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Moonshine University, Anyone?

I'm just wandering if anyone here has taken the week long course and if it is worth the $6K tuition.
Thanks!

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  • I haven't taken the week long course, so I can't comment directly on that, but I did take the Bourbon Steward course so I can provide some feedback on the facility.

    It's a very nice facility, the instructors were great (the distiller's course brings in a bunch of industry pro's, I believe) and the Flavorman facility will get you some real professional sensory analysis training. You will get hands on time running a still (a Vendome), milling, mashing and fermenting too. The tuition (iirc) includes your stay at the Brown Hotel (which would run about $1k). Being in the heart of bourbon country gives you access to a lot of industry knowledge and professionals and they try to work that in as much as possible. I really thought the Bourbon Steward class was a great experience and would highly recommend it. I'd expect the distiller's class to be very, very good. Moonshine U is also offering free safety classes now.

    That being said, $6k is a lot and similar classes can be found for much, much less money. I think the ADI classes are $1500.

  • SIPS class is like 1200 bucks

  • Other than the novelty of scale, and the business aspect, I think most experienced home distillers would walk away disappointed.

    There are at least a half dozen regulars here, who could probably teach similar classes in their sleep.

    Does Dunbar do sips? If so it'll be worth it.

    Honestly, spending the 6k on Dunbar and Dalkita seem much easier if your goal is actually opening on time. :)

  • edited October 2016

    I took a day course in Gin Making at the ADI conference in San Diego last April. Absolutely pathetic. Not worth 1/10th of what I paid for it. If Moonshine University is put on by the same outfit, I'd say avoid it at all cost.

    I'm more like I am now than I was before.

  • Rusty Figgins does the SIPS.

    StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America

  • edited October 2016

    @grim said: Other than the novelty of scale, and the business aspect, I think most experienced home distillers would walk away disappointed.

    There are at least a half dozen regulars here, who could probably teach similar classes in their sleep.

    Does Dunbar do sips? If so it'll be worth it.

    Honestly, spending the 6k on Dunbar and Dalkita seem much easier if your goal is actually opening on time. :)

    Just as a bystander, although a close bystander, I would give great value to Dunbar''s services. We only used him partially.

    Zymurgy Bob, a simple potstiller

    my book, Making Fine Spirits

  • @grim said: Other than the novelty of scale, and the business aspect, I think most experienced home distillers would walk away disappointed.

    There are at least a half dozen regulars here, who could probably teach similar classes in their sleep.

    Does Dunbar do sips? If so it'll be worth it.

    Honestly, spending the 6k on Dunbar and Dalkita seem much easier if your goal is actually opening on time. :)

    ^^^^ this..... and dunbar did half day or so in Rusty's class, so recommend sips and dalkita...

  • Thanks guys for the input. I have never actually distilled and am in the process of learning. I am novice at best. I have, however, been picked to be the head distiller at a new distillery start-up that is family owned. We are going kinda big, i.e.. fully automated still set-up, with 8oo gallon mash tun, fermenters x4, 800 gallon still, 20 plate column for vodka, 4 plate for whisky, gin set-up, automated silos that are auger fed...etc.. we plan to supply a tasting room/bar and restaurant, as well as multi-state distribution of vodka, whiskies, bourbon, rum and gin. I have been to a weekend intensive course at Black Button Distillery in NY to cut my teeth, this along with my own research, I am hoping that Moonshine University will provide be with the hands-on knowledge that will prepare me for such an endeavor. I'm sure alot of trial and error is to follow. Any advise??

  • How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

    I'm more like I am now than I was before.

  • edited October 2016

    Why not do the full series of courses at Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago? A good number of brewing courses would be applicable.

    They have a 1 week craft distilling course, but there are a number of additional courses that would be a good choice for a head distiller job description. S10 - Brewing Microbiology, S65 - Essential Quality Control, W21 - Raw Materials and Wort Production, W23 - Packaging and Process Technology, etc etc.

    The only problem with 25bbl equipment, is that any mistake will cost you $1000.

  • @CrowDaddy said: Thanks guys for the input. I have never actually distilled and am in the process of learning. I am novice at best. I have, however, been picked to be the head distiller at a new distillery start-up that is family owned. We are going kinda big, i.e.. fully automated still set-up, with 8oo gallon mash tun, fermenters x4, 800 gallon still, 20 plate column for vodka, 4 plate for whisky, gin set-up, automated silos that are auger fed...etc.. we plan to supply a tasting room/bar and restaurant, as well as multi-state distribution of vodka, whiskies, bourbon, rum and gin. I have been to a weekend intensive course at Black Button Distillery in NY to cut my teeth, this along with my own research, I am hoping that Moonshine University will provide be with the hands-on knowledge that will prepare me for such an endeavor. I'm sure alot of trial and error is to follow. Any advise??

