Ask the Collective
The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
What software and tools do distillers and blenders use for alcohol calculations and dilution?
Members recommend several practical tools for accurate alcohol calculations and dilution, particularly for those moving away from manual table-based methods. **Calculation tools:** - **AloDens** (https://www.katmarsoftware.com/alcodens.htm) — strongly recommended by members for reliable alcohol calculations - **Calcohol** — available on the App Store (£0.99), praised as "class" with handy features including shrinkage calculations for dilution; the only minor limitation is it calculates to 1 decimal point only - **Distilling-spirits.com free calculator** (https://www.distilling-spirits.com/tools/calculations/diluting-alcohol/) — basic, free option that doesn't account for shrinkage but requires no investment - **Vinolab** (https://www.vinolab.hr/calculator/gravity-density-sugar-conversions-en19) — offers a suite of useful calculators for gravity, density and sugar conversions **Key consideration:** Shrinkage calculations matter for dilution work — Calcohol includes this; the free Distilling-spirits tool does not. Choose based on whether you need shrinkage factored in.
What are the industry-recognised education and qualification pathways for distilling, from apprentice through to degree level?
The UK drinks industry recognises several formal pathways for distilling education. Members recommend starting with or progressing through these options: - **Institute of Brewers and Distillers (IBD) General Certificate in Distilling (GCD)** — widely recognised industry qualification. Members who have completed both the IBD Fundamentals and Diploma highly recommend the pathway. - **Heriot-Watt University Brewing and Distilling degree** — a postgraduate option for those seeking university-level credentials (https://www.hw.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/brewing-distilling). Members with direct experience of the IBD qualifications (Fundamentals and Diploma) have strongly endorsed them. The collective view is that these credentials are well-regarded across the industry for employment and credibility purposes.