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rickthenewb

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Everything posted by rickthenewb

  1. Hi Paul, is it cost effective to use a baine marie for a 500-600 gallon still. I am just curious of the electric costs and run times. Also, does your page have current prices of these larger baine marie stills? thank you
  2. Hi Paul, what are the prices on the electric bain marie pro series stills. Also what are the heat up and run times. Thank you rick
  3. This question just popped in my head and made me curious, I have seen some really big pot stills but is there a limit? At what point does a continuous still make a more sense? Is it 500 gallons, 1000 gallons etc... Just something i was wondering. rick
  4. Hi, I am looking to partner up with a winery or farm in the Ocean/Monmouth County area in NJ to place a small distillery on. Please contact me at rnorman918@gmail.com. Thank you. rick
  5. A steam generator like a Mr. Steam (usually used in spas)are smaller, startup quicker although have less power but do not usually require a boilermaker to install them. Also they are much, much less expensive.
  6. Has anyone tried using a steam generator rather than a boiler?
  7. I understand using GNS can really save a lot of money but it can't be that expensive. I see a few really small guys making there own gin out there without going to 190+ proof. You can make a really nice gin at 170 or so. I am just curious because it feels like if everyone is making it with the same base there is only so much you can do by adding botanicals. I am probably just really naive to gin but I was just curious. rick
  8. I was going to run it through a screener seprator between the fermenter and the still as well as add an agitator to the mashtun. What type of agitator did you use?
  9. I am not sure which town I am going yet but I have been talking to several distillers using the same type of still. I may be opening on a farm which doesn't have any restrictions but time will tell. I will be mashing corn, wheat and barley.
  10. Hi guys, I have posted a few times and I can not thank you enough for all the feed back. I have also had the pleasure of talking to a lot of craft distillers out there and you all have been nothing but helpful. So after having some ideas about still size and type and going over prior setups and just reading and experimenting a lot I decided to change a lot of things and as always I want to run it by some of you guys for some feedback and words of advice. I am looking at a 250 gallon direct fire Alembic still with 1 thumper and a lentil, I like them a lot, they look beautiful and I have always done direct fire anyway so why change now if I am comfortable. I am going with (2) 1000L comipak fermenters. I am going for a 600 gallon mash tun and I plan on feeding it with a commercial tank less water heater rated at 185F. Here is a quick question, I am trying to calculate the correct size for a mash tun because of all the grain, I think a 600 gallon would be enough as I use 2lb/gal As far as separating grain, I always did it by hand after the mash but this would be silly with such a large volume so what is a good way to separate after the mash and transport to the fermenter. I have been looking at screener separators but was curious to see if a false bottom would be good enough. I plan on using the Yamada NDP-20BSE-FDA for transfering between the mash-fermenter-still I will also be using this pump for circulation in the still during operation Does anyone know a good high alcohol explosion proof pump? Oh and I as I have been reading about the amount of measuring you have to do I have been talking to Fred over at Prime USA scales, my question is how many do you wish you had. I just want to say thank you again in advance. Also, I plan on making vodka, gin, whiskey and brandy (eventually)
  11. Thank you for the reply guys, so I plan on using a 250 Alembic direct heat so not distilling on the grain but I do plan on Fermenting on the grain. I am looking into a Yamada PD pump attached to a filter to remove grain from the wash. I plan on filling the fermenter with hot water and grain at the same time, I figure 500 gallons of around 180-185 degree water should be able to hold for 1-3 hours for proper gelatinization of the corn. It also takes out an extra step and time. I apologize as I always forget to add enough information the first time.
  12. Hi all, I am just curious. I am thinking of a set up without using a separate mash tun and fermenter. I really do not want to use a boiler in my set up and I think a 500 gallon kettle is a bit much to wield and it takes up space. So I was thinking of a high temp industrial tankless water heater that will reach around 180-185 and fill up my cypress coiled 600 gallon fermenter (which also has cooling coils) and when the temperature drops pitch the yeast and wait. I am not trying to be cheap but more practical. This will be for an all grain 60-70 percent corn mash bill. Please let me know if I am off my rocker here. thanks all
  13. Hi guys, I was at Corsair Distillery in Nashville and I noticed they had a small column attached to the fermenter basically turning it into a stripping still. Where would I find something like this or is it custom. Thank you
  14. I saw an old thread from a few years ago, I have been talking with them lately. Anyone have any experience?
  15. I'm sorry i knew I was forgetting something At first I am interested in making vodka and gin, I would like to be able to maybe do a few gallons of whiskey a month for aging. I would eventually like to make some experimental liquors such as brandy from local vineyards, a beet based vodka and amaro and maybe dabble in bitters using local herbs. But for now mostly focused on a corn based vodka and gin.
