COMMENT
KNOW WHERE YOU STAND GIVEN ENOUGH TIME AND EFFORT, MOST DISTILLERS CAN ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS BY THEMSELVES, BUT TIME IS VALUABLE, AND EXPERTS CAN SAVE A LOT OF TIME (AND FEES) IN DOING THINGS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, EXPLAINS BERT ALBRECHT, MANAGER OF MARKET DEVELOPMENT AT ETHIMEX
W
e are involved in
How it all works on the distillery floor and
the international
in the office is not clear from day one.
trade of bulk
Although there is a lot of information
ethanol and
available on the internet when it comes
premium spirits,
to hands-on issues like these you need to
we import and export alcohol to and from
talk to someone with experience.
the EU, US and globally. It can take some time to go through this, In our UK warehouse, we break bulk into
however, if your supplier has a customer-
more manageable volumes like IBCs,
centric attitude, they will make a real
200L drums and even 25L jerry cans
effort to help and guide the distillers
and distribute to UK spirit bottlers, craft
through the process of understanding the
distillers and drink creators.
correct licensing (e.g. AWRS, WOWGR), the implications on transport and storage
Our team deals with ethanol every day,
of hazardous goods, and other intricacies
and we are familiar with the problems
of the industry.
distillers are facing. Newcomers to the trade go through a steep learning curve
Once the still is up and running, we
about licensing and legislation require-
receive many questions related to ABV.
ments, and they frequently come to us
The concept of LPA (Litre Pure Alcohol)
for help when developing their business
is not always well understood, and it is so
plan.
important when blending.
These new distillers often have a
This also goes for the TCF (Temperature
background that is not related to the
Correction Factor) and shrinkage when
beverage business. As a new company,
diluting ethanol. LPA is also used to
where do you find out about the practical
calculate duty.
workings of paying duty versus deliveries under bond?
Here, you don’t want to get in trouble
Or due diligence with HMRC SEED
with the HMRC for underpaying, but you
checks and the first shipment under
don’t want to pay them more than their
EMCS (Electronic Movement Control
fair share either.
System)?
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SUMMER 2021
DISTILLERS JOURNAL
