delaware_phoenix

Here's a page of stats on the craft beer industry for 2007. http://www.beertown.org/craftbrewing/statistics.html They say the annual dollar sales volume for craft beer was $5.7 billion. If sales tax averages 6%, that's $342 million. Also, you should point how, for example, every brewpub, is a business that's generating sales tax revenue for the states, business tax revenue at state and federal level, employment taxes, etc. The idea is that it's a way to stimulate economic activity that will lead to an increase in other tax revenues down the road. The government provides tax incentives to all sorts of industries all the time. We should also be advocating against a tax increase on spirits because: spirits producers are not just mega-corporations, they're also small "mom and pop" sized operations that can't afford a tax increase any tax increase will be passed on to the consumer, and we shouldn't be putting any additional stress on the consumer at this time small spirits producers are a new industry that will create American jobs, not overseas ones Have all your current customers send the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Representative Charles Rangel, and email saying they don't support a liquor tax increase. Here's the contact page for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Tell your customers to contact them too. You can be certain that if you have to charge an extra $2 a bottle, that will be much more to the consumer when the distributor adds onto it, and the retailer onto that. http://waysandmeans.house.gov/contact.asp http://speaker.house.gov/contact/

Also look at the possibility for supporting agriculture. Every micro-distiller needs raw materials. We're here helping support our family farmers as well as support our local economies. Some states have passed micro-distiller laws to specifically support their agriculture. It's just one means among many. Also, while much of the liquor sold comes from Big Liquor, we're little puny liquor, small individual businesses. We get to follow all the same regulations as a big liquor establishment, and yet we're 1/100th or 1/1000th the size. Not to get too political, but I don't see them wanting to tax Exxon Mobil for their $11 billion profits for a quarter. From this Feb 1, 2008 NT Tyimes article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/01/business/01cnd-exxon.html

The TTB tests you product as part of your formula. http://www.ttb.gov/ssd/pdf/screening_thujone.pdf The document says there'll be a more detailed description of the method posted on the website in December 2007, but I didn't see it. Perhaps it's hidden somewhere else. afaik, the TTB tests your product at the beginning of formula approval process. Presumably they also test from randomly selected product samples taken from retailers. Of course, the TTB may decide differently in the future at their discretion. Failure in the formula process means you go back to develop a formula that passes. You won't get a COLA without an approved formula. Failure later means your product would be recalled I guess as it would violate the conditions of your COLA and it would be an illegal beverage product. These are things you should be talking about to your TTB formula specialist.

To me absinthe is not like other spirits in so many ways. It's as far from whiskey and gin as wine. It's not meant to be something that you pour into a glass, add a couple ice cubes, and a splash of water or tonic and drink. To me, if you want to really know what the best absinthes of the Belle Epoque were like, acquire a sample of pre-Ban, nearly 100 year old absinthe that someone stashed away and forgot about. Or obtain some of the better absinthes available from Europe. The WS and FeeVerte sites have lists of recommended vendors. I've started my nano-distillery to do one thing: make absinthe. Why? Because it's the only spirit I actually care about. I think the history and lore of whiskey is wonderful and fascinating. But it's just not my drink. So I'll let the aficionados of whiskey make whiskey. I think being passionate about what you make is what distinguishes the micro-distillers from Diageo and Pernod-Richard. Of course, we have to turn a profit or we don't get to keep doing what we're doing. I don't have a profit motive for what I do. I have profit awareness. So my advice is make what you love. Otherwise, it'll just be a job, and you'll end up hating what you do. jmo.

In the French tradition, a distillateur (distiller) is someone who makes and sells the product of distillation. There is no requirement for that person to perform fermentation, since distillation is the separation of more volatile components from lesser ones through boiling and collecting the condensed vapors. The French also have the term liquoriste, the maker of liquors. This is someone who may or may not distill, but also makes liquors by other means such as infusion and blending. I can see why the large American whiskey manufacturers have evolved the set of terms appropriate for their business. Doesn't mean that the small artisanal producers have to follow that terminology especially if it's not appropriate to their business and methods.

And it's been going for for at least a couple years. Be aware there is no legal definition/classification for absinthe in the US. That's part of the problem. Even Europe has no real definition which is why there's an ocean of utter shit that pervades the marketplace there. Unfortunately some of that it slowly making it's way here. Fortunately, the makers/marketeers can't hype the thujone, hallucinations and drug-like effect. Unfortunately again, some poor retail owner will buy a case just to have an absinthe on their shelf.