  16. I have read a few times on this forum about starting small but I can't help but think going small is very doable. My area has an enormous tourist season. I am confident that the retail store would be able to generate more than what I need for a few years before needing to expand. I am really trying to build a story and atmosphere, I am not too interested in making a lot of money (at first) so a side from the "don't do it that small" I am really trying to think of the best way to size the shop I'm looking to start off with four 30 gallon Stills in tandem. this gives me the flexibility that I need in order to make what I want when I need to as well as be able to afford it for myself rather than relying on others for money. I really don't want to focus on trying to get my product out to as many places and on shelves as possible I would like to really focus on the retail store and bringing people in and if I need a larger still, I will have to get a larger still. My main question is setting up the fermenters and kettles, I was thinking electric for the stills. I am thinking of 1 - 250 mash tun and 1 - 250 gallon fermenter Also I was thinking of using a food grade plastic fermenter (thoughts) Thank you all, this forum has been invaluable
  17. So after my trip from New Jersey to Georgia I've decided that I would like to move forward using multiple 30 gallon Stills setup in tandem. I like this for several reasons, 1, The Upfront cost is much lower. 2, it allows much more flexibility. After visiting multiple distilleries I found that they all have one thing in common, they all have a very large nut to crack. there were a few distilleries that had this method and after talking with them did very well and grew slowly and underestimated how much money they made from their retail store. I was much more worried about how I would get my product out to the various restaurants and bars in the area when I should have been thinking about how do I make a quality product in my area that people will come in and be part of. My area sees an annual visitor population of around 22 million people, we also have a very vibrant alcohol scene with beer and wine to begin with. So with all that being said I'm now trying to design my mash tuns and fermenters around 4-30 gallon Stills setup in tandem. I was thinking 2-200 gallon fermenters And 2- 250gallon kettles I know I might sound crazy, but I think this method is the best way to move forward in my area. Thank you for all the help gentleman Also the east coast tour was incredible.
  18. Thank you for the reply, I think you are right with the size still you mentioned, it seems like such a huge purchase that it sits uneasy with me but I would rather not have to worry too much about expansion later. If I make to western PA I will definitely be visiting, what is the name of the distillery? What still company did you use?
  19. Hi all, so I have been reading for a few days now and this site is pretty amazing. I do have a few questions to start out with that I hope someone can either help me with or point me in the right direction. I am looking at starting out with a 500k-1MM budget. (we will see what the number is once we start moving forward) I am doing a small roadtrip from NJ to Georgia to hit up as many distilleries as possible (very much looking forward to this) 1. I know what I want to make, vodka, whiskey and gin to start with, NJ allows 20k gallons/yr for a craft distiller license - Should I start out with a smaller 50 gallon still or go with 100 plus? Is it smarter to get a turn key or piece it together? From what I have been reading you don't want to spend too much on the equipment (marketing should be a large part of the budget) but you also don't want to be stuck if and when demand increases. 2. I am looking for a start to finish checklist, not sure if one exists. Just to be able to collect all of my information and thoughts. 3. I am currently going over the NJ state laws and TTB laws to get myself familiar, any advice on NJ consultation? I have a lot more questions but I want to see what I can learn on the road first. Thank you in advance rick
  20. Hi all, I just wanted to introduce myself. I have been looking through the site for a few days now and the amount of information in here is exceptional. I have been a bartender for almost 20 years and love everything about this industry. I have a B.S. in chemistry with a focus on water chemistry and distillation. I began making beer a few years ago and really enjoyed it but the idea of making liquor was very intriguing to me. So i started playing around with whiskey and rum and found that I really enjoyed it. To make a long story short, the perfect storm of NJ laws changing and few investors that like my idea lead me here. I will be reading through a lot of this site for a while and am sure I will have some questions. Thank you all i advance and talk to you soon. rick
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