Phil

Still open.  Please apply!

To apply send cover letter and resume to info@rocktowndistillery.com

Rock Town Distillery Production Staff Member – Distiller – Job Description

Rock Town Distillery, an award winning craft distillery in Little Rock, Arkansas is currently seeking candidates to join our production team as a Distiller. We’re looking for a smart, energetic, self-starter who can work well with others and have fun while producing world-class spirits. For more information see our website: www.rocktowndistillery.com

Basic Function

Responsibilities include the day to day activities associated with the production of spirits from grain to glass under the direction of the Head Distiller. This person will be trained in and expected to follow our production procedures including, but not limited to, milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling, warehousing, blending, filtering, bottling, record keeping, cleaning, and waste disposal.

Essential Functions of the position

• Learn and perform our unique standard production procedures, including still operations and cooking regimens
• Day to day activities may include: milling, mashing, fermentation, distilling, warehousing, record keeping, cleaning, blending, filtering, proofing, bottling, quality control and waste disposal, among other duties as assigned
• Background in chemistry or lab processes
• Log and maintain detailed daily records for compliance and quality control purposes per company standard practices
• Inventory management of raw materials and supplies
• Coordinate volunteers for bottling
• High attention to detail
• Take pride in maintaining a safe, clean and orderly distillery at all times
• Contribute to the development of new products
• Good solid working knowledge of Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills
• Enjoys engaging with public through tours, tastings, festivals, and events

Desired Skills and Experience

• 5+ years a production role in the alcohol beverage industry. Distilled spirits experience a plus.
• Degree in a food science, chemistry or brewing & distilling
• Fermentation and mashing experience with an understanding of yeast and starch conversion to alcohol.
• Experience with organoleptic flavor assessment and a good understanding of flavors and their production during fermentation, maturation and blending.
• Strong desire to learn about and have a passion for whiskey
• Broad knowledge of craft spirits, cocktails and beer
• Ability to creatively add value in addition to basic job duties
• Experience with machinery including pumps, boilers, air compressors and chillers.
• Basic plumbing and electrical skills/knowledge a plus.
• Team player that easily gets along with co-workers
• Positive, upbeat, can-do attitude
• Previous experience in inventory management a plus
• Over 21 years of age.
• Weekend and holiday work
• Extended time standing or walking
• Able to work in outdoor weather conditions
• Able to lift up to 50 pounds
• Able to drive a fork-lift

Position Type

This is a full-time position, with a compensation package that includes salary plus bonus with benefits. Evening/holiday/weekend work is required periodically throughout the year.

We're looking for someone to join our team working in the stillhouse. Duties include milling, cooking, distilling, cleaning, etc. Applicants must be willing to work 40 + hours a week and have a flexible schedule for some nights and weekends. Must have a passion for distilling and be willing to start at the bottom with labor intensive chores at first. Must be able to lift at least 55 lbs repeatedly to chest level, and have no physical limitations as this is a labor intensive job.

Please send resume and cover letter to: info@rocktowndistillery.com

Thanks!

Phil

Rock Town Distillery

Check 27 CFR § 19.488: Here's what needs to be on the box:

Marks on packages filled in processing.

(a) Packages filled in processing. Except as otherwise provided in this part, a proprietor must mark packages of spirits filled in processing with:

(1) The name of the processor, or the processor's trade name;

(2) The distilled spirits plant number of the processor, such as “DSP-KY-708”;

(3) The kind of spirits in accordance with § 19.487 or, in the case of an intermediate product, the product name shown on form TTB F 5110.38, Formula for Distilled Spirits Under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act;

(4) The serial number or lot identification number, in accordance with § 19.490, and the date of filling;

(5) The proof of the spirits; and

(6) The serial number of the formula if it was manufactured under an approved formula.

( Real or trade names. The proprietor's real name or any trade name used in accordance with § 19.94 may be placed on any package filled with spirits during processing operations.

Hi Sherman,

Actually, the standard for 750 ml bottles is 0.15% proof variance. That amounts to 0.12 proof at 80 proof. That is on page 1-3 of the BAM, under "Alcohol Content."

Actually, Jedd you should look at the CFR 27 Section 19.356 Alcohol content and fill, parts c and d. You're allowed a 0.15 percent alcohol by volume variance for a 750ml bottle of spirits which equates to .3 proof. Per the example in part d, 39.85% by volume or 79.7 proof is acceptable. .3 proof is a lot easier window to hit than .12 proof

We've scheduled our third one-day class for Sunday, October 14th. Click here for more information.

Also, click here for pictures from past schools.

