EDG

You should be fine taking the precautions noted above.

Thanks for the help

It depends on your still, if you are running a steam jacket, oil jacket or hot water jacket it doesn't matter you can run any proof you want, although you'll run your still dry if you're doing high proof. So if you are distilling 190 NGS and don't add water then you'll not only run your still dry, but you'll carry over a lot of crap at the end, not to mention baking all your botanicals to the inside of your still.

The only time you don't want to run high proof is if it's direct heated still, such as electric elements in DIRECT contact with your wash. Typically the safe factor for this type of still is 40% ABV.

I'm running a 2.5L Copper Alembic from Copper-Alembic.com on an electric hot plate

What proof NGS are you putting in the still when Redistilling with botanicals to create a gin?

I know this seems to be a taboo/volatile topic from prior discussions I have read, but would appreciate answers on a pure safety level. I am not looking to steal recipes or bottle GNS. A range of safe proofs to blend down to would suffice. I am doing product development to see how different botanical flavors come over through distillation.

I'm looking to start-up a distillery in Southern California, and would appreciate suggestions for an attorney that can help with everything from entity formation to licensing and distribution contracts. I have already attended two distilling courses outside of California that have provided contacts in their respective states, but I would like someone with California specific experience. Either California or D.C. based.

Thank you,

Kurt