Ned

From a formula perspective, the TTB categorizes three gin processes: distilled, redistilled, and compounded. The only one that doesn't require a formula would be distilled gin. You can look up formula requirements for all classes and types on this table: https://www.ttb.gov/images/industry_circulars/archives/2007/pre-cola_eval_spirits.pdf Whether your gin is classified as "distilled" or "redistilled", if you make multiple passes through your still, has been debated on the forums before. The definition below would indicate that if you perform the original distillation, regardless of how many passes through the still, you are producing a distilled gin and don't need a formula. Obviously, you'd still have to stick to the GRAS list. ATF PROC. 86-3 (doesn't look like it's been superseded) Distilled Gins Section 5.22(c), Class 3, defines "gin" as a product obtained by original and continuous distillation from mash, or by redistillation of distilled spirits, or by mixing neutral spirits, with or over juniper berries and other aromatics, or with or over extracts derived from infusions, percolations, or maceration of such materials, and includes mixtures of gin and neutral spirits. It shall derive its main characteristic flavor from juniper berries and be bottled at not less than 80 proof. Gin produced exclusively by the original distillation or by redistillation may be further designated as "distilled." If you think you meet that definition and are producing a distilled gin then you'd need to resubmit your label and list class/type as "distilled gin".

Congratulations Pete!

Just search "Jefferson's", with a wide date range. First Ocean label shows up in 2015. There's not a lot of info though.

Here's a link to the tutorial page for the processing form: https://www.ttb.gov/forms_tutorials/f511040/f511040_tutorial.html Glossary is on the left Packages1. A cask or barrel or similar wooden container, or a drum or similar metal container that contains alcohol.

Not sure if you got your answer yet but here's simplified look at the form. Looking at the front page of the report you have two major columns Bulk Ingredients and Finished Products. Starting at the top of Part I Bulk, Lines 1-8 = What you had on hand (not bottled) and what you added to the account that month, Lines 9-26 = what you did with that stuff (where did it go?) Line 1 = what you had hanging out in your processing account that was NOT bottled before the end of the previous month (sitting in your bottling tank or something like that), Line 2 = anything that you transferred into processing to be bottled either from production or storage, these two total on Line 8. Line 9 = how much of Line 8 you actually put in bottles, Line 24 = what was lost during bottling, Line 25 = what you didn't bottle that month (still hanging out in your bottling/proofing tank or something like that). So again left side = what'd you have for bulk spirits in your processing account that month and then what did you do with it. The right side of the page, Part II Finished Products covers what you did with your bottled product. Lines 27-31 = bottled product that you didn't sell the previous month + what you bottled (Line 28 = Line 9). Lines 32-47 = what did you do with your bottled product that month? you sold some = line 33, may have destroyed some (purposeful destructions)=line 39, broke some = Line 44 and had some left over = Line 46. So again right side = whats the total amount of bottled product you had that month and where did it all go

Wow! That was a good call to follow up with the insulation manufacturer. I'm sure the wood is slick and would be fine for an internally heated steam or even electric still but with direct fire it's just not the right material. If you're pulling the wood, you could expand the brick base up the side of the still and maybe even set your vent up closer to the shoulder to take advantage of more heating surface.

I'd be pretty concerned about the wood cladding as well. Just to give you an idea of temps, with our jet burner we see heating surface temps of around 900-1000F at the bottom of the still, the ignition temp of wood is 375-500F. A hassle for sure but you might really want to consider swapping out that wood for something non combustible like brick. Because you have insulation on the sidewalls you are limited to only heating the bottom of the still and because of the cladding I would think you'd want very near flame contact and then have something like your power vent idea to draw out all the excess heat and bring in enough combustion air to feed the burner. If you're going to keep the wood cladding I would use some ceramic wool insulation to seal and insulate between the fire bricks/side of fire box and the bottom of the still so very little heat escapes near the wood so the still would sit on an insulating gasket essentially, not sure how well that would do it but something to keep the heat away from the wood. Related to the air, those jet burners really suck a lot of air. ours is in an open stack of bricks from floor to the base of the still where we tighten the stack up to hold onto the heat. The power vent might be able to draw in enough air for good combustion, it'd be nice to test the idea somehow before dropping the coin one. I'd also make sure the vent pipe is large enough diameter, I doubt 4" pipe is going to do it. Good luck!

Still_Holler, when you say the sides of the still are insulated, do you mean the still itself is insulated (double walled)?

We use thumpers and really like the flavor profile they yield. You're definitely not going to skip a second run though, they're just not that efficient. Our stripping runs will yield about 30-40% abv, then we'll yield about 75% on our low wines run. You can absolutely use them to add flavors to your distillate, we run two thumpers in series and use the second thumper as a kind of gin basket for our botanicals. They're definitely not as efficient as a couple of plates and you'll be hard pressed to do a single pass anything but we've found them to be very versatile, and provide a flavor profile that we love. As with a lot of things in distilling, they're not THE way to make tasty product but they certainly are A way and if it fits with how you like to distill and yields a product you like then go for it.

We've got a similar set up, we've been running an X-44 under one of our stills for the past 5 years. On agitation, you're definitely going to want it. The easiest/cheapest way is what Southernhighlander describes; braze in like a 1" a pipe either tangential to the outer wall or (easier) running down from the top of the still to just above the bottom, throw a ball valve, on it and then a 1" PT to tri-clamp adapter. You probably have a centrifugal process pump, you just need hi temp hose, and you can recirculate out of the drain valve and back into the recirc pipe while you're boiling, works great. On the burner, get a welding tip cleaner kit and carefully ream out the jets, if they were starved for O2 before they may be carbed up and aren't putting out what they could, this is good regular maint.. I think what's happening on heat up time is the change from brick to combustion chamber. The brick holds in a lot of heat and really helps with the boil, but you need the bottom of the stack open enough to let in plenty of combustion air. The combustion chamber resolves the air issue at the expense of holding onto the heat, the vast majority of the heating is now limited to the bottom of the still, so you're not getting any heating to speak of on the sides of the still. Finally, in order to provide enough combustion air, you've got a stack on the combustion chamber which as it heats up drafts, which pulls heat out of the combustion chamber reducing it's efficiency. This is just my take on it but what I would do with your current set up is 1) ad the recirc pipe and recirc for all the reasons mentioned by previous posters 2) ditch the vent pipe 3) put some kind of spacer between the combustion chamber and the still (1" square bar?) so the heat vents up the side of the still rather that out the stack 4) I'd play with the bricks again, try a loose stack at the bottom to allow plenty of air flow, tighten up when you get to still height and keep them maybe 3-4 inches away from the still so the heat and combustion air can get out. The idea is make a sweater, hold the heat close to the still but let it flow. Good luck!

anytime!

We found that the problem with the cheap ones online is that there is no contrast so you cannot see the grid in the counting chamber which essentially turns it into any old slide and cover slip. you can get a good used bright field hemocytometer on ebay and will be much better off.

Haven't worked with the drums before but it seems to me I've seen folks lift the drum up on it's side, drain valve toward the bottom and then put a little compressed air into the breather port on the top of the drum lid. That would assume there are two ports on the drum lid, one larger than the other. be careful to only put enough air to establish and maintain flow, you don't want to put the spurs to the drum and blow the lid or seam. again, never done it but ought to work. good luck

Hey man! We'd love to have you stop by on your way through Portland. Give a call when you think you'll be passing through, 207-878-9759.

I hear you man, I got a bit nappy myself looking over it this morning!