distillery explosion(s)

[absaroka]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...ka.3b35d20.html

Setbacks don't dampen spirits of vodka-making brothers in Hill Country

06:41 PM CST on Thursday, January 1, 2009

By KAREN BROOKS / The Dallas Morning News

kmbrooks@dallasnews.com

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas – A pair of brothers from Dallas is learning that vodka is a dangerous business – and not because of one-too-many New Year's Eve shots.

The Kelleher brothers will celebrate survival and renewal this New Year's, grateful that their Dripping Springs Vodka distillery limped through a holiday season of tragedy and devastation wrought by fire.

By mid-January, they hope to have their family business, San Luis Spirits – operating less than two years – back up to 100 percent, shipping 3,400 cases a month into a market increasingly thirsty for Texan spirits.

But they look ruefully on the past 20 months, with two fires, and a flood during the epic rains of 2007, and wonder what else they'll have to overcome in order to make vodka, as their great-great-great-grandparents did.

"You can only do the phoenix act so many times," said Kevin Kelleher, who co-owns and runs the company with his brother, Gary.

Their little office on a tiny piece of tree-covered property looks more like a campsite than the place an award-winning vodka is made. A few yards away, a huge pile of charred copper and burnt wood and twisted metal is surrounded by a fence and police tape.

Kevin Kelleher calls it "the bomb site." It used to be the heart and soul of their operation, with six copper stills designed by Gary Kelleher himself and built in the Hill Country.

On Nov. 7, a contractor was inside the metal building that holds all six stills when hot vapors ignited and the building exploded. The stills rocketed through the roof, and the worker went to the Brooke Army Medical Center with second- and third-degree burns, according to reports.

The Kellehers, citing potential litigation and the investigation, declined to comment specifically on the explosion, other than to describe its effects on their business. The fire is being investigated as an accident.

Production stopped immediately; at least 5,000 cases – and perhaps much more, given the holiday season – that normally would have been made and shipped were lost.

Three weeks later, two new stills were up and running in a temporary spot a few steps away from the original site, fenced off and in the open air.

But it took six more weeks for the first new bottle of Dripping Springs Vodka to be sealed and sent down the line. The brothers hope to be up to full production by mid-January. After that, they plan to move to a new site altogether, up the road in an old granite-cutting factory.

Gary Kelleher had the idea to bring back the family tradition of vodka-making in 2005, and his brothers Kevin and Tim had just sold their international consulting business.

Tito's, a popular Austin brand, had gotten national and international acclaim as the first Texas vodka, so the Kellehers have faced tough competition from the beginning.

Apparently, the idea of distilling vodka was an acquired taste for Kevin Kelleher. In spite of some initial skepticism, he and his wife, Susan – who says the fires gave her pause about continuing the business – moved from San Luis Obispo, Calif., to Dripping Springs. He put his life savings into the new business.

The distillery was up and running in May 2007.

In its third month of operation, with two copper stills running and a market limited to Austin, San Antonio and South Texas, the company's only building and everything inside it went up in smoke.

Gary Kelleher was distilling vodka into five-gallon glass jars that were built not to explode – but one of them did, igniting propane pipes underneath them.

He was unhurt, but everything burned. The office, the bottling operation, both stills.

It took three months to get running again.

Then, a year later, in September, Dripping Springs Vodka won the Vodka Purity Trophy at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in Surrey, England – an award that hasn't been given to anyone since 1987.

It was a vindication of sorts: proof, if you will, that the brothers were meant to carry on the tradition of their German forebears. And they proudly display the trophy in their office, in full view of the latest "bomb site" outside the windows.

What amazes the Kellehers most is that their stubborn refusal to give up is mirrored in others who have a stake in the operation and stay with them while they literally rise from the ashes. Twice.

"They're good people, and they keep battling back from their adversities," said liquor distributor Bud Luckett, adding that he has faith not only in the brothers but in the product. "Maybe they should change their name to Phoenix Vodka."

[rich phillips]

Scary stuff. What's the solution? Better ventilation? This seems to be a fluke or one would hear about it more often

[delaware_phoenix]

hot vapors ignited and the building exploded

There should never be hot vapors exiting the condenser, and there should be no leaks in the distilling equipment that will allow hot vapors to escape the system.

I can only imagine what their insurance costs now.

[absaroka]

And that's why it pays to have an ASME certified still built by a company that knows what they're doing (not to mention it's a code violation if you don't).

[Denver Distiller]

So according to the reporter, they're north of 40,000 cases per year in their second year of business......using 6 handmade potstills?

[Palmetto Coast]

That's one of the problems with using glass in a distillery. It sounds like they were using carboys. Just out of curiosity, what does everyone else use to collect their spirits? If you have tried multiple types of containers, which do you recommend?

Todd

[grehorst]

I wish we could get some answers to some of the questions the article brings up, but I'm sure pending lawsuits will keep the operators from talking about it.

