indyspirits

Why doesn't a large activated carbon filter alone fit this bill? Why sediment and UV? Are you on well water? We use a very large activated carbon filter for mash water. We use 2.2 grams potassium metabisulfite / gallon of mash water to break down the chloramine.

Did you say 50 SF?? As in 5' x 10'?? OK, well, whatever... At one time I knew the answer to this. On the interwebs there's a presentation by Dalkita that lays out the rules and regs. Most important is the fact that spirts in barrel do not count toward MAQs. Of course if your local inspector has their knickers in a twist your situation could be quite unfortunate. I'd start there -- talk to your local fire marshal / inspector / permitting group and then get the federal facts and politely share it with them. There are also regs around stacked height.

30% margin to the distributor and 30% margin to the retailer. Not to be confused with markup. Learn the terms and the math and get out our your KY jelly.

Phosphoric

If you're distributor is promising you to rep your product, then they're blowing smoke up your ass. Look out for one person and one person only when stepping into the absolute tempest that is the three-tier system: yourself. Is Missouri a three tier state? I assume STL will be your biggest market. Distributors will promise to be your best friend; to represent your products, blah, blah, blah. But they're just as likely to stick your produce on the bottom shelf to sell more Stoli that they buy for $1 a bottle. Rant off.

I wouldn't even bother removing the charcoal before redistilling. Just add it back to still on the next run and go.

My humble apologies. I didn't realize that Affordable Distillery Equipment LLC was related to the domain names the OP mentioned.

With all due respect, this is not at all what the OP asked.

Anyone here using a grist hydrator for their grain-in mashes? I've never heard how (if?) the work with ground-to-a-flour-or-near-flour grain. Edit: After wielding a bit of google fu perhaps the better question is to ask if anyone uses or has anecdotal (or otherwise) information on a Steele's masher.

We've recently ordered a 2500 liter mash cooker with removable wedgewire false bottom. In the past, with our 150 gallon cooker we've used a various mishmash/hodgepodge -- the most efficient of which is a 75' long - 1" diameter copper coil with tri-clamp fittings on each end. We transfer the mash from the cooker into an HDPE tote, drop in the coil, turn on the muni water supply, stir the mash and wait... and wait. We can usually get it from glucoAm temp to yeast pitch temp in and hour or so. Results are much worse in the summer when ground water temps hover around 68F. For our expansion (thanks to Mike @ MG Thermal Consulting) we'll have a nice chilled water system. I'd like to hear some feedback on various methods of mash chilling. After much reading the two options I've settled on are: 1. Use the existing mash cooker jacket and adapt piping to enable chilled water flow through the jacket 2. Standalone tubular cooler (think a long liebig condenser) For #2, we've received a quote for $3,850 for the tubular which will consist of 8 (approx) 6' sections of 3" over 2" stainless with TC fittings to facilitate disassembly and cleaning. I have a number of concerns about this, the least of which how much cooling will occur in the middle 1" of mash -- is 2" too large? should it be 3" over 1½"? Can our mash pump handle the load? Additionally, it doesn't thrill me to have another piece of equipment to trip over, move around, and clean. As for #1, I've heard of folks doing this but have no first (or eve second) hand knowledge. I can't imagine it would cost more than $3,850 for the needed valves & piping. If my (grossly generalized) calcs are correct, I need to remove about a half-millon BTUs from the mash to get it to pitching temps ((185 - 85) * 600 gallons * 8.4 lbs / gallon). I digress... If any here can share your methods for large-volume mash cooling or other thoughts I'd be appreciative.

Not to quash your hopes and dreams, but you may want to check with your local fire inspector and possibly permitting office to ensure you can get your COA with a home-rolled still especially if you're going to be heating with steam (lp not direct injection).

