JustAndy

Are you using commercial coloring (like DD Williamson 570? http://www.ddwcolor.com/select-your-class-class-i-caramel/) or are you trying to make it yourself from sugar? I don't have any practical experience with caramel, but it is easy to imagine that trying to make your own would give something with an acrid, bitter taste. I doubt Lost Spirits colors their rum with dunder, as dunder (stillage which is left to bacterially re-ferment) is not palatable in the slightest. It is mixed with the wash in different ratios for consistency, pH, or microflora reasons, and mixed with low wines prior to spirit distillation to create heavier, more estery rums.

I would 2nd what 3d0g says, I don't believe many distillers oxygenate their wort as they are looking for more ester formation / more alcohol production & less yeast growth.

Yes, we do contract distilling for wineries/cideries and periodically we will experience something like what you are describing which we ascribe to acrolein. Letting the spirits air out for a few days can help significantly. What I've read suggests that barrel aging will help mitigate some of the piercing character, but I can't say for certain as all of the distillate goes back to the winery/cidery and I can't evaluate how it's changed. Running batches on a pilot/lab still is an excellent idea before purchasing cider, to verify there is no acrolein. Their maybe a lab test that does it, but it's obvious from the small sample whether it will be acceptable or not as brandy.

A bin is 800-900ish lbs. We use a very small (150L) kothe, which holds about 300 lb of fruit per run, so a bin is usually 2 or 3 runs. Taking cosmetic 2nds (rain cracking, skin blemishes, mishapen, etc) or 'juice' grade fruit helps keep the price down.

I estimate it takes us about 12-15 lb of pears per 375 of brandy at 84 proof (heart yield from a single pass, the tails are recycled into other flavored products). Apples are lower yielding, plums are higher. The costs are a lot lower for us there are a number of orchards around, for apples and pears we pay $125-300/bin depending on source and variety and condition etc. But as the cider movement grows, there is more competition for desirable fruit as they can pay a lot more per lb than we can.

Thanks for the interest, unfortunately I am pretty settled on the west coast. Good luck with your new venture!

I am currently an Assistant Distiller at two distilleries in Portland: a leading craft distillery producing multiple mainstream spirits categories, and a producer of fruit brandies, liqueurs, and grappa. Between these two roles I have developed a broad range of skills applicable to the entire distillation process, including recipe creation and mash production, fermentation and distillation, bottling and tasting room sales, and cleaning, cleaning, and cleaning. I’m looking for a new position with room for growth. Though I’m most experienced with distilling, I also love beer and brewing. My interests are far-reaching, and I’m particularly keen on collaborative projects with other local producers, agriculturally-focused sourcing, and quality-oriented production. I’m willing to do a virtually unlimited amount of hard, tedious labor (see: making grappa), but I’m really seeking learning opportunities. In other words, I’m not interested in a full-time bottling gig if there are no development opportunities to go along with it. I also have a background in accounting and finance, and though I’ve left the corporate world behind I retain a deep-seated enthusiasm for spreadsheets and budget analysis. I’m also pretty well versed on lean manufacturing and management techniques in the industrial setting. I have an open mind about what kind of position would be a good fit. Part-time work would be ok, and so would a position outside the Portland metropolitan area (but within driving distance). If you’re looking for a knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and focused person to lead or support a beer, spirits, or winemaking operation, get in touch. I’d love to hear from you and talk about how I can help.