In the fourth line it says they've had two fires but doesn't mention any details about the first. If their stills are hand made, It's likely they are using direct fired pots (of course this is just guessing on my part). I've always been paranoid about making high proof spirit on an open flame- there just aren't enough precautions you could take to prevent a fire in that situation -if you get a leak or spill its over period.

I wish them luck!

[Paul G]

In its third month of operation, with two copper stills running and a market limited to Austin, San Antonio and South Texas, the company's only building and everything inside it went up in smoke.

Gary Kelleher was distilling vodka into five-gallon glass jars that were built not to explode – but one of them did, igniting propane pipes underneath them.

He was unhurt, but everything burned. The office, the bottling operation, both stills.

That's what they said about the first fire...the second was ignited vapors.

I'm taking a little issue with the statement about the five gallon glass containers (which I think we all understand to be carboys) that was "built not to explode." Honestly, have ANY of us heard of a explosion proof (or even resistant) carboy? Would "...five gallon glass jar he hoped wouldn't explode, but did anyway" be closer?

Cheers,

Paul

-taking notes on what *not* to do

[absaroka]

Just out of curiosity, what does everyone else use to collect their spirits?

Stainless steel tanks.

[delaware_phoenix]

The French cognac makers all use direct fired stills. Certainly using such methods require more care, but in itself, that's not the problem.

Hot distillate is a problem. Warm distillate is a problem. Enough vapors in the air to cause an explosion is a very serious problem.

If the 40,000 cases hold 9 bottles (I'm assuming 750 ml), that equates to 270,000 liters (71,000 gallons) annually. Also you won't get the purity needed to be called vodka by TTB with a pot still.

[Paul G]

I would suspect the cases would be 12 bottles per (>95,000 gallons) I'm inclined to believe the author made a typo with an extra zero.

I have to wonder if they're simply rectifying GNS and not making their vodka from scratch. Not to mention, if they're distilling undiluted GNS (i.e. >80% in the boiler) they're playing with bombs in the first place. I really do want to sympathize, but I can't help thinking I hear Darwin knocking.

However, not knowing the finer points, it's impossible to say for sure.

[Charles@AEppelTreow]

Honestly, have ANY of us heard of a explosion proof (or even resistant) carboy?

Laboratory hydrocarbon slop cans - either in metal or plastic - have 'flash arrestors' in the opening. They look like colander cups that nest in the hole. I don't know that I'd call that 'explosion proof' - but the intent is to keep a fire out of the container proper. Flame fronts won't propagate through the little holes.

[Paul G]

Of course...not unlike the screen on the top of 151 bottles. Good point.

[grehorst]

That's what they said about the first fire...the second was ignited vapors.

Cheers,

Paul

-taking notes on what *not* to do

Thanks for clearing that up- I think I may have been testing some spirit at the time

[Scott @ Twenty2Vodka]

Potential Explosion Hazards due to Evaporating Ethanol in Whisky Distilleries PDF

http://adiforums.com/index.php?showtopic=472&hl=

[Guest Liberty Bar - Seattle]

Scary stuff. What's the solution? Better ventilation? This seems to be a fluke or one would hear about it more often

Rich, you are right to some degree for sure. I wonder how many distilleries have gas meters?

And that's why it pays to have an ASME certified still built by a company that knows what they're doing (not to mention it's a code violation if you don't).

And, the story did point out that he designed his stills himself...

Yikes. Don't let your local fire marshall hear about this one as you're applying for your license...

[JohnD]

There's a lot of language in the article that should give one pause:

1. The hot vapor thing has already been pointed out

2. The carboy exploded igniting the propane pipes under it, carboy sitting on propane pipes under a still putting out 95%ABV?

3. The stills were designed by him and built in the hill country...what does that even mean?

I'm surprised these guys were able to hold on to their license, but clearly details are missing.

[Collin]

This, to me, promotes the idea of some sort of certification process that should be recommended/necessary for running a distillery... It seems (though as all have said their is incomplete information here) that they didn't really know what they were doing, but wanted to be "bootleggers" like their grand papa. A lack of knowledge, know-how and common sense seem to have lead to this... and unfortunately someone did get injured. I hope he gets well, though serious burns will leave permanent scarring.

I will note that I never attended a course for distilling, instead learning from our head distiller who did. Also, we run a Carl.

[Beauport Bob]

Colin, you do fine work and in a responsible fashion. That article was 2.5 years ago at least. Things have tighted up considerably since then.

[Scott @ Twenty2Vodka]

it's all about "Protection of the revenue" not "protection of the revenue generator". I just lost a bet hearing a distiller ask for more regulations.

[Collin]

To be fair 22, I am a student of policy... I have a masters in Public Policy so that is what I do. And I didn't mean that this should be enforced on a state or federal level, I was thinking more of a professional organization offering certification like... say... ADI?

It would be reminiscent of any professional organization that offers certification. It isn't mandated by law, but shows that you know what you are doing. Helps get investors etc.

And yes, I know that there are such certifications available from other organizations, but they aren't widely used in my experience (in the US craft distilleries at least).