scohar

Congratulations on that, Robert! It is a very tasty liqueur!

Hi all, I've just been at the TTB Expo in Kentucky (feel free to read about that at http://tinyurl.com/ttb-expo-2009), and I've got a question about the "best practices" of the small distiller with regards to lab techniques. First, the TTB folks described two most common lab techniques to gauge spirits for proof: Using a simple lab distillation with volumetric flasks and a glass condenser (i.e. cheap but error prone and time consuming) OR a densitometer (i.e. expensive), and doing an obscuration test to get a weight on solids. Neither test seems very difficult in itself if you can handle basic high school chemistry. However, my question is HOW OFTEN are people doing these procedures? There seems to be the implication that gauging of this kind must be done several times a day: When product is first distilled, when product moves from production to storage, from storage to processing, from processing to bottle, before blending, etc. A lot of gauging! Are people just using hydrometers and thermometers and that's working for them? Or do we really need daily proof measures to the hundredth decimal place, like I'm hearing at the expo? I would think the TTB would be most concerned to get the gauging done right when the product is bottled so that they can get an accurate taxation on the bottle, and protect the consumer's interests for labeling. Feel free to post here or call me or email me with your experiences. 540-630-1348 or scott@catoctincreek.com Thanks, Scott

Thanks, Eric!

Hello, We are in the process of establishing our small distillery. We will be using two propane KAB4 banjo burners (210,000 BTUs ea) to directly fire a 110 gallon "Colonel Wilson" copper still. This is an indoor distillery, so I need to see what options exist for venting the exhaust from the burners. The setup is pretty straightforward: The still rests on an iron fire grate about 24 inches off the floor, the burners sit underneath the fire grate, heating the copper still. The still would be about 7 feet tall, so mounting a hood would be tricky. Does anyone have any experience with a setup like this? Thanks, Scott Harris Catoctin Creek Distilling Co.

I think as a new craft distillery, you must expect to do all of the work. Most operations I've seen are either mom-n-pop shops or a couple of guys that got together to do it. Unless you have a lot of investment funding, you'll not have the cash to pay salaries.

Jonathan, you rock!! Thanks for the information. This is exactly the kind of advice I was hoping for.

Thanks, Chuck

Hello all, I am working on my business plan, and I have a few detailed questions about the process of distilling. I would be most thankful or any guidance: 1. For a 1000 gallon beer run, Bill Owens' book suggests you can expect something like 60 gal of spirits after two distillation runs, with approx 100 gal of feints. I know that you can add the feints back into the next beer stripping run, but my question is this: Don't the feints eventually accumulate? Wouldn't you then pull MORE feints out of this next run? And more, and more as you go? Do people find that feints accumulate and thus need to be disposed of? 2. When you're done with the distillation runs, I'm assuming what's left in the still is largely water and other impurities. It looks like it could be several hundred gallons per run. Is this safe to dispose of this in the sewer, or must it be handled with EPA care? Can it be recycled in any way? (Steam boiler, etc?) 3. Is it commonplace to sell spent grain to farms? Can you charge for it, and if so, how much? Or is it just given away freely? Thank you. Scott

The government publishes monthly sales and production figures at ttb.gov.

Thanks Ralph. I finally found the standards of identity for distilled spirits at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2008/apr...f/27cfr5.21.pdf

I'm a newbie here, so I apologize if this topic was misplaced or too elementary. I'm searching TTB regs, but I can't find anything specifically regarding the barrel aging requirement. But the Wikipedia page for Jim Beam (among others I've found) states the following: This regulation seems only to apply to bourbon, and not other barrel aged spirits that may be produced here in the U.S. I would like to find this out definitively. I went to the TTB site to review the regulations, but a lot of the links throw a 404 Page Not Found error.

Thank you guys for all the help. I will go check the TTB out for myself. Is there anything preventing me from keeping my barrels, recycling them through my lots, and using them for 10-20 years as the Scots do?

I've been told that the U.S. Government imposes laws on how barrel aging can be done in the U.S. Unlike Scotland, who use used bourbon (among other) barrels for much of their aging, I was told that the US requires NEW barrels for each aging. Is this correct? Who enforces this law? The TTB? If so, are there any restrictions on using chips and such in the aging of spirits OUTSIDE of barrels (like in a steel tank)?

Greetings! My name is Scott and I'm located in the Shenandoah Valley area of Northern Virginia. I am interested in distilling, but obviously, am somewhat daunted by the start-up costs and legal restrictions to making spirit. I spent several years long ago working at a winery, and there is a growing wine industry here in northern Virginia. I'm hoping to parlay some of my knowledge in wine making into a whisky distilling business here in Virginia. I'm going to be learning as much as I can from these forums. If anybody wishes to share some pointers for someone starting a business plan from scratch, I would be much obliged! Thanks, Scott in Virginia