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"A distiller, a mixologist and a distributor walk into a bar......" so small is ok, but you really might want to review some basic business assumptions.... 1) walk into you local liquor store and ask to see their "craft" section....if they don't have one, you are in the wrong liquor store 2) find the right store, ask the buyer if they are interested in another 'local' craft product; especially another vodka or any other white spirit. 3) are you an extrovert that can sell a "local" product in a potentially (likely) saturated market? 4) is your location a natural fit for local on-site sales? Are they permitted by law? (on-site sales can be the key if you can sell all you can make at a site(s) YOU control (seasonal/tourist venue) and thus not sharing your margin with your local distributor----or will Amazon (not kidding here) deliver your product to your metropolitan neighbors?) 5) more than one still is good.....consider a larger stripping still and a smaller finishing still that might fit throughput constraints better 6) got three phase power? if not, go for propane or natural gas to low pressure steam...or look at alternatives for something modular "pay as you go" like http://stilldragon.com/ 7) how will you get rid of your waste?.....down the sewer, ask your friendly Federally funded sewage treatment plant (EPA) what level of BOD they will accept or at what sewer fee (waste amounts too small to consider, really?) Feed to cattle, does it freeze where you are? Dump (a.k.a. surface application)----got surface acreage that won't smell during the warm season? How will you cool your condensers? Closed loop or down the drain....cost (municipal) for COLD coolant (water) and its disposal? 8) do you have any "religious" reason not to buy whiskey or vodka (GNS) from some mass producer and blend or re-distill to validate your back story? (ask yourself why is it possible to sell a 12 year old whiskey if you have not been producing for 12 years) 8a: back story?....might want to review recent class action law suits in this arena) 9) consider the many factors required for this deal to happen: http://www.wsj.com/articles/constellation-brands-acquires-high-west-distillery-for-160-million-1475625536 10) still reading?? try this: http://tacomapermits.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/P-1300-Craft-Distillery.pdf 11) can small cooperage (less than 53 Gallon) get your brown spirits on the market in less than 2 years? Bill Owens had this posted (here) at one point: Citation: Jeffery JDE, Berglund KA. Extraction of Wood Constituents from Non-Conventional, Small Whiskey Barrels. J Food Processing & Beverages. 2016;4(1): 7. 12) do you or your significant other (not your dog!!) have enough cash (or your uncle/auntie) to float you for "awhile"? 13) still "in love", (or as my son said when first smitten "but dad, she's perfect!!") don't let me stop you.....