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Equipment for Small Batch Distillery 3D Model

edited November 2019 in General

Hi there,

I am studying Interior Architecture and my current assignment is to design a gin distillery, tasting room and bar. (its all hypothetical)

I am trying to make a 3D model but just don't know what equipment I should be putting in it or how the layout should flow. I'm all good for the bar and tasting room stuff, but am super stuck with what to put in the distillery...

I love drinking gin, however know nothing about making it haha so any help you can offer would be very much appreciated.

The space is quite small, but it is commercial, so has to look pretty. Not home distillery.

If you could tell me the names of what I should put in and picture to go with it that would be helpful. I don't know any of the terminology...

  • Maybe a link to the product so I can look up the dimensions?
  • Ceiling height?
  • How tall is a still?
  • How much floor space is needed? I have 11.8m x 10.7m to work with... so it will be very very small batch.

Thanks so much, I really appreciate it.

Comments

  • edited November 2019

    Hi Nina. I am not really going to answer your question but a few first principals.

    To make gin you first need a very clean neutral base alcohol. Think tasteless vodka. This for a purist is made by the gin maker but can also be bought in as a neutral spirit if you can find one to your liking. ( grape neutral or grain neutral spirit )

    To ferment the base wash or beer takes a number of large vessels for fermenting then a very sophisticated still to turn the ferment into a great clean spirit. So space and time also skill.

    All this can be short circuited by buying in your base. In this case you then only need a relatively simple still to actually make the gin which can be made by a vapour infusion method ( hot alcohol vapour passing thru a basket of botanicals ) or by masceration ( botanicals soaking in the alcohol of the still then distilled) - or a mixture of both.

    Another way is to blend which means you have a concentrated alcoholic solution of a single botanical and mix many of them together to make your gin.

    A number of makers buy in their base which really reduces their space / time / equipment requirements and really simplifies their process.

    So are you a purist or manufacturer ? It will make a massive impact on your necessary floor area and required roof height.

    Good luck with your project and with out doubt we as a group would love to see your outcome. I am sure a few others will come in as I am only a hobby maker so really have no idea on requirements.

    Just thought you will also need bond storage of finished product as well.

  • thanks for your reply. So I am not actually making any gin (sadly) i'm just looking to get a list of equipment used commercially so that I can design the space.

  • Yes Nina I understand that - I was just pointing out there are a number of levels possible to enter the process and lots of physicals depend on the desired level of entry.

  • Hi Nina, Perhaps you could show what you may have in mind, and then the community can critique?

    There is a very wide variety of ways to arrive at the finish line.

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  • Sent you an email Nina, welcome too.

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  • Hi Nina. I looked into this a five years back and a quick Google search back then revealed many detailed 3d lands and models available to view and download, for free in some cases. I'm sure there's a lot more now. They will give you a very good idea about what should be in a distillery without a million back and forth questions that could cover an infinite number of variables, details and items. I you really want extreme detail, I recommend you visit a distillery and take a tour.

  • edited November 2019

    That's a very good idea about visiting. Whereabouts are you in Australia @nina ? I can give you some more contacts.

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  • @punkin said: That's a very good idea about visiting. Whereabouts are you in Australia nina ? I can give you some more contacts.

    Based in Brisbane, I have emailed Art of Booze. but anyone else you could recommend would be great. thanks

  • @Smaug said: Hi Nina, Perhaps you could show what you may have in mind, and then the community can critique?

    There is a very wide variety of ways to arrive at the finish line.

    This is where I am getting stuck as I don't really know the names of equipment or what it is used for...

    this might sound hilarious but is there something like a commercial starters kit...? haha

    I literally know nothing about it, but I am trying my best to learn for this assignment for Uni

    Thanks again :D

  • @TheMechWarrior said: Hi Nina. I looked into this a five years back and a quick Google search back then revealed many detailed 3d lands and models available to view and download, for free in some cases. I'm sure there's a lot more now. They will give you a very good idea about what should be in a distillery without a million back and forth questions that could cover an infinite number of variables, details and items. I you really want extreme detail, I recommend you visit a distillery and take a tour.

    Thats great advice thanks.