One Day Distilling School

Sunday, October 14, 2011

9:30am – 4:30pm

1216 E 6th Street

Little Rock, AR 72202

Lunch provided

$195 per person

Lead by distillery founder and head distiller Phil Brandon. Training on a 250 gallon Vendome still, including actual mashing and distillation.

Topics Include:

• The business of distilling – Regulations, Permits, Gauging, Record Keeping, Taxes
  
• Grain Handling, Mash Preparation and demonstration
  Enzymes vs Malt
  Fermentation
  Yeast selection
  
• Distillation – Live demonstration
  
• Vodka/Gin/Whiskey processes
  Finishing and filtering
  
• Bottling considerations
  
• Aging – small vs. large barrels
  
• Tasting
  

Call 501.907.5244 to register or click here to register.

Class size is limited to 25 people

what was the audit experience like? Was this part of the federal walkthru? (not all of us have been inspected by the TTB yet, but I know it's coming eventually...still licensed and operating, just never had the privalege an official TTB visit...) Did they give you a heads up and then take over your office going through your gauging records until they decided they were finished? Maybe a topic for a new thread, but I'd sure like to know what they put you through if you wouldn't mind sharing.....

Thanks very much,

-Scott

This wasn't the walk through (we've been open two years now). My audit was what the TTB calls a "Product Integrity Audit". The agent insisted it was a random audit, she does several a year. She spent three days at the distillery. It was a bit involved to fully discuss here, but be sure, they are coming and they will find something you aren't doing right. :-) We passed the audit however and are happy to have learned from the experience.

Phil

Yep, even the TTB agent that did our audit had the hardcopy with sticky notes everywhere... Hardcopy is a great for bookmarking or highlighting sections of interest.

I agree that to be called whiskey a fermented mash of only grain should be used. However, there are approved whiskey labels that include sugar. Popcorn Sutton's comes to mind. You can find the COLA here.

The label states "Unaged whiskey distilled from a mash of grain and sugar". To me, that's just not whiskey, but the TTB approved it and classified it as "Other Whiskey".

I have a Apollo Machine Works' Econo-Mill for sale if your interested. Send me a PM for info.

Phil

I've got one brand of bottles that's been in my warehouse longer that has no signs of "bloom". I definitely think its a film left behind by the manufacturer.

Thanks guys... looks like I'm off to buy a few gallons of vinegar.

I just opened a pallet of bottles that I've had for a while and the bottles all have a cloudy film on them. I called the manufacturer of the bottles and he said its "bloom" and to not worry about it.

Have any of you dealt with "bloom" on your bottles? If so, what did you do about it if anything?

thanks,

Phil

Ask him to cite which regulation he's referring to.... ask politely, and tell him that you want to make sure you comply. If he can't do it, you're in the clear.

All that you need is a simple cleanable steam filter from McMaster-Carr. They are indeed used for steam sanitizing kegs, John. You can't use a liquid sanitizer for kegs, so you just use a few pounds of steam before the beer is filled into the keg. The steam needs to be clean so that you don't get any carry over of salts. Think of what your blow down water looks like, and then imagine that gunk getting mixed with your beer.

Look here under "sanitary steam fliter", page 362. You'll want a Y strainer and a basket strainer upstream, and you'll want to disassemble and inspect the entire assembly at least monthly.

http://www.mcmaster....filters/=epbd3w

IMHO, coop, I'd put one in regardless of what the inspector says. If you have a unexpected change in the makeup of your water supply (and therefore steam), you could get some off flavors in your distillate.

Hope this helps.

It's amazing what you can learn on this forum.

Do most of you guys that use steam injection during mashing have Sanitary Steam filters? I don't but I'm thinking I should.

Neither Vendome nor my consultant mentioned them to me (among other things). It makes sense to me and I've wondered about this in the past.

This is a lot of discussion about, essentially, nothing or, at best, nothing more than speculation about the alleged verbal musings of some TTB employee.

GET IT IN WRITING. It isn't real (certainly not official) unless it's written down. If you have a ruling or a circular to cite, or a written official opinion from TTB, cite it. Anything else is just speculation.

"White whiskey" is not an official designation, so it can't be used as such, but that's nothing new. Although "white dog" is a very common industry term, it has no official standing with TTB.

The TTB web site is bad about connecting dates to its rulings, but the one ruling that mentions "white whiskey" appears to be a reference to something that happened in the late 1960s, at a time when 'light whiskey' was coming into being and some people (most notably Brown-Forman) were trying to get a jump with a heavily filtered and, therefore, clear (i.e., white) product. This has nothing to do with modern use of the term 'white whiskey.'

I also note that the recent 'white dog' products put out by Heaven Hill and Buffalo Trace don't claim to be whiskey.

There are enough real things to worry about without wasting time on things that aren't.

