StonesRyan

Rtshfd, I'm nowhere near an expert but I'm wondering why you couldn't just rerun the bad batch for a do-over? Wouldn't that be just like a stripping run to strip the oils/ flavors after which you could attempt another spirit run with your adjusted botanicals? As I said, I'm no expert. In fact, I'm finally doing my first gin spirit run on my big still today and the only thing keeping me sane is the idea of being able to rerun it if it's fouled. Hopefully someone with experience will chime in and clarify.

I plan to do my first spirit run tomorrow and am curious how others who have multiple dephlegmators use them. I have a 20 plate column that is separated, for height restrictions, into three sections: four above the pot, and two additional columns of eight plates each. Each column has a dephlegmator on the top. My question is, do I open up the dephlegmator above the pot with cold water until the plates stack, then once reflux is achieved do I slow the flow to the pot dephlegmator so that vapor can pass and then do the same on the next two columns, etc? Any advice would be much appreciated!

How far are you all pushing your stripping runs? Are you running them until ALL alcohol is out or just to a certain proof/ ABV?

Thanks masampson!

Masampson and Bluestar, thanks for the suggestions! Masamson, are you having to add water AND use Viscoferm? I did a little research on the Viscoferm and it seems like an interesting possibility. I'm using 100% malt so there should be more than enough enzyme activity already - I did try adding more enzyme on a suggestion from a yeast supplier but it didn't make any noticeable difference.

Thanks MaltMonster. I'll give that a go.

Thanks for the responses, Towerguy and Hedgebird. I appreciate the suggestions. I'm going to more thoroughly agitate while transferring and see what happens, then if the issue persists I'll look at decreasing grain ratio and/ or milling size.

I finally got to run my first mash last night. All seemed well until I tried to transfer to my fermenter, via a 2" diaphragm pump, and the grain compacted pretty badly. What started out as a 200 gallon mash (3:1 grain to water ratio) ended up at only 140 gallons in the fermenter with much of the saturated grain left behind in the mash tun. I didn't reach my target temp on the first pass through my 2" grain-in chiller so I ran it back into the mash tun (after having cleaned out the compacted grains) and again found that much of the grain solids remained in the fermenter. Same thing happened for a third time when I re-transferred the mash back into the fermenter. All in all I was left with about 120 of the original 200 gallons in the fermenter by the time I pitched the yeast. I'm curious what others who ferment on the grain do to avoid this loss?

What are you folks fermenting in IBC's using for airlocks? Or are you adding a hose barb to the IBC lid for a blow off hose?

Thanks guys. I'm biting the bullet and looking into a platform floor scale now.

Does anyone know of an easy way to determine tank volume graduations? I'd like to mark the outside of my stainless tanks at various levels to be able to determine liquid quantities during operations and I'm wondering if there's an easier way than filling them all with water using a garden hose flow meter and marking the graduations as I go.

The tank is still available - I'll consider any offers.

Thanks for the feedback. I ended up buying a 400 gallon mash tun and the wort chiller from Trident (they were great to work with and I'd definitely recommend them). Hopefully down the road I'll be able to get a dedicated stripping still but for now I'll have to make do with the still I have.

Thanks for the answers. I think I'll try without aeration first. If that doesn't work, this study sounds interesting (stolen from Probrewer forums): Olive Oil Addition to Yeast as an Alternative to Wort Aeration (can be read here: http://www.brewcrazy.com/hull-olive-oil-thesis.pdf)

Curious what methods others are using for wort oxygenation? Compressed air or O2 tanks? For cost purposes, ease of use, and to eliminate the risk of over-oxygenating with pure O2 I'm thinking of trying compressed air. This is what I have in mind to use with a small oilless compressor and an inline filter for sterility when pumping from heat exchanger to fermenter: http://www.gwkent.com/micro-oxygenation-carbonation-stone-assembly-1.html I'm fermenting/ distilling on-grain so my thought is that this method will be easier to clean and maintain than a diffusion stone. Any thoughts?

