varocketry

What's the char on these barrels?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9ezq3XYGIg&list=PLVo5HAi17a4gTR6qpAVLK4x_mfMw_Sqsg&index=1 12 part series on using a modified washing machine. I've also been keeping my eye peeled [hate that phrase] for an industrial salad spinner on a local auction site. I missed one that closed after my family and I left for vacation.

Sounds like you're getting visibility but low conversions. Are they actually clikcing through to your flower site? There are many factors that affect conversion and abandonment , especially the message .."the ask." Facebook's strength comes in a couple factors: 1) over a Billion active users a day dwarfs other channels 2) their data analytics capabilities can micro focus your targeting and messaging , if you want it to. 3) digital marketing techniques can track from view through click to your site to your message to your shopping cart or out and help you track the metrics at each step in the process. It is not invisible, set & forget marketing as is done in print and radio/tv channels. It's generations more functional and valuable than that (one might argue).

All: We continuing to work toward the CROWDFUNDING appeal to augment the lobbying efforts. Early lobby efforts are getting some traction with Senators. The main script is written. The site text is underway. We've fund a filmmaker in DFW area who can help film the primary video with Rick Morris. We'd like to identify 1-2 more DISTILLERS for a video testimonial segment. Any interesting vignettes or stories of learning distilling before turning pro? Please consider helping us. Questions: Have you given thought to some interesting stories our your journey we can capture? Do you have access to someone who can make a short video for you? Doesn't have to pro quality but GOOD LIGHTING, Good AUDIO, and a good story are paramount. BTW, I put a short ad in CRAIGSLIST for free video help and got a response in 30 minutes.

Actually, I admit in my haste to respond I quoted the wrong stats. I was meaning to respond to the post that again mentioned TAX as a reason that HOBBY DISTILLING does not have a chance of being passed. I have gotten from the TTB their annual reports for BEER INDUSTRY taxable revenue for the years 1978-2013, to correspond with the year before legalization to present. For the TAX issue to be true, you'd expect to see a decline in taxable revenue as these home beer and wine producers supposedly stopped buying because they were now making their own. This was not the case for either beer or wine industry taxable revenues. In fact, something appears to have stimulated a growth in revenue a few years following legalization. This brings into play the factoids I mis-quoted earlier which should have been used in context of the entire CRAFT brewing industry which DIDN"T EXIST in 1978 before legalization. There were four dominant brewers and they all made the same pilsner style of beer with minor favor differences. The first craft brewery I can document opened in Yakima, WA in 1982 by Bert Grant. The second in California in 1986. You might correctly argue that there's no straight line between the 1978 legalization and a $14.3 Billion industry thirty five years later. But you can't say they're not related. As I've written drafts for the script for the video appeal I've thought about many approaches. The script does reference a libertarian "American farmers distilled leftover grain from the earliest days of our country until Prohibition outlawed it in 1919", similar to your Lockean reference. I like a 'learn a craft, find a career' argument because I think a human interest angle featuring engaging, articulate brewers or distillers who learned their craft in a non-professional setting would resonate well. I appreciate all comments and ideas on how might make an engaging, effective appeal successful to a broad audience who might find in it something they'd support or be interested in. I'd like to document comments from a couple distillers who have a compelling anecdote to share. I've got a couple, maybe a couple more would round out a bonus video segment.

Perhaps the most mentioned reason legalization will never pass espoused by people that comment only, is the tax issue. I've researched the tax issue and the govt did not see any decline in tax revenue following the legalization of home beer and wine making. (1979 and later) In fact the opposite is true, and Craft brewers sold an estimated 15.6 million barrels* of beer in 2013, up from 13.2 million in 2012. Craft brewer retail dollar value in 2013 was an estimated $14.3 billion. There was $0 of taxable craft brewing in 1978, there is $14.3 Billion today, due in large part by the legalization efforts by the ABA in the years prior to 1978 and the tremendous interst and growth that has spawned. We believe a similar argument can be made for distilled spirits, the renaissance has already begun .

All: The Hobby Distillers Association has funded a federal lobbyist and is making progress toward legalization of hobby distilling as was done for hobby beer and wine making in 1978. I'd appreciate your consideration and offer of help. I am assisting the Hobby Distillers Association in trying to create a Crowdfunding appeal to be run on Indiegogo or similar sites. We're trying to raise awareness, support, and increased funding for lobbying efforts in Washington, DC. One of the positive themes I'm trying to develop for this appeal is the idea that hobby distilling can be a defacto training ground to prepare aspiring distillers to learn the business, just as has happened in the craft brewing industry since legalization. I'm looking to speak to a few craft distillers who might have learned the trade or gotten their fist exposure to distilling in a hobby environment. I'd like to capture a quote or story for a quick inclusion in a Crowdfunding appeal video with national publicity. "It was learning the process and techniques in my home/garage with a hobby still that prepared me to pursue this as a profession. My career is directly traced back to my hobby distilling experience which ignited my desire to learn more about the science and techniques of distilling." Or something like that... We'd like to feature 3-5 craft distillers who've grown up on this path. Would you be able to support this effort and welcome some free national publicity? Thanks very much for your kind consideration. This is a serious request to help us affect change in federal then state laws. Please PM me if you might be interested. www.hobbydistillersassociation.org

Mash - I see your outfit offers a Still Nights on Saturdays. You're within driving distance so I think I'll sign up. VARocketry

Bravo, dhdunbar, I learned quite a bit in your post. Thank you knidly. I'll buy the first round when we're next together.

Being an organic product producer, I can tell you that Salishseaorganic offers you the correct answer. You cannot made an organic product solely by using organic ingredients. The entire production process and equipment must be inspected following application by an organic Certifier (and there are several). This is in addition to the steps he listed. I have found there are State resources who will provide great assistance in understanding this process and assisting you greatly, at no cost. They want to promote and stimulate development in your state.

I can't see anything in those tiny pictures attached! Are they sideways, too? Unviewable.

can't open the zipx file.

Has any knowledgeable Gent in the distilling world made a tool like John Palmer's Mash Residual Alkalinity Adjustment Worksheet but tailored for whiskey/whatever profiles? http://howtobrew.com/section3/Palmers_Mash_RA_ver3ptO.xls Or his spreadsheet to calculate Mash Ph after application of target grains? His spreadsheet doesn't recognize (offer) CORN as a grain option. This would be a great tool for beginners looking to refine technique.