bluestar

We do the same, most others we know do so as well.

We did extensive research on epoxy paint for our floor. We decided we wanted to make sure we used an epoxy that was fully resistant to ethanol. Very few of the epoxy paints are. You need a true two-part epoxy, not water based. The best for this application appears to be polyimide or some polyurethane based epoxies. If you are paying a professional to apply it, the cost differential of using these more expensive epoxies is a small part of the job. As mentioned, you must resurface the concrete, even if new, by grinding, to get proper binding and avoid chipping and delamination later, and all holes and cracks have to be filled. The epoxy we used has performed well, even with 180 proof spills and exposure to steam. We were able to do a 450 sq. ft. area for a bit over $1000.

Right, Steve. We do the same in our bain marie still, but as we get busier, we will be in the market for a mash tun to take the load off the still. We were thinking about something on the order of 180 gallons. We find we run 3 mashes per final spirit run for our twice-distilled whiskeys, so running the mash once for that makes sense to us. We might be interested in an electric heated version of such a mash tun, so would like to see the particulars. We have also considered using the still bain marie as the hot water source for heating a separate mash tun.

First question: are you true 3 phase, or high-leg delta? 208 or 240? We were high-leg delta 240, and our manufacturer's OEM (Canadian) didn't know what that was, and so didn't understand the need to wire things up in a way to ensure that: 1) there is no common return (everything floats) and 2) the system must fail safe if any of the 120v legs go out or partially out (must remain balanced, or have a way to balance, against the 208 leg). Regarding Violent Blue's comment on the elements: usually there is no problem with the elements per se, since they are usually all set up to float. But if you are going to have the feedthrough manufactured to meet the fire code requirements for explosion proof, then usually the wiring is captured in the epoxy. The safest course is to bring out all of the wires for all of the elements, and then wire them up in an explosion proof box attached to the feedthrough OR bring all of the wires back to the controller box for wiring up. We did the latter, although because of the number and current carrying capability of these wires, we had a pretty big explosion proof box attached to the feedthrough to connect our power wiring to the element wiring. Remember, the feedthrough box, wiring from the box to the controller box, controller box, etc., all have to meet code requirements for current carrying, voltage, fire protection, etc. We didn't get this right the first time, the controller box was too small for the current requirements and bend radii for the required wiring size. The OEM had to upsize the box to meet code. By ganging the elements in the controller box, if a single element goes out, we can manually remove an equivalent element on the other legs, and rebalance the 3 phases, allowing us to continue to operate with the remaining elements (we have 9, 3 on each phase). It even allows us later to upgrade the box to allow individual control of elements should we wish to do so. In our case, all 9 elements are on a single heater and feedthrough. Others may wire up multiple heaters with fewer elements, but the same principle applies, I would expect. Let me add, we had to bring in a complete new circuit to the building to supply 40kW, and we had to work with the power company to do a load assessment to be sure the transformer was adequate for both the average and surge power draw. We were OK, but close enough to require some thought about duty cycle.

We have a bit of experience having installed a 3 phase bain marie still, in our case 40kW. There are choices about how to wire up the heating elements, etc., can significantly affect wiring, meeting code, maintenance, etc. We are happy with what we have, but there were some hiccups along the road to getting the right solution. We STRONGLY suggest coordinating with your local electrical inspector and power company on this solution.

Don't forget us new upstarts in Chicagoland that are enthusiastically participating!

And, because of how the code is set up for F1, you will keep half as much on the floor if you dilute to 50%.

Congrats and welcome to another distillery in the midwest!

Sometimes it is the only choice. We used wild-gathered persimmons for an eau de vie based on a persimmon melomel. Unfortunately, American wild persimmons must be gathered ripe, and to get sufficient quantity, must be accumulated over time. Since they don't store well, best is to produce the puree and freeze it.

Hi, Ryan. Well, we are reasonably underway with some of our honey-based or augmented spirits. In addition to a base "eau de vie" or "rum" or pure honey spirit (truly we are trying to determine what to call it for a final label), we are working on using this base for an absinthe and a gin. We also are making eau de vie or brandy from melomels, wines of fruit and honey. We just finished distilling a very rare and expensive example made from wild-gathered American persimmons. It is lovely, unique flavor profile for an eau de vie, perhaps closest to quince, but with definite tannic overtones you would normally get from a grape. The only bad part about it is the expense, and we will probably have to sell 375ml exclusively out of the distillery for over $45 to ensure we recover costs.

