HedgeBird

PA does not require any paperwork from the feds in order to submit for your state limited distillery license. The sate and federal processes are pretty much separate and in my opinion there is really no good reason to wait on one before doing the other here in Pennsylvania. One thing you might want to keep in mind (as its now November) is that the state license renews at the end of the calendar year. This means if you pay the $1,500 yearly fee now (and receive a license before the end of the year) you will need to renew it for another $1,500 before the end of the year for 2016. So in your case it may make sense to wait and submit your application in January. Additionally you can submit for whats called pre-approval where the state will go though the approval process for you even though your build out is not complete. Then once you do finish your build out you call and get the inspector back for the finial inspection. If I recall correctly you can submit 60 days in advance of when you think your build out will be complete.

I tried removing labels and getting the bottles clean enough to reuse again. It ended up not being worth the effort. No product/solvent/cleaner I was able to find removed the label without having to still do a lot of scraping and scrubbing. This is even after having left the bottles soak for days in hot water. Then even once they are free of a label you now have to wash and rinse the bottle numerous times to make sure it is free of any cleaning agent/label remover you used.

we pump it all into the still.

I like the rupture disk things and it seems this is what I am seeing these days on most new brewery fermenters. The downside is that most of these tri-clamp PRVs have been designed for brewing applications where the contents of an over pressurized tank are not inherently dangerous. The big advantage of the brass steam relief valves (designed for something that is potentially dangerous when released) is the ability to add a section of piping on the outlet to direct where the output goes if it does blow. Depending on the placement of the PVR this may or may not be a concern.

If you think someone does not have the experience, information or ability to accurately estimate the time needed to open a distillery from scratch, and though it was a good idea to suggest they double (or even triple) their time estimates, why would the same not apply to the financial side of things?

I like that little "I think..." added to the end of your post indicating your not confident with your own argument. A relief valve on the heat input side of the still (water bath/bain-marie in your case, steam jacket for many of us) will not activate if there is excess pressure build up on the vapor side of the still. They are separate systems that run at separate pressures and both have the potential to build up excess pressure if something goes wrong.

Here is the valve I used on my still: http://www.glaciertanks.com/Pressure_Relief_Vacuum-Pressure_Relief_Valves_Vaccumm.html If I had it to do over again I would probably use a pair of these (one on top of the column and one on top of the dome) and pipe the output to the exterior of the building. http://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Valve-13-510-Bronze-Pressure/dp/B002KTZB4Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1443366429&sr=8-2&keywords=10+psi+steam+pressure+relief+valve If I was giving input on a policy/practice it would be to install a 10PSI valve ahead of each potential choke point in your vapor path. So in my case that would be one on the dome before the potential choke point of the column and plates, and one on the top of to column before the potential choke point of the condenser/parrot. To my thinking a 60 PSI valve seems inappropriate on any still..

Ill just help everyone out and put these links to what are most likely the stills described: https://www.facebook.com/State38Distilling/photos/pb.106480826218374.-2207520000.1442948027./107820899417700/?type=3&theater https://www.facebook.com/State38Distilling/photos/pb.106480826218374.-2207520000.1442948027./107820816084375/?type=3&theater https://www.facebook.com/State38Distilling/photos/pb.106480826218374.-2207520000.1442948021./126066270926496/?type=3&theater The six plate column would seem to be a hill-billy still setup. Here you can see the "OSHA safe rise platform to operate the equipment" that is mentioned as being included: https://www.google.com/search?q=state+38+distilling+images&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=935&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CBwQsARqFQoTCOfNvZeoi8gCFQJZPgodKTYNuw#imgrc=2V_kqUwEIetRGM%3A And I would bet this is a pic of the "quantity 10, fermentation tanks. Each are 55 gallon stainless steel tanks with stainless lids." described: https://www.facebook.com/State38Distilling/photos/pb.106480826218374.-2207520000.1442948021./126066564259800/?type=3&theater

If you all are not aware, Square now has the ability to open running tabs for folks so its an even better option for bars/restaurants now than when I wrote my original post a ways back.

This one seems has an aluminum body, but all stainless on the wet parts: http://megadepot.com/product/dixon-valve-defn075-def-automatic-shutoff-nozzle?format=visible&source=ads&gclid=COje19ji9scCFYSPHwodU2kCpw

Anyone have a source for 50-100ML glass sample vials with aluminum tops? I purchased a few on eBay, but would like to find a provider that can sell me these in bulk. The tops for the ones I purchased also do not tighten correctly so they all leak. Here is a link to what I am talking about: http://www.ebay.com/itm/5pcs-50ml-Empty-Sample-Vials-Clear-Glass-Bottles-with-Aluminium-cap-/252036019611?hash=item3aae84759b Thanks!

