Payton Fireman

I have a 6 spout vacuum filler manufactured by US Bottlers that I'd like to sell. It is in excellent shape and currently up and running. It has a conveyor and air rinser and comes with a 200 gallon blending tank as well. It is located in WV near Pittsburg. I will send some pictures of it if you are interested. I tried to call you phone but the voice mail is not set up. My office # is 304-599-0960.

One year after its launch, the ABS Alcohol Blending Software suite is in use by dozens of distilleries throughout the United States. Version 3.3 has just been released. The program performs every Gauging Manual lookup and calculation for the user. Over 60 different functions are included.

Created by Payton Fireman, a licensed distiller, with over 10 years experience in blending, rectifying and compounding alcohol to ATF standards. This program provides increased reliability in blending operations and allows for exact control of ingredients and components used. For more information and a read only version of the program see the West Virginia Distilling Company site: mountainmoonshine.com. Or contact the author at pfireman@frontier.com.

A list of Functions performed by the program follows:

1 Alcohol Properties - Find True Proof @ 60°F and other properties of One Alcohol using Expanded Table 5 and 6

2 Alcohol Properties from TTB Tables Only

3 Batch Plan Plain - Simple way to plan the size of a bottling run

4 Blend One Alcohol to Target Proof by Volume using Table 4 then adding components by weight or volume

5 Blend One Alcohol to Target Proof by Weight of Alcohol and weight of Water using Table 4

6 Batch Plan for 1 Alcohol Blend by Volume Using Table 4 linked to blending sheet and bottling log

7 Blend Two Alcohols by Volume using Table 4 then add components by weight or volume

8 Blend Two Alcohols in a Ratio to each other by Volume using Table 4 then add components by weight or volume

9 Blend Two Alcohols by Weight using Table 4 then add components by weight or volume

10 Plan Batch & Blend Two Alcohols by Volume Using Table 4 Linked to a Bottling Log for that batch

11 Blend one alcohol using specific gravity and volume with Table 4

12 Blend one alcohol using specific gravity and weight with Table 4

13 Using Specific Gravity readings - Find True Proof @ 60°F and other properties of 1 Alcohol in Air

14 Gauging Drums of Alcohol

15 Withdrawing Proof Gallons Using Number of Proof Gallons

16 Blend & Sum using Volume Find Unknown Destination Proof to 1/10 Proof and Reduction in Volume due to Blending. Also, Using Volume to Determine Weight and Proof Gallons of Two containers of Alcohol. Also calculate % alcohol by volume and weight

17 Blend & Sum using Weight Find Unknown Destination Proof to 1/10 Proof and Reduction in Volume due to Blending. Also, Using Weight to Determine Weight and Proof Gallons of Two containers of Alcohol. Also calculate % alcohol by volume and weight.

18 Weight & Apparent Proof to true Proof & 60° F. volume & P.G. Then find Present Volume. Apparent Proof to Present Volume. Proof Gallons Obscured, % of expansion of alcohol and water.

19 Using Weight and Proof To Find Proof Gallons and Wine Gallons using Table 4.

20 Using Wine Gallons to find Weight via Table 5 to whole & 1/10th Proof values.

21 Using Proof Gallons To Find Weight & Volume Using Table 5 Whole Proof Rounding & Table 4 1/10th Proof accuracy too

22 Fill a Container using Weight, Temperature and Apparent Proof

23 Volume Correction from Present Volume and True Proof to 60° F. Volume

24 Sight Glass or known volume. Present Temp and Present Volume to 60° Volume Using Known True Proof. Find 60° F. Proof gallons and Wine gallons.

25 Sight Glass or Known Volume. Present Temp and Present Volume to 60° Volume Using Apparent Proof. Find 60° F. True Proof as well as Proof Gallons and Wine gallons.

26 Translate Present Volume to Volume at any Temperature

27 Volume Correction to find Capacity of Container - Present Volume Correction

28 Volume Correction from present volume & apparent proof find 60° F. Volume & True Proof & Proof Gallons

29 Volume Correction from True Proof & 60° Volume to Present Volume

30 Volume Correction from Blended target proof and 60° F. Volume to present volume Geared towards Bottling Volume Correction

31 Correct the Volume of Blending Water Used in Batch when adding water by Volume

32 Bottling Log Alcohol with Volume Correction + Processing Report and Storage Report Calcs.

33 Production and Withdrawl of Alcohol Monthly & Quarterly Excise Tax and Revenue Reconciliation

34 Costs Per Bottle

35 Proof Gallon order for blending and Bottling

36 Batch Flavor Additions to Volume That Reduce the Volume of Water Required in a Batch

37 Flavor Additions 2 Change Brix of Alcohol and track volume change by addition of Sugar and Other Solids

38 TTB public domain sheet for calculating Flavor Additions

39 Tax on Adding Flavors & Wine as a component of blending operations

40 Increase Proof of any Alcoholic Mixture - Make Port with Wine

41 Obscured Alcohol - Using Weight to find correct number of proof gallons in obscured alcohol.

42 Predict Obscuration of Proof by addition of solids to Weight of Alcohol

43 Predict Obscuration of Proof by addition of solids to Volume of Alcohol

44 Use Weight to Blend One Obscured Alcohol to a Target Proof using Table 4

45 Use Volume to Blend One Obscured Alcohol to a Target Proof using Table 4

46 Adjust for Hydrometers Calibrated at Temperatures other than 60°/60° (15.56°/15.56°) then Blend using specific gravity and weight