Not trying to be argumentative, but see the labels attached. Both Buffalo Trace's White Dog and New Make from Heaven Hill say Whiskey on them. Not sure why you're saying they don't claim to be whiskey.

Try Country Malt Group out of North Carolina. They have pretty decent shipping prices as well.

Country Malt Group - Hickory, NC

543 12th Street Drive NW

Hickory, NC 28601

Toll-Free: 888-569-0044

www.countrymaltgroup.com

Unmalted Rye

Our whole-grain unmalted rye is an excellent choice for Rye Beer and Rye Whiskey production.

(SM-RYEM-GEN) Unmalted Rye 55 pound bag $0.39/lb

Send me a PM with your email and I can send you a copy of their catalog.

Todd

Thanks. I'll check them out.

I'm looking for a good source for whole rye grain. Preferably palatalized in 50 lbs bags.

Anyone have any suggestions on who to contact?

I've looked at Briess, but its pretty expensive, $.46/lb. Looking for a cheaper alternative.

Thanks in advance,

Phil

For those of you who sell from your tasting rooms... How are you pricing it? Are you selling it at your suggested retail price? For instance if your suggested retail for liquor stores is $29.99 per bottle are you selling it from your tasting room for $29.99? Or more? Or less?

I'm thinking it would be best to either sell it for the suggested retail price for for a little bit more, so as to not undercut the local liquor stores.

Any one care to offer what they are doing and why?

Thanks,

Phil

Rock Town Distillery

www.drinkbrandons.com

Blog: rocktowndistillery.com/blog

Twitter: @rocktowndistill

Facebook: facebook.com/rocktowndistillery

Update on HB1849... it was signed as a law on March 30th and is now Arkansas Act 827 legalizing the sale of distilled spirits for off premise consumption at Arkansas based distilleries!

Cheers,

Phil

Rock Town Distillery

www.drinkbrandons.com

Blog: rocktowndistillery.com/blog

Twitter: @rocktowndistill

Facebook: facebook.com/rocktowndistillery

Congratulations. Hope it gets passed and made law. Do you have a copy of the bill that you can attach so it can be downloaded. It would be very helpful to others who are interested in introducing similar measures and changing state law.

Dick G

Here's a link to the bill: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Bills/HB1849.pdf

I worked with the Director of the state ABC to get this done.

Got our bill introduced today in the Arkansas State Legislature. House Bill 1849 will allow the sale of spirits for consumption off premises. Currently we can only give tastes in our tasting room. Wish us luck!

Phil

Rock Town Distillery

Little Rock, Arkansas

www.drinkbrandons.com

Off Topic but, I wanted to wish everyone here and those connected with the ADI and forum a Merry Christmas and a Happy and money making new year. Best of luck to you all, Coop

Merry Christmas to all from down here in Little Rock, Arkansas... May 2011 be the best year yet for all!

I found this study while doing a bit of research on barrel aging. Of course it was done with scotch, but I think it's interesting none the less. The PDF was too big to upload, but below is the conclusion.

From: COMPARISON OF SCOTCH MALT WHISKY MATURATION IN OAK MINIATURE CASKS AND AMERICAN STANDARD BARRELS

By S. J. Withers, J. R. Piggott, J. M. Conner and A. Paterson - Received 16 April 1995

CONCLUSION

The composition of the final distillate from maturation in miniature and full-size casks differed significantly. An increased surface to volume ratio of the miniature cask, and increased oxygen concentration, appeared to enhance both extraction and further transformation of wood components, resulting in the dominance of a single characteristic, sweet,after 21 months of maturation. Earlier work has shown that wood lignins have a limited number of bonds susceptible to cleavage and exhaustion of these in the staves of the miniature casks, prior to the completion of the maturation process, may account for the subsequent reduction in concentration. Spirit matured in miniature casks was free from the pungent and sour notes present in that from the full-size casks in the absence of wood charring. Maturation of Scotch malt distillate in miniature casks did not enhance the sensory quality of the final product, nor did miniature casks provide a suitable model of an accelerated Scotch whisky maturation process.

Does anybody know who holds DSP-MO-16? i'd like to contact them.

Thanks,

Brad

From the TTB website:

DSP-MO-16 DAVID SHERMAN CORPORATION 5050 KEMPER AVE SAINT LOUIS, MO 63139-1106

White Labs does yeast analysis, maybe they can do something to determine the source of the aroma.

I gather from you statements that you have used the barrels and you're getting the musty aroma, or is it that they've been stored for 4-5 months and now you have this aroma?

The barrels are still full of 125 proof whiskey. They were new charred oak when filled. Now the aroma is musty. Is it just bad barrels, or an infection/contamination?