Producing Bitters Bottles in the BAGI Hotshop

Watch BAGI Renter Mike Craig and BAGI Board Member Treg Silkwood produce one of approximately 250 Drakes Plantation Bitters bottles they’re making for the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors convention in Houston this year. This project began with Mike designing and machining a custom graphite mold created from a 3D scan of an original Drakes Plantation Bitters bottle, as well as a custom tool to finish the mouth of each bottle. Through much trial and experimentation he and Treg perfected and streamlined the process for blowing these bottles, and the result is the synchronized dance of gaffer and assistant you see here.