people. However you can rough it out in about 30 minutes by yourself.

You have a few variables: 1 - Your real-estate is worth whatever it is worth, based on the 3 rules of real-estate: Location, Location, Location. 2 - Your equipment is worth replacement cost. That means if it is brand spanking new, what is would cost brand spanking new. It it is used and beat to shit, it is worth used price. 3 - your debt, is your debt. It doesn't belong to anyone else, and you can't monetize it. Whatever you get for whatever and however you sell your company (or component parts) is less that debt. 4 - your barreled inventory is valued at cost, plus appreciation for age. 5 - your trademarks and IP have no value, other than if sold alongside the operating business, to monetize brand loyalty. 6 - your operation as an ongoing enterprise is worth 5-6x net (sometimes the same as 1x revenue) with some negotiation for key-man wage/value. (note) you can also typically add 1 & 2 to that number, if the buyer wants to keep it where is, as is. But remember, 3 is yours to eliminate. This basic formula is across all industries, and does not typically deviate by more than 30% +/-. Prost

I believe what Paul is saying is, running equipment that is not up to all codes is both dangerous to the operator, as well as to our industry overall. The next time some yahoo blows themselves up or kills a tour group of tourists we will all be in a world of hurt. Nobody is going to drill down deep enough, nor will anyone really care to find out what shortcuts the still manufacturer or operator took to keep their cost of entry down. Our insurances will skyrocket and some political hack will no doubt put a bill in motion that prevents non-employees from entering production facilities. Smarten up !

The issue about turning elements on sequentially over time is in reference to a demand meter. Depending on your service, once you hit your "maximum daily demand" which I believe is over a 15 minute period, you will thereafter be charged that "demand" every day for the rest of your operational life. However your cost per KW will be lower, billed on top of that flat demand charge. As for remote start up, perhaps you could run a feed back loop program to your iPad that is lying beside you in bed, that also activates a remote wire clipped to your nuts. Then when your still starts at the distillery you will simutaneosly gets zapped in the nuts to force you to get up to protect your investment. All of course at a lower cost per KWH.

Just run your water at sufficient flow to create complete reflux (i.e. nothing is coming over). Hold it for 30-40 minutes, then cut back your water slowly until your spirit starts to flow out the parrot. Run that out for 5-10 minutes at a slow rate, and then open your water valve again to create complete re-flux. hold for 10-15 minutes and release again by cutting back water flow. Run that for 2-3 minutes (keep all of those runs separate). After that double head tap your spirit will be about as clean (and high) as you are going to get, but that will be determined by threading a needle with the water into your defleg.

There are various reasons For distillery success or failure vs the average business type (restaurants included ) such as: Many Small Craft distilleries are secondary to an individual's source of income. Small operations that are run primarily by families who are employed at other jobs, and they are working due to the passion of their endeavor. This type of operation can usually survive as a hobby that may break even. alternatively Retirement / heritage distillery where an individual has left their primary job or business and has a million or more to invest in a new field. They can float through the first few years while their decent local product matures long enough to be palatable. If collocated as a ditillery-pub with decent food, it can be a good model. alternatively Either of the above can also be operate as fake distilleries, where they re-bottle and rebubble bulk products, giving them a better chance to survive by charging True Craft prices with minimal input expense. ( There is no other industry that has a national infrastructure set up to supply fake craft to business that then attempt to dupe customers). alternatively Group funded operations that have sufficent backup cash to run without fear of making payroll. Again these can be run true or fake, or a hybrid of both which is quite popular wherein they rebottle bulk with the "premise" that at some point they will produce their own. Because distilleries come in so many shapes, sizes and models, and are governed by so many different state laws, you really need to drill down to find the reasons for success or failure of any given brand. None of this by the way touches on the plethora of fake "Big Liquor" craft offerings which are sucking up shelf space with the same old products they have been making for 50 years. prost

Screw Press - About $5G-

It would be an OK side biz I suppose, but very few people are going to pluck down a grand and their time to take home a little barrel that they will have to watch for 2-4 years before they can touch it. I would think that segment of your revenue (if you have a nice facility, good finished products and a tasting room in a good area) would be less than 3-5% of your gross.

I see. no prob. One less thing you have to think about. Your only issues are: Defleg or not, and inlet water temp

On 2 of my stills, my deflegs can be run empty or, 3" of fill, 8" of fill, or 12" of fill. All return different proofs.

In our case our 2nd location is 13 miles away from our DSP, and was originally rejected with the "10 mile rule" quoted by the TTB . We responded that our entire area is very rural, and included a Google map and road route. We argued that our 13 mile rural route conceivably would take far less time to transport and far less opportunity to create "loss of product and or tax revenue" than a 2 mile trip in an urban environment. They approved.

I havent seen mention of the defleg. Running it at different heights, if controllable, and the temp going into it as determined by the temp you set coming out of your condenser, will affect your plate operation.

Here's a thought. Run a previously stripped batch with one plate and take it down to 134 proof, then put it away for 4 years at 120p in # 3char. Then run another batch with 2 plates, take it down to 142 and put away at 110 proof in a #4 char. Then the next day run with 3 plates............. Then next week run a single pass group with all the plates but only go down to 147p and put a #2 barrel barrel away at 120, then the next day run a barrel not so deep into the tails, but only use 4 plates and put that barrel away a 100p Take notes of all the flavors you come up with, and then you decide what you like. That's how you make Craft Spirits.

Jedd - Why bother with the vorlauf ? We've run both ways and see no discernible difference in the end distillate. Vorlauf seems to do nothing but tie up the lauter tun for even more time? Thoughts?

Ammendment . It's called a non-contiguous addition to your DSP. Must be within 10 miles of original.

I believe because this is "custom" the supplier would have been required by law to expend the money you sent them, specifically on your project. They can not "bundle your money with someone else's. You provided a certain amount of money for them to purchase raw materials and begin construction on your particular still. In NY there are always cases where building contractors take money from clients to do specific jobs, and then they fail to perform that work. They are arrested and charged with larceny. You should check with the attorney general as well as the local district attorneys office good luck example : http://www.newzjunky.com/nysp-roofing-contractor-arrested-on-grand-larceny-charges/

Welcome back ! Work release ?