Etohchem

Like clothing: light and fresh for spring summer. Dark and heavy for fall winter. there are always exceptions especially with marketing, but those are my observations. remember to get through distribution channels and allow stores to order I would start a season earlier than expected sales.

It was purely an academic quesiton as the TTB will tell us which liscenses to have. Correct me if I am worng but if we make a "beer" for distillation and lose it through spillage or other disaster, don't we have to acocunt for it? Tax attaches at the point of creation, as I thoght. can someone point out the regulations? Truman

Chuck, haven't pressed the point withthe TTB but since we have to brew beer from mash to start distilling anyway, isn't anyone who starts from mash, a brewery and distillery by process? We don't pay takes at the brewing phase but it becomes a controlled and bonded product once we pitch yeast, correct? I know, not the intent of your question but might be a fair arguing point.

also there are other brands, Mettler Toledo, Shimadzu to name a few. But they are using Anton Paar technology and quite frankly the MT unit I used was fragile and had a lot of down time. Also the AP unit uses 2 temperature blocks for faster analaysis. I had a shimadzu unit in for tryout some 10 years ago and was not impressed. They may have improved or even quite making them, I have never looked past AP since. AP invented the technology and the only ones to get their equpiment certified for use by the TTB. final word from me AP are great for worry free, repeatable, low training, and accurate analysis. Hydrometers are accurate, the original method and cheap. Hydrometers are fine but get a density meter if you can afford it.

Bluestar has it right. I would disagree on the time. Average benchtop time for analysis is 6 minutes and removing air by sonicaiton or vacuum can help accuracy. the handhelds are a bit quicker but when doing multiple samples and with practice hydrometers are faster. I have done time studies to show emplyee's that very fact. as for model. the TTB has certified only a coule of AP models . I, the TTB use and the newest model is the 5000. as far as using certified equipment... I was in method develpment on % alcohol for a new product and spoke with Norma Hill the compliance director at the TTB lab in California. she told me that she didn't care if we waved a magic wand and shook a dead beaver at the sample to get an answer. if my results didn't match her's, we were wrong. If my results matched hers, we were right. from that I take it as you will get a better warm and fuzzy feeling using certified equipment, If you are comformtable using the handhelds to report so be it, but as I remember AP only guarantee's the accuracy of the handheld to 0.1%ABV that is darn close to your tolerance of 0.15%ABV. to close for me to rely on for reporting.

I have used several densitymeters in my career. The only one I would ever buy again is an Anton Paar. They are rugged and accurate and fairly quick. The handheld unit is pretty good and one I have used for quick assesment when doing cuts and transfers. Butfor guaging,I only uise the benchtop models. As far as hydrometers, they are cheaper, quicker, and more portable. However they take practice and are fragile. They are realtivley accurate if people are taught correctly and use the proper technique. If you can afford it I suggest the AP, but only if you have the expendable cash. Hydrometers are just so much cheaper. Truman

I agree with Denver distiller, which is why i suggest using turbidity measurement for a better guage of your filtration efficiency. Although I have seen some successful herbals promote their sedimentation with"shake first before pouring" and pointing out that the sedimentation is flavor.

What kind of shelf life are you looking for? Are you measuring the turbidity, going through a filtration process, or just going till it looks ok? The more you filter the longer it will stay bright and clear on the shelf, but the more flavor you take out. you have to weigh the flavor vs. appearance stability length. bottle color and label size can help. large labels and dark glass can help cover floculation issues. To prevent premature filtration failure I ran product through a steel mesh than several layers of cheese cloth. this pulls out the big stuff and keeps the filters running longer. Stuck with 20 micron plate and frame. Etohchem

Greetings and salutations to the ADI Micro Distilling community, My Name is Truman Cox and I am the new Master Distiller/Director of Operations of A Smith Bowman Distillery in Fredericksburg, VA. I am coming into this community from a fairly unique position. While most micro-distillers are startups, A Smith Bowman has been a large format distillery in the past and business has diminished to the point that I am refocusing the business model as a regional/craft micro-distiller. I personally have been in the alcohol industry for many years. I have a degree in Chemistry from the University of Central Florida. I started in the alcohol industry as the Quality Chemist for the beverage alcohol division at Grain Processing Company in Muscatine Iowa. While there, I earned still operator certification and became intimately involved with all aspects of wet milling and ethanol production, including fuel, industrial, beverage and medical grades. I also worked with many of the top vodka producers in the world. I set up a world class sensory laboratory for GPC and became something of an expert in organoleptics for beverage alcohol. I left GPC to work as the lead chemist at Buffalo Trace Distillery. I apprenticed in the still house under Harlen Wheatley, one of the most award winning distillers in the world. While in Kentucky I renewed my friendship with Gary Spedding of Analytical Services for Brewing and Distilling and worked with him on several projects. I was then selected to become the Master Distiller to take over for Joe Dangler, who is retiring form A Smith Bowman. We have 7 products currently. Virginia Gentleman, Bowman Brothers small batch and John J Bowman single barrel whiskies are distilled, barreled, aged, and bottled at A Smith Bowman. I will be sourcing some barreled goods from our larger brethren for our Abraham Bowman Limited edition whiskey until some of our experiments at ASB come of age. Our vodka, gin, and rum are sourced but they are picked by me personally and I designed the formula for our gin. We are putting capital into our tourism area and will have a general opening on November 1st. I plan on starting fermentation at the A Smith Bowman distillery which hasn’t been done since 1984. We still have the original yeast from A Smith Bowman and will be recreating his recipe. I also plan on making our own rum when our fermentation vessels are ready; using our own used cooperage for aging. I make no secret that we purchase designate from Buffalo Trace distillery and have purchased designate since fermentation was ceased in 1984. We distill the designate, barrel and age the distillate at our own facility. I plan on expanding our designate purchases to include some other distilleries to marry the distillates before going through my own still to come up with some unique whiskey. I am happy to become a member of the ADI and the microdistilling community. I look forward to adding my knowledge to the collective and hoping to gain some insight from you on issues that come up during our refocused direction as a microdistillery. Truman Cox Master Distiller A. Smith Bowman Distillery One Bowman Drive Fredericksburg, VA 22408 Office: 540-373-4555 x1310 email: tcox@asmithbowman.com http://www.asmithbowman.com