Generally speaking, you need about 1,000 BTU/hr / US gallon on the output side of the boiler to heat it up in one hour. That makes a number of assumptions but it's reasonable for budgeting purposes. If you're on a tight budget, look for an old new-stock residential boiler. But beware, in terms of the entire heating plant the boiler will be the a small fraction of the total. You'll need feed tanks, condensate return, steam trap, lots of piping, water softener, etc, etc, etc. If you have well water I'd seriously consider using that for cooling. All that being said, if you're on that tight of a budget I'd take a long hard look at your business plan and make damn sure you want to get into this business.

We have a forklift. Cant imagine life with out it. We move barrels with it. And smoke cigarettes at the same time, and run with scissors.

What table are you finding this info in? I run my calcs based on water (970 btu/lb) because (a) my google fu failed me and (b) I'd rather overestimate the amount of cooling water needed. Many thanks for your input here!

The question I'm actually trying to answer is "is our cold reservoir large enough to condense and cool X lbs of vapor". If I can estimate the volume of condensed distillate based on the starting volume and abv I can answer that question. meerkat, those figures seem appropriate for this type of calculation, albeit pearsons square is highly unfit for that task.

If I recall high school geometry isn't that called Pearson's Square (or something like that). I'm unclear on how efficiency plays into this -- yes for each BTU shoved into the still charge Im going to lose some to the environment, but that shouldn't have any bearing on the amount of etoh in the pot and in the receiving vessel. Assuming no leaks I should recover (condense) whatever I vaporize.

Or "maths" for those in the UK... If I have a known volume at a known ABV and then I vaporize/condense an uknown volume can I determine that volume if I know the post-condensing ABV? For example, I have 1000 liters at 35% ABV, I distill for some period of time and I end up with a volume X at 72% ABV. Can I calculate the volume X with this information? I want to think it would be 1000(72/35) but that approach doesn't quite feel right.

Signature spirits? Although they may be the same ppl as Ultrapure. It's been a while since we purchased.

Tried. I believe the minimum quantity is 100 bbl. Lots of resellers out there -- UltraPure, etc.

I'm a big single malt fan. I either sit down to a dram of Bruichladdich (been drinking a lot Port Charlotte "Heavy Peated") or if I'm in the mood for something this side of the pond I don't think Westland Sherry Wood Single Malt can be beat.

What was: initial gravity (Im assuming you didnt try to make a 15% beer) volume of ferment (we rarely have small, < 400 liters batches crap out due to exothermicity <-- I dont think this is a real word) current pH (we have had some batches crap out due to plummeting pH)

Your fermentation seems well within acceptable limits. I wouldn't rehydrate with wort but that's just me. I always use sterilized RO water and rehydrate in about 10x by weight. I digress... You're darn near running a pot still. We used to compress heads & tails with our small 4-tray still but stopped after we realized how much good stuff is in late heads and early tails. Try a full spirits run without compressing heads or holding back tails; trust your senses. Although it may take a bit longer, I think you'll be pleased with the results.

I too am curious as to yeast strain and fermentation temp.

We're getting a new 16 tray column and have been mulling the merits of various approaches to tray draining. The column will be about 18' tall. Each tray will have a CIP ball w/ checkvalve. Does everyone drain their trays after a run? We always have, but I only have logic and anecdotal evidence that it's necessary. I had always assumed there will be tails in the tray juice that I'd like to drain out and throw away. Never tested not draining after each run. Notwithstanding, options for drain valves at which I've arrived: Ball valve Pneumatic valve No drain valve No drain valve / weep hole in tray We have pneumatic valves in a smaller still and they're a bit of a PITA -- need to run brake-line sized tubing to each valve, control is fidgety, valves are expensive, need a dedicated compressor. HOWEVER, they eliminate the open/close acrobatics and large step-platform or ladder. I'm sure OSHA would have fits with some of the crap we've pulled opening valves. I thought about just saying screw it and have a weep hole (or holes) drilled into each tray. Which would serve to drain trays but the downside is if for any reason you stopped mid run the trays would (obviously) drain. I dont think the no valve is a reasonable option, but it is an option. Thoughts / opinions / current practices?