I attended the course last year and I found it useful, but it is a basic, one-day course. It's good to meet other people who have the same dream as you, of having your own little micro-distillery. I didn't have lots of interactions with the CC people, but they were the only one's to ever return my calls/emails. This course looks like a two day course, which may help address some of Jonathan's issues. But regardless, if you think you'll come out of the course a Master Distiller, you'll probably be disappointed.

Thanks for the info (though I don't benefit from this bill I'm glad it's passed). 15,000 bills works out to 41 per day. I'm impressed.

Use a parrot. Even a $7 0-200 proof hydrometer from the HomeBrew shop is probably going to be good enough. If not, get a bit more expensive one (an uncalibrated Bellweather one can be had for about $35). But you've got some nose and taste buds if you can tell the difference between 67.5% and 67.6%. Let's say your cut point is 130 proof (65% ABV) (a random choice on my part). Looking at Table 1 of the Gauging Manual, at that proof for 61-70º F. tells you that the variance is 129.6 - 126.2. Looking further, you'll see that you'll want to make the cut between 134-131 proof at those particular temperatures. If your temperatures are different, look at Table 1. It's all there.

How many people look at a computer screen to check the ABV of the spirit coming out of the spigot?

The TTB was always nice on the phone, and usually I got someone knowledgeable. A couple times I could tell it was someone new, but they always tried to be helpful, even if that was referring me to the correct part of the regulations. The state, however, is opaque and often not very helpful. The specific question is answered as though you are a 24/7 operation, even if you're not.

Another DIY idea is use a refrigerator and install a 10-20 gallon tank in it, plumb through the walls for the lines and use a pump to push the water with valves to control flowrate. Don't know if this would keep up with the overall cooling needs.

Don't know enough engineering to say whether it's better to chill the 60-80 liters/hour or chill the 1000 liters. If the latter you'll have to keep it chilled. Perhaps a 300 gallon SS bulk milk tank with refrigerator/compressor. That way you can have a thermostat to keep it at the desired temperature. Depending on where you are located, an evaporative cooling system might work. Or also an industrial chiller.

1000 gallons of ethanol + 100 gallons of water does not equal 1100 gallons. This is why the gauging manual has Table 4 Gallons per Pound to convert weight and proof to volume at 60º F. If you use that 1100 gallons at 80 proof for tax determination, you'll have 880 proof gallons and $11,880 in tax. If the spirits are at 72º F., that volume for gauging purposes is actually 1094.5 gallons, = 875.6 proof gallons and $11820.60 in tax. You overpaid $60. If you didn't temperature correct your hydrometer reading, you overpaid even more. Now you might consider $60 per 1100 gallons unimportant for your business and just account for that as part of doing business. Up to you.

If any of you ever make it across the Mason-Dixon line, feel free to visit. PM me with question (though I might not have an answer, I'll do my best to help). btw, I make absinthe. Good luck. cheryl

Still waiting for my account to get set up. Then yes, I'll do things that way.

I love filling out zeroes for all the stuff I don't do.

Hi! :waves:

My guess is sell it to make denatured alcohol.

Then let the distributor(s) know that you're not Diageo with a giant computer controlled bottling line. That you have very limited resources and that it's not cost effective to continue to make them at the price point offered. The whole idea is to stay in business and not be driven out of business by someone in the marketing department at some other company.

You can also email the Governor here. His mailing address is: Governor David A. Paterson State Capitol Albany, NY 12224 The Governor's office can be reached by phone at 518-474-8390. I've just sent an email to the Governor and will be sending a letter to Ms. Brown-Clemens this morning.

I'm curious about exactly what you're looking at Guy as far as changed reporting. Is this for the tax returns, monthly production reports, quarterly inventory? All of the above? I just got my Federal permit and am beginning to work with the various reporting mechanisms. So I don't have any experience with them at all.

I'd have to go look, but TTB has stats on their web site. Probably just raw data, but could be useful. I remember when I was working on the business plan, I found a figure that the liquor industry was $37 Billion big in direct sales of alcoholic beverages (I think that was all beer, wine and spirits). That's just the US.

Hi! Fancy meeting you here.

It's my understanding that there's a clear difference between continuous distillation and a fractionating column. They are often confused. Google "coffey patent still" for a lot of info.