Huffy2k

Different from state to state.

Prepackaged meats and cheese with just a very small profit margin for us. Mainly as a service to our customers that would like to have a bite with their cocktails.

We also do a wheated rye, but at only 13% wheat, it's not exactly a high wheat rye. We love the slight softness that wheat adds to our bourbon and rye.

I think the owner/distiller model is the way to go personally. It tends to guarantee consistency across your products because the owner is not going anywhere looking for a big raise! Have seen several distilleries go through numerous distillers and it really affects the consistency of their products imo.

Have you looked into a portable gantry crane? You could use it to lift barrels off the floor scale after weighing and then onto your racks? A quick Google turned this up: https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/material-handling/hoists-cranes/cranes-portable-trailer/folding-floor-crane-with-telescopic-boom-4000-lb-capacity?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjsmqhOL72QIVAVgNCh3vbQQhEAQYASABEgLiHfD_BwE

Haven't used ISC as they only make 53 gallon barrels but an enthusiastic 2 thumbs up for Kelvin barrels!

In my dreams I dream of submitting 2 bottles of Pappy, poured into my own bottles and entered into the under 2 years category, just to read the tasting notes from the so called "experts" that point out the faults of small barrel aging... I can dream can't I?

https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2018/03/beam-suntory-collaborates-on-bottled-cocktail-range/ Timely article...

Another thumbs up from us for the Clover system!

Also, check out Jesse at Trident Stills. We love our 300 gallon Trident pot still.

Philadelphia insurance (phly.com) offers a good package for craft distillers.

In PA we are permitted to ship directly to consumers in the state.

Bluestar is absolutely correct. It took us several months to work through the red tape with Fedex but it all starts with your local client rep.

Any mold issues with the corn?

Correct

Find some used barrels, age it for one day. It'll still be clear and you can legally call it whiskey (whiskey made from a bourbon mash).

I would love to have the barrel budget to try aging at 92 proof, I'd definitely try that - less dilution when (if) you proof for bottling! Your final 30 gallons of unaged malt whiskey is 159.2 proof?

We usually try to attend both conferences. While there is overlap in the content between the two, each organization has it's own focus in my opinion. I'm much more interested in the breakout sessions than the vendor floor so the floor pass isn't really that meaningful to me but I can understand the appeal of that, especially to those in the planning for a new distillery or an upgrade to their existing operation. The opportunity to meet and talk to your peers in this industry is hard to put a price on and each conference I've attended has had at least one or two breakout sessions that are worth the price of admission.

Good question, the biggest waste was probably our 80 gallon air compressor. We anticipated moving all of our mash with our pneumatic diaphragm pump and we did for about a month until we invested in a flexible impeller pump from US FIP (which turned out to me our most valuable piece of unplanned equipment). The FIP is so much quieter, easier to use, flexible, reversible and easily able to handle our grain-in mashes. We still use the compressor and pump to move high wines and finished spirits but we could have gotten by with a smaller, less expensive, compressor for that job.

Very interesting, also curious to hear thoughts from others...

Good feedback, hope they take note!

I've suggested to them to offer a vendor floor pass but it's difficult to segregate the floor pass holders from the full convention passes. Breakout sessions, breakfast, lunches etc included in the full convention pass so it would difficult to monitor attendance. $600 pretty much in line with other conventions no? Haven't heard of any off-site gatherings other than the Monday night tasting event which will be open to guests as well as attendees.

Butcher and the Rye is a must stop while in Pittsburgh! Pittsburgh has become a real food/drink mecca over the last few years, in downtown alone you can go to Proper Brick Oven, a real craft beer/spirits hot spot, the usual assortment of steak houses (Morton's, Ruth Chris, Red), Pork N Beans, Meat N Potato's, Tako, and more. Also, if anyone has a car and feels like making a 30 minute drive south, we'd be happy to show ya'll around our distillery.

Anyone here planning on attending the convention in Pittsburgh this year?

Ugh, scary situation for sure. Hope all are ok!