47 Constants Used in Operations

48 Temperature and Mass Converters

49 Calculate how Long Reverse Osmosis system must operate to process batch blending water.

50 Storage Report

51 Hydrometer Thermal Correction 1

52 Hydrometer Thermal Correction 2 With Diagnostic & Comparison Tools

53 Hydrometer Calibration Temperature Offset Calculations and Blend by Weight and proof

54 Hydrometer Calibration Temperature Offset Calculations and Blend by SG & Weight

55 Hydrometer Calibration Temperature Offset Calculations and Blend by SG & Volume

56 Find how much time is required to Heat or Cool a mixture based on Btu's available.

57 Finding effect of .1 Proof change and .1 temperature change on proof gallons in a batch -Observe Table Accuracy

58 Using Weight and True Proof S.G. Equivalent to Find Proof Gallons and Wine Gallons Using Table 6

59 Table 6 1/10th Proof Volume Blending Linked to Table 4 Blending to show Difference in methods and rounding errors

60 Table 6 Whole Proof Volume Blending Linked to Table 4 Blending to show Difference in methods and rounding errors

61 Showing Proof Gallons of Rounding Error if §186.61 Method of Table 1 use is applied incorrectly by comparing to §186.23 Procedures

62 Adjust Weight of Water to Add to a Batch Based on Dissolved Solids in Water Being Used.

62 Finding True Proof From Table 1 in the special case were Alcohol is at whole temperature and whole proof

61 Pearson's Square Used to Increase Proof of Mixture. Does Not Account for Shrinkage in Blending

62 Algebraic Blending Formulas. These Formulas do not account for shrinkage in Blending but can be useful

63 Thermal Correction Table for Hydrometer and overall correction to 60° F. Broad Spectrum Table

64 Blending Water - Time to Make using Reverse Osmosis System

Version 3.3 has just been released containing these upgrades.

1. Ability to blend to a target proof accuracy of 1/10th Proof or (5/10,000) in all worksheets.

2. Ability to set individual blending tolerance values in each worksheet.

3. A method for demonstrating Water Volume change and Alcohol Volume Change with temperature .

4. Finding proof gallon obscuration with temperature change.

5. Finding Present Volume from Apparent Proof and Weight.

6. Making Table 4 Quotient values consistent as the operand for Weight or Volume Calculations by reducing the use of Table 5 values for such calculations.

7. Hydrometer Thermal Expansion or Contraction correction.

8. Adding calculated wine and proof gallons per case and bottle values to most blending sheets.

9. Demonstrating calculations with intermediate steps in each worksheet.

10. Volume correction to destination volume other than present volume or 60° F. Volume.

11. Ability to use hydrometers calibrated for temperatures other than 60° F.

12. Blending by specific gravity with hydrometers calibrated for temperatures other than 60° F.

Does anyone have a recommendation for purchasing lab equipment for testing obscuration, particularly a glass condenser. We are on quite the shoestring budget, so going the $1000+ route isn't really an option. If you happen to know of a good way for testing for obscuration other than the distillation method (again, not overly expensive), please throw it out if you have it.

I have written some software that allows you to predict obscuration and blend obscured alcohol. A read only version of the program is at my website: mountainmoonshine.com If you know what you put in and account for it accurately one does not have to then evaporate it to prove it. One can avoid the whole process or just pay a lab to do it once to confirm the program works as intenedd. Payton Fireman.

Based on 10 years experience in running a Distilled Spirits Plant, ABS Alcohol Blending Software 3.0 has been written to automate the gauging manual lookups required for processing alcohol. Developed at the West Virginia Distilling Company this program consists of 50+ blending and accounting spreadsheets that run in Excel. Together they cover every blending operation authorized by TTB. In addition the tables have been expanded to allow for using all algorighms with 1/10th proof accuracy instead of just whole proof accuracy. I have posted a full description of the software at the home site of http://www.mountainmoonshine.com/ along with a read only version of the program for people to evaluate.

I think this work will save allot of time and give distillers more flexability and control over their blending processes.

I have also posted some hard to find reference works on distilling as well as a list of suppliers and resources that you might find useful even if you don't need the software. There is also some video of the plant operations.

I hope to open a discussion forum here relating to this new program where users can compare notes on the applications of the software.

Please contact me if you are interested in ordering a copy of this software.

Payton Fireman pfireman@verizon.net