    Whoof! Make me feel I'm trying to kill a cape buffalo with a flyswatter!

    Zymurgy Bob, a simple potstiller

    my book, Making Fine Spirits

  • 1 question, How do you get picked to be a head distiller with no experience?

  • Call the secretary here and explain your situation.
    Most of the 'craft' short courses are a bit of a joke and a complete rip off IMO. They offer nothing that you couldn't get from a week of reading online for free.
    That equipment has some serious potential, you should get yourself a serious education.

  • edited October 2016

    @crozdog- Just lucky I suppose?...My brother-in-law, the owner, said he chose me because of my work ethic, experience in manufacturing and that he "trusts" me. Said he wants it to be a family business and even gave me shares. I could only jump at the opportunity! I know its daunting, believe me brother, but I gotta play with the hand that I was dealt.

  • edited October 2016

    @zymurgybob- I know the feeling! I'm gonna try my best....I am passionate and at least have that going for me!

  • @jacksonbrown -I checked it out...sounds great, but I can't make it to London at the moment...lol...I'm gonna have to make an American education work. Thanks for the input brother!

  • @grim- thanks buddy, I am looking into it... The weeklong distilling course won't work due to the next available week is in June 2017 and we plan on opening around that time. I am looking into the affable brewing courses though.

  • edited October 2016

    @crozdog, @zymurgybob, @jacksonbrown, @grim, @knaps, @Smaug, @Kpea, @LocalGoat-- I appreciate your input, really. I may hit you up in the future for advise or even beg for you to fly here for a week or so...lol! ....Can you tell me about yourselves, general location and distilling experience?....Again, thanks for your time, your knowledge is valued! CrowDaddy

  • Where in Pennsy? I'm just over in Jersey.

  • Take Grim up on his offer. The best learning experience is actually doing it on a working system. You can kearn more in one day than in weeks of reading about it, or taking a canned course.

    When I was in college I had to learn AutoCADD. I spent hours and hours with online tutorials slowly learning it.

    Then one of my fellow students in another class who used it professionally offered to spend a couple of hours with me showing me how it works with relation to the engineering we were learning. In two hours I learned way more than I ever would have with the tutorials.

    Get yourself into a working distllery and be a laborer there.

    "Practice, practice, practice!"

    I'm more like I am now than I was before.

  • @Kpea - From what I understand, Moonshine offers plenty of hands-on experience. I realize that I can only learn so much in a week, but that is my only option right now with working full time, 3rd shift. I'm also a father of three little ones, one of which I watch during the day while my wife (a veterinarian) works long hours. I currently work as a chemical mixer at a pharmaceutical facility and we work with large pressurized vessels that involve GMP practices, CIP, automation, agitation, temps, sanitary pumps and equipment, etc..all of which I hope comes in handy. While there are plenty of micro-brewers in the area, there are few distilleries to go and learn from and they are on a much smaller scale than what I will be dealing with. I agree, working along-side with a distiller would be a success multiplier!

  • @grim- I'm located in York County

  • You'll find much of your experience with process control will carry over to distilling.

    I'm more like I am now than I was before.

  • Did you talk to IBD? They do correspondence courses.
    Put me up for a month and I'll come work for free :D

  • You want to come up here and mash/distill? I'm right outside of NYC.

    We mash 530g, distill 265g - close enough.

  • @crowdaddy awesome opportunity. i'm with @Kapea - spend as much time as you can working with @Grim. Before or after any course you do. He is not only already in production but is a hell of a lot closer (I'm in Australia). Sure I'd love a trip to the US, but couldn't do that to you.

    As well as doing a course and getting hands on with a local like @grim, I'd suggest you get in touch with @smaug, get yourself a still such as a crystal dragon or dash, read the everything in the manuals thread several times then start to put down some washes of your own. You will learn a bucket load through trial and error on a small scale and gain a deeper understanding of the processes whilst not spending a fortune on ingredients etc.

    Remember, keep lots of notes, be safe & have fun.

  • Good advise. As Grim said, mistakes get expensive when the volumes go up.
    Cutting your teeth on a smaller set up will pay dividends, especially for recipe development.
    With your background you'd probably get a fair bit from poking around the local distilleries and doing some tours etc.

  • Paying your dues on a small rig is probably worthwhile. While the mashing procedure will be very different at scale, the distilling is very similar.

  • edited October 2016

    @grim, @jacksonbrown, @crozdog, @Kapea - I'm really digging the crystal dragon idea....makes sense to do so. I will definitely get at @Smaug I really appreciate you guy's input. I heard that the distilling community was cool, you guys remove the doubt.
    @Grim- Im gonna drop you a line later, okay? CrowDaddy

  • So my dreams of setting up a double dragon in the barn have been destroyed...seems that the TTB frowns upon that sort of thing....grrrr [-(

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