TANK IS SOLD This is brand new and is scheduled to arrive in California on December 1st. Unfortunately, I ordered incorrectly months ago and am now looking to sell before it even gets here. It was manufactured by L-Inox in Slovenia and I purchased it from TCW Equipment in Santa Rosa, CA which is where it'll ship from. It'll be palletized and ready for shipment. (www.tcwequipment.com) Please call me with any questions at (720)935-0117 or you can also call Michael from TCW at (707)963-9681. $8400 plus shipping (includes all fittings listed below) PLEASE SEE ATTACHED SCHEMATIC Specs: 304 Stainless Steel 1056 Gallon (4000L) Closed top 5% Sloped bottom Top Manway (300mm) Rectangular Side Manway 930mm Cooling Jacket CIP Ball 3/4" NPT Thermowell 1/2" NPT Sample Valve 2" Racking Port 3" Drain Pressure/ Vacuum Relief Valve Ladder Rack 400mm Welded Legs Fittings 2ea - Tank Wells 2ea - Tank Thermometers 1ea - Sample Valve 1ea - 2" Butterfly Valve 1ea - 3" Butterfly Valve 3ea - 2" TriClamps 2ea - 3" TriClamps 3ea - 2" Black EPDM Gaskets 2ea - 3" Black EPDM Gaskets TCW 4000L Schematics.pdf

Is anyone using a direct fired mash tun rather than steam? I've seen breweries use them but am unsure of how safely one could be used in a distillery. I asked my architect/ engineers if they'd even be allowed in an f1 occupancy - neither knew the answer and they directed me to the city building department. I'm wondering if anyone else has been down this road already?

Thanks all for the input. Does a 300 gallon mash tun sound reasonable if I'm stripping on a 100 gallon still? I hadn't planned on sparging.

I originally planned to contract my wash from a nearby brewer but now that's not looking like it's going to work. The following idea occurred which may be much more efficient and cost effective anyway: I have a grain bill of 100% malt. Is there any reason I couldn't use my 1000 gallon fermenter to mash in? I can get an on-demand water heater that provides 185 degree water. Couldn't I just fill the fermenter with strike temp water, add the malt, wait for starch conversion, then cycle the mash through a heat exchanger (also oxygenate during this step) and cool to yeast pitching temp? On another note: My still is 100 gallons. I planned to draw 100 gallons at a time from the 1000 gallon fermenter to strip until I had enough low wines for a spirit run. I don't think I thought this through properly and now I'm worried the beer will sour before I'm able to strip it all. Any ideas how I can accomplish this before the wash goes bad?

90 days on the nose.

MaskCraft, it took about two months to get to that point. However, nothing has happened with it since last Monday when that occurred and it still says "Assigned to TBD". I thought it would be a matter of hours (as was someone else's experience in this thread) or a few days at most for the final approval. Alas I'm still waiting...

I've searched the forums and am having trouble understanding the reason that people are shelling out $750+ to GS1 for barcodes? Are they just for POS scanning/ inventory tracking? Is it really necessary at startup if I intend to self distribute to liquor stores, bars and restaurants?

All that stands in the way of my DSP is the Manager Disposition. The TTB specialist's comment under Status in Permits Online is "Approval Recommended". Anyone recall how long this final step of the application process took? Trying to ration the Valium in order to quell the mounting anxiety/ excitement...

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I ended up going with Aaron "InsuranceMan" and he was great to work with. He was quick to respond and super knowledgeable. I had a couple of insurers tell me they couldn't insure me without fire sprinklers and I had one (with the word Distillery in their business name even) tell me that they wouldn't insure me because I was not in a freestanding building in a rural location (Interestingly, I was told that they'd had a number of explosions within the distilleries they insured). Anyway, Aaron had no issues with my policy and I'd highly recommend him.

Thank you for the responses - all were very helpful! I ended up speaking with the building owner today and he expressed similar frustrations with his own building manager. He has offered his stamped drawings for me to provide to an architect of my choosing - to be used as a starting point - if it becomes necessary to hire my own.