Day 4,
Today was a pretty simple day so I don't have any pictures to add.  We started the day by beginning a distillation run for the Working Bugs side of the operation.  They had a batch of mostly fusel oils (which) they wanted for a project and about 38% Ethanol.  So Justin, Ari, and myself got that all going and it was still running through the column still at the end of my day.  I learned some interesting things about static electricity and distilling high alcohol laden charges.  Here at the distillery they have ground contacts they attach to the door and a ground to dissipate any static which may have built up and keep it attached while the charge is pumped in. This eliminates concerns over static caused explosions.   I will have some more information on this topic later.  I got to teach the guys a polishing trick using cup brushes to help with the finish on the combination still I showed pictures of at the end of yesterdays post.

Ari was asking me some questions on my opinion about a set of standards of identity for craft distillers and the processes being utilized by them.  He brought up some interesting questions about what is craft distilled, what should a spirit which is contract made, be labeled as, if it is craft distilled but not by the distillery branding the product?  Should merchant bottling of products from large scale producers (LDI, KBD, Buffalo Trace, etc) be classed in anyway with craft distilling?  We began a discussion about the possibility of an organization certifying these designations similar to what is happening in organic foods and farming.  Minnesota and Michigan have their own certifying boards for organics.  I am sure many of you have the same types of things in your areas.  Should we consider having a certification board to inform our consumers correctly?  I will revisit this as the conversation grows.  This just might become a topic for an ADI talk with Ari and Justin.

Kris is going to be sending me a bunch of new reading material and workbooks that go along with the book Fermented Beverage Production edited by Andrew G.H. Lea and John R. Piggott.  This book is the text book used by Kris in his classes.  I'll give you a better update of that material when I get it in my hands.