Brooks

Where are you located? Also - can you tell me the column diameter? Thanks

I would say it depends on the type of whiskey and what you are looking to get from the maturation. I am aging gin,single malt, and a light whiskey in used 15g anywhere from 110 to 130 proof. I honestly think 120 is still sufficient for 2nd maturation in a barrel this small for most things especially if you can go 18-24 months.

I would also consider what proof you want to bottle this spirit at. If you enter at 130 into a small barrel (with large angels share) and get a nice abv bump, a lower bottling proof may require a ton of dilution which could be a detriment to the final product. In Scotland they can enter at 130 (in used cooperage) knowing they are coming down 1-2 proof per year. 

17 hours ago, Naked Spirits Distillery said:

Interesting question. My question to you would be why? I work my suggested sell price backwards with 30 pts for the retailer and 30pts for the distributor. I then tell the distributor my sell price to them and my suggested retail. I let them decide how much they make and how much the retailer makes. This equation gives me my margin on every product the distributor sells. 

 

Personally, I don't want me distributor to know my COGS. I think it is a recipe for them to squeeze every possible penny out of you by giving you an explanation that retailers need more.  Just my opinion.  

I know virtually nothing about distribution of spirits. But I am a salesperson by trade and can say with conviction that you do not want your customer knowing your COGS under any circumstance. You lose a lot of leverage, ability to negotiate price, and gain little in return. 

The general consensus is that it's not a good idea. Early on, I tried filtering out the solids, and even when I had a virtually clear wort, I still had solid particles burnt to the elements after the stripping run. It's going to be an uphill battle until you can get some indirect heat for the stripping runs. What are you mashing in?