tl5612

Electrics need to be ATEX/intrinsically safe http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/atex.htm Storage of ethanol http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/storageflammliquids.htm Destruction of alcohol is mentioned in the HMRC notices.

good post NAB!

Check this out: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2438519/Champagne-vineyard-owners-turn-surplus-grapes-surgical-spirits-used-medicines-printing-inks.html

I would guess... gravity.

Maybe try: Going Plymouth Gin style - no maceration at all. Bring straight up to temp. Cutting your botanical mass in half (at least!). Making more aggressive cuts of heads. Just some ideas...

Filtration can/will remove essential oils from gin. The same essential oils that you wanted in your gin in the first place! And for that reason, isn't needed (except a sediment filter on the bottling line). Louching is the result of too much essential oil. Simply cut down the botanical mass to avoid it (or add neutral spirit to dilute it down). Less is more Most multinational commercial gin producers do the latter, making a gin concentrate to save costs. Most micros probably go for a one-shot gin, where no neutral is added at all. Others might choose a two-shot gin (dilute with 100% more neutral) etc. etc. Whatever floats your boat. That said, maybe you want a louche. Cloudy gin could be a selling point? Maybe not.

Nothing wrong with dropping the word Whiskey. I see that Hudson already does that in the UK. And if you can keep the word Bourbon then that's great! British micros have the same problem with the 3 year rule. But an informed consumer / spirits enthusiast (most likely the target market for a very expensive American craft whiskey) can see past the labelling. Being familiar with the regulations. American craft whiskey is indeed in short supply in the UK. And the brave micros that make the jump over the pond, and drop the word whiskey, probably have the potential to quite well.

Whoops. Don't know why I thought it was just one run. Apologies to Breuckelen.

http://www.masterofmalt.com/gin/breuckelen/breuckelen-glorious-gin/

There is a guy in the UK who is probably one of the best in the business - he created No 3 Gin for Berry Bros and Rudd, and has a PhD in Gin Production. I think $1000+ a day. But maybe you can do something long distance...

Hi Odin, Your distillery sounds great! And your stills look very impressive. Just a thought... being in the EU - are you doing anything about ATEX regulations with regard to the build of your stills? I know that this is a locally enforced directive (so isn't necessary for the manufacturer comply), but are the electrics etc. intrinsically safe rated/ATEX rated? Thanks

In the UK (and probably the rest of Europe) it is 6 bottle cases.

I would just use less citrus. It will save you money and stop the louching. And many might argue that a more subtle/delicate flavour is far superior to that from an oil-rich spirit. That said, if you're interested in playing around with your flavour profile further, why not try experimenting with some other botanicals? For example, cinnamon or cassia (chinese cinnamon) completment/mimic orange very well (they are very strong though!).

That said... it might be easier to raise money for a glossy paper plan with optimistic (maybe unrealistic) forecasts without a product, than for a business with a product making a loss (hoping to breakeven). Regarding LDC, you should remember that there had/has not been a London Whisky for 100 years. This was the first micro (and still is) setting out to make it. A city of 6 million, with many more tourists. A HUGE market with massive potential. That alone sounds good to me. Not to mention that it was part Crowdfunded... so there is certainly that emotional appeal.

That sounds like a bit of a nightmare. Would something like this not have been OK? http://www.fueltankshop.co.uk/hazardous_material_storage/secure_drum_storage_-_hazardous/drum_storage_cabinet_(2_drum_-_flammable) They have vents in the side that let air circulate in and out.

Yes, I'm not even sure if the Scottish company is even taking orders they're so busy... or 18 months plus. A company that you might have missed off your list of enquiry could be John Dore. They should be able to build something unique, and in a reasonable amount of time.

Lead times might be important. Definitely check with manufacturers now. Could range from 3 months to 18 months, depending on the company/your requirements.

There certainly are a lot of start-ups in the States! Whether there are too many or not will be determined, and subsequently corrected by the market. That said, in my view, competition is unlikely to be the most significant factor leading to failure over the next five years. And I can see many successful distilleries starting up throughout the next few decades. As with any business, incompetence, lack of experience, neglect etc. are likely to be more significant factors in success/failure in the short-term. Indeed, I can say I've seen some brilliant marketing and tasted some brilliant spirits, and I've seen some poor marketing and tasted some poor spirits. Looking at the bigger picture, one could say distilleries are simple food/drink manufacturers. And like any start-up business there is an inevitable rate of failure... which might be around 50% in 4 years (a figure I pulled from http://www.statisticbrain.com/startup-failure-by-industry/ ) - something I can certainly see ringing true. However, that is not to say the nominal distillery population will not continue to rise...

From a consumer perspective, no.

all that springs to mind is this ale.

You want your gin to be clear - no solid/colour should pass through into the finished spirit. Some suggestions might be not to grind up the botanicals up so much, or use a finer cheesecloth/muslin bag, or maybe run your still less aggressively? I would also go very, very easy on the cardamom! It is strong.

hoses have been discussed many times. search 'hoses' and hopefully you will find some answers!

I would recommend looking at the EU ATEX directive. Scotch Whisky Association - I'd imagine you have to pay for.

The landscape has changed since Tito started... But sales are higher-than-ever, and the brand identity remains the same. If executed well, either/any method can work. But of course, like everything else in business - it is this execution that is the difficult part.

You would make more than a living selling either 50,000 cases or 100,000 litres! Check out EU grants, there are plenty about... if you create jobs (which you will). Could help dramatically with CAPEX. If I were you, I would investigate hiring an Australian / US craft whisky consultant. They might have more experience in of size you're looking at than the Irish/Scots, and bring some new (forward-thinking) ideas with them! Sounds like an exciting journey. Good luck.