OK, we are just getting ready for our first bottling of our Old No. 176 American Gin. I think the best way to describe it is something of an alte genever style, but based on a corn mash instead of a malt. This is a distilled gin, not a redistilled gin (in the conservative interpretation represented by Cowdrey and recent TTB documentation), and we took as our inspiration in part the proposal of Anthony Boucherie in his 1819 missive "The Art of Making Whiskey..." It is also meant as an homage to depression-era "railroad" gin, moonshine flavored with juniper. Hence, it is based on the same corn mash we are using for our Water Tower White Lightning ™. It is very much in the spirit of the exploration of new profiles for craft beverages, but within traditional categories, in this case, gin. And we think suggests another truly American approach, although very different from the western-style, juniper-saturated gins. We plan to show it off at the upcoming Indie Spirits Expo in Chicago.

Yeah, I knew that. My understanding from prior exchange with BIll on this matter was that it was a web site management issue. At the time he thought it would be taken care of soon. That was in April or May.

Guy, I think we would all like to see, and perhaps more pertinent to the original question, is a place where the newer newsletters are archived. And update the old archive page on the website to either say future issues are not being archived or indicating where to get them? Would that all be reasonable to do?

OK, completed first couple of gin runs, and we are very happy with the results. We also switched over the cooling scheme for the dephlegmator, direct cold water with a needle valve. The result is a very high degree of separation with the dephlegmator properly adjusted, heads starting out over 180 and hearts around 150, starting from corn mash and the feints from the prior gin run. The gin botanicals suspended in the head under the dephlegmator provided a very efficient extraction of flavors.

Jesse, in the Vodka mode, is that packed column, and if so, with what materials? What separation were they able to achieve?

Next we will try running a gin with botanicals suspended in the still head.

Great link! That with the cheap hardcopy of the 4th symposium I picked up through e-bay is a great set of references. There are a few other copies of the 4th for sale cheap out there.

You can walk through, but that can't be the primary egress/entrance, and it must be secured. I have seen an example where the distillery is in the brewery, but it has a "backdoor" to the out side that is legally the primary entrance. Depends on the TTB rep as to what they will accept. It was clear my DSP premise had to have a direct access to the street for my location, I could not even consider use of a public common entrance hall for that purpose.

James, Paul Hletko (of Few) had been setting up a midwest distillers association, but I don't know the status of late. I have been in contact with a few of the other distillers in the Chicago area about the same, and some of us would like to be coordinating a meeting for that purpose just prior to the Indy Expo in Chicago.

Choose the right yeast. Many yeasts are chosen precisely because they add a flavor or aroma that is typical of the particular spirit. This is especially true of whiskey's, for example. When we make spirits from honey, the choice of yeast has significant affect on the final flavor and smell of the distillate, since the honey contributes subtly to the congeners. I would think molasses and sugar washes generally are similar to that, and you should be sure to use a yeast recommended for rum. If you run GNS through your still, do you get any flavors? Sometimes the off flavors are a still cleanliness issue.

If you read this carefully, you see that the DSP can't be a place where b,c,d, or e business is conducted. That is, the DSP has to be secured space where only the DSP activities occur. That does not mean that you can't be in the same building or in space adjacent to these activities, or that you can't conduct these activities in adjacent spaces. EXCEPT for item a, which specifically excludes adjacency for residences. Example, you can have a retail space or a space where you sell T-shirts, but it can not be in the DSP proper. It could be in the space next to it. And the DSP needs certain things, like its own access from the street, which means you can't go through these adjacent spaces to get to it (or at least, for one means of access). This confuses many, including us for our original layout. I should point out that I have seen some places, in particular some breweries or brewpubs where the DSP can only be accessed through the brewery. I am not sure how these pass the TTB, except I suspect it has to do with a clever definition of general premise versus bonded premise for each.

For some things you must run at higher proof in the pot, like making absinthe.

HI99151 Amazon discounts these: http://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Instruments-Portable-Waterproof-Temperature/dp/B003IKNJMU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343624890&sr=8-1&keywords=hi99151+hanna

Actually, we often do a mash right after a strip run, because we can reuse the heated water in the boiler very efficiently that way. Yes, it makes for a full day ;-)

Hanna handheld for brewers, but haven't use it much, just got it. It is their newer version of the model, so it is smaller but with larger LCD than prior model.