    I have had a search and am finding a fair few whiskey distillery models... which are all far too massive for the space I have to work with unfortunatley...

  • SamSam
    edited November 2019

    @nina

    Being a University assignment you are in the fortuitous situation that whatever you submit will never need to actually work as a distillery. I am sure you have come to understand very quickly that there are lots of different options when it comes to distilling and choosing stills etc.

    As an Engineer I recall doing a number of similar such assignments for the Architecture modules we were forced to do, one such assignment saw us design some student accommodation. I remember not having a clue where to start until it dawned on me that the assignment was a test of what we had learned that term and was more designed to demonstrate our ability to do axonometric projections, etc. Once we realised that it didn't matter what we drew just how we drew it... (yes we put a huge student bar in there)

    I would say just choose a still you can either replicate the model of and/or scale it to fit your space as whatever you decide will work for your assignment (no one will be drinking the gin!). Once you have that focus on the interior design aspect of your assignment not the layout of the distillery as this isn't what you are getting marked on.

    I would suggest looking online at as many distilleries as you can be bothered and look at how they are laid out. The other aspect you can consider when looking at the theme is whether to use a stainless steel or copper still as again being a theoretical assignment you can choose whatever to go with your themes. Also decide if you want the Still to be a central focus (I am assuming you will).

    With gin, one final suggestion... have a look at the attached flavour wheel (or google gin flavour wheel if its hard to see) and pick a few flavours you feel are synonymous with gin (Juniper and Coriander are mandatory, but beyond that let your mind run free) then you can maybe look at creating themes based of these flavour profiles and make it all tie together with the location and brief you were given. Thats obviously assuming your brief is for a Gin Distillery...

    Personally I have always thought incorporating the flavour wheel and elaborating it with drawings of some botanicals across an entire wall in a tasting room would be a great idea.

    Also worth looking at the history of gin in London as there are lots of amusing sketches etc from the days of yore when everyone was pissed as lords on the stuff...

    It all depends on the theme you want, modern or old etc.

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  • @Sam said: nina

    Being a University assignment you are in the fortuitous situation that whatever you submit will never need to actually work as a distillery. I am sure you have come to understand very quickly that there are lots of different options when it comes to distilling and choosing stills etc.

    As an Engineer I recall doing a number of similar such assignments for the Architecture modules we were forced to do, one such assignment saw us design some student accommodation. I remember not having a clue where to start until it dawned on me that the assignment was a test of what we had learned that term and was more designed to demonstrate our ability to do axonometric projections, etc. Once we realised that it didn't matter what we drew just how we drew it... (yes we put a huge student bar in there)

    I would say just choose a still you can either replicate the model of and/or scale it to fit your space as whatever you decide will work for your assignment (no one will be drinking the gin!). Once you have that focus on the interior design aspect of your assignment not the layout of the distillery as this isn't what you are getting marked on.

    I would suggest looking online at as many distilleries as you can be bothered and look at how they are laid out. The other aspect you can consider when looking at the theme is whether to use a stainless steel or copper still as again being a theoretical assignment you can choose whatever to go with your themes. Also decide if you want the Still to be a central focus (I am assuming you will).

    With gin, one final suggestion... have a look at the attached flavour wheel (or google gin flavour wheel if its hard to see) and pick a few flavours you feel are synonymous with gin (Juniper and Coriander are mandatory, but beyond that let your mind run free) then you can maybe look at creating themes based of these flavour profiles and make it all tie together with the location and brief you were given. Thats obviously assuming your brief is for a Gin Distillery...

    Personally I have always thought incorporating the flavour wheel and elaborating it with drawings of some botanicals across an entire wall in a tasting room would be a great idea.

    Also worth looking at the history of gin in London as there are lots of amusing sketches etc from the days of yore when everyone was pissed as lords on the stuff...

    It all depends on the theme you want, modern or old etc.

    Thanks Sam, You are totally correct. I am just the kind of person that likes to get a good understanding of space and how to use it. I have actually already designed a garden that follows the tasting notes wheel! good minds huh!

    I think I will put the still behind a glass screen so it is still the focus but also safe i guess. I am not sure what the regulations are around this.