Sea salt and caramel flavored whiskey perhaps? I would be tempted to buy a bottle of that if I saw it on a store shelf.

Pardon my skepticism, but I cant help notice that you have no other posts on this forum and that your account was created less than two weeks ago. This leads me to think that your post may not be entirely truthful and that you may be part of the scammers running this site. Feel free to prove me wrong.

If I recall when I submitted my application I interpreted that question to mean the parcel of land my building was located on, and not the specific building or portion of a building my DSP would occupy. Fortunately deeds typically describe tracts of land in the manner requested (direction and distance) so it was easy enough to copy this info from the deed into my application. The hardest part was having to re-type it all by hand as I only had a .PDF of the deed that was not copy and paste-able. The question is after all "Describe each Tract of Land" not "Describe each room or area"

I hope you can solve your uploading problem as I know I would love to see more pictures!

If they do, its not on their website. They have 2" female NPT to 2" Tri-Clamp, but not 2" female NPT to 1.5" tri-clamp. (same as pretty much all the other sites) Unless James is correct and actually has some; I don't think this fitting exists. Dave, I think you probably need to go 2" to 2" and then add a second fitting to reduce from there. That are have one custom welded together!

Smart enough to know anyone can register a competitors brand domains; not smart enough to know its illegal? https://ilt.eff.org/index.php/Trademark:_Domain_Names

Yes. Yes. Yes.

I have not been to a distillery yet that did not want to show off all the barrels they have filled up! I also only know of one craft distillery (im sure there are many I am not aware of) that has a separate rackhouses and they offers separate tours of the distillery and barrel house. Is it possible you are finding it hard to get into their rackhouses because they don't exist?

I always assumed most split columns had a dephlegmator at the top of each column?

Have been very happy with my Burnham boiler. They are just across town from me and did a little case study with my distillery. http://www.burnhamcommercial.com/assets/pdf/case-studies/12378_ThistleFinchCaseStudySheet_loresproof2.pdf

This document as linked is excruciatingly difficult to read. The print/text is just clear enough to be legible and just fuzzy enough to guarantee headaches! Perhaps because of this I am not sure I was able to get a full grasp of the report. If I read it correctly... The Fire Marshall did not make a definitive call on the cause of the explosion? Seems like it was potentially caused by a blockage in the packed column that caused a pressure build up? The injuries/burns sustained by the two distillers where the result of boiling mash and not fire?

That makes sense they might have run into the same issue. I think I am going to try some wording along these lines.

Actually I don't need to do that, because I distilled the new make and put it into a used bourbon barrel about 6 months ago. and that is why my post is specifically about "flavored whiskey" and the labeling of such. I have already obtained a formula for this product. I needed that before I could make the initial submission of the label as a flavored whiskey. The TTB does not have an issue with my front label that happens to say "Black Coffee Flavored Whisky" If you read my post again, perhaps you will notice that I am asking specifically about how to correctly describe one step of the process on my back label Perhaps they should be drinking "flavored whiskey" as it does not seem like "flavored whiskey" does have to be stored in an oak barrel.

I am trying to get a label approved for a flavored whiskey and its being rejected because it contains an age statement. Initially I used the wording "aged in oak barrels with whole coffee beans" and after it was rejected the first time I tried changing that to "rested in oak barrels with whole coffee beans". This was also rejected with the following additional info provided: "RESTED IN OAK BARRELS IS AN AGE CLAIM. AGE CLAIMS ARE NOT PERMITTED ON FLAVORED WHISKEY PRODUCTS PER 27 CFR 5.40 (d). PLEASE REMOVE THIS CLAIM FROM YOUR BACK LABEL TEXT" Here is the subsection they are referencing: (d) Other distilled spirits. Age, maturity, or similar statements or representations as to neutral spirits (except for grain spirits as stated in paragraph © of this section), gin, liqueurs, cordials, cocktails, highballs, bitters, flavored brandy, flavored gin, flavored rum, flavored vodka, flavored whisky, and specialties are misleading and are prohibited from being stated on any label. So my question is can anyone suggest a wording I could use that would allow me to truthfully convey to the consumer that this product has been in a used oak barrel; but at the same time not make it an age statement? Is any mention of "oak barrel" automatically a statement of age? Here are two options I am considering for my next attempt: "Infused in charred oak barrels with whole coffee beans" "infused with coffee beans and charred white oak!"