    It is my final assessment for the year and it is massive and i just want it to be amazing!

    thanks again for your help

  • edited November 2019

    I have found this simple looking set up from Four Pillars. ( it might actually be pretty complex, I'm not sure)

    image

    Can anyone tell me what each still or part is called?

    My guess and please correct me haha

    Left to right

    • Pot still/boiler?
    • Herb basket/ infusing basket????
    • Column thingy? plate still?
    • And the last one I have no idea... i was reading something about a condenser is that what the end part is or is that just the part that collects at the end of the process?

    thanks again for all your help. hopefully I can start laying it all out.

    Cheers

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  • @nina they do have a lovely set up and are really friendly and helpful if you contact them.

    Glass is one option, if I were you maybe look into something that creates a barrier but feels more open. You could look at some sort of mesh cladding or what might be good is a brushed stainless material or copper and cut out shapes of stills, distilling equipment, etc from that. It would separate the two spaces but feel more inclusive. You could either cut out large shapes in the metal for people to look through or do it in panels and leave gaps for people to see through.

    I’m not sure if you have seen the Terminal 4 car park at Melbourne Airport but the cladding on that is Stainless Steel with tiny aeroplanes cut out. I think it looks quite good.

    The other thing is have a look at the new Macallan building as thats just won the RIBA Sterling Award for Architecture. Its worth seeing what projects have won that award lately as it helps understand whats in vogue

  • Hol Sh*t that Macallan building is incredible! just wow! Thanks for sharing.

  • edited November 2019

    That Macallan is something else. Whiskey though so a lot more complex than gin.

    Nina I second or third the notion that a look is worth a million words. Keep in mind there are many ways to skin a cat and as I was trying to point out one of the first decisions is at what level you are getting in. The final process -the actual gin still is very simple if you don’t have to worry about the actual base spirit. Therefore the actual foot print could be quite small.

    Find a local gin maker and visit and I think you will have all you need quite quickly then you can concentrate on the aesthetics

    That picture in your post could even be more complex than what is actually required.

  • edited November 2019

    Holy Christ. Lotta talk with no answer.

    You need a still with a gin basket to start.

    1. If you buy neutral spirits then you’d want a bottle filler and labeller and some stainless work tables and some pumps and hoses.
    2. If you want to ferment your own alcohol you’ll need a very tall column still of at least 16 plates to make a neutral spirit. The boiler will want to be the same size as the fermenters or some equal fraction there-of.
    3. Then you’d want a second smaller still with a gin basket.
    4. If you are going to do grain then you basic setup will need a Mash Tun and two fermenters of the same size as the mash tun as well as a grain grinder and a dewatering press for the grain.
    5. You’ll want a lab bench to work and out your test equipment and lab instruments.

    You’ll want a few scales. Fine, medium and pallet scale. Also a pallet jack or small forklift/pallet lift.

    I have no idea what you’d want in a tasting room.

  • edited November 2019

    @nina said: Hol Sh*t that Macallan building is incredible! just wow! Thanks for sharing.

    Brisbane;

    Alchemy Spirits Alexander. This is choice number one for a small space but aimed at rum

    High Spirits distillery. Jade and Mike.

    Curators Reserve. Steve is a member here but I don't know how close he is to you.

    Tintenbard Distillery is close, just down near Ballina. Rob is the distiller.

    Brian Restal is also down there at Byron Bay

    Mount Glorious distillery Brendale

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  • edited November 2019

    Hey @punkin mate. That is one sweet looking rum set up there. @nina good luck with the assignment. I went to QUT years ago. Now I am going to be a bootlegger.

  • oh wow! amazing! thanks @punkin, @GD50 and @Fiji_Spirits

    I go check out some of these places if I can, am heading down to Byron soon and looking at the distilleries there too.

    Thanks again for all your help and persistance. definitely some great insights.

    I will be working on this over the next couple of weeks, so can hopefully share what I have come up with.

  • edited November 2019

    Good on you @nina . Rob at Tintenbar Distillery is just out of Byron a few minutes and has tow really nice stills. One copper pot still and a 5" column still with whiskey helmet.

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