tbagnulo

Hey folks...seeing crazy costs for Juniper Berries, currently. Looking at triple the cost from a year ago. Obviously I know that costs of everything has skyrocketed, but this one is crazy. Assume everyone else is seeing this? Anyone have new sources for Juniper Berries? Thanks all and happy distilling.

Dealing with similar issues, with an amaro/herbal liqueur. Doesn't seem like there is a lot of info, out there. I have tried letting it settle and siphoning off the top 3/4. that works, but it's obviously very inefficient and time consuming. Hoping to find some solutions. And good luck!

Awesome. Thanks for the input all. We'll keep everyone posted on our progress.

Following....had the same question about filtering botanicals for an herbal liqueur...

If you're talking about having all of those spirits as the base spirit of your macerate, sure. Go for it. You'd probably lose some of the characteristics of the spirits in the additional distillation, but it'd be interesting. Good luck. Would love to hear how it goes.

Hello all. We're starting an herbal liqueur project (basically an amaro/fernet) and am wondering if anyone has any tips on insuring shelf stability. Also, any tips on filtering? Hoping to have a final product visually similar to Fernet Branca, Jager, etc. No cloudiness and no sediment. We are starting with our gin base (13 botanicals) and macerating the following additional botanicals for varying times: Gentian Root Vanilla Beans Galangal cloves Rosemary Cinnamon Stick Mint Leaves Sage Saffron lemon balm allspice After maceration, we plan to filter, sweeten, proof, then bottle. Any tips at all on creating a non cloudy/no sediment product (or any tips at all) is appreciated. Cheers all!

Hey folks...happy new year. I was wondering if anyone was focusing exclusively (or primarily) on gin as their spirit offering. I know most are doing a full spirits portfolio, or may be doing gin while other spirits age, but is anyone going all in on gin, only? Would be curious to see who may be out there, doing so, in the US. Thanks all! TB

Hey folks, We're looking at ramping up production of our gin and we're wondering if we can save on COGs by going direct to the source for Juniper, Coriander, Angelica, etc? Anyone have experience with this? And we've historically used Monterey Bay for the bulk of our botanicals, and we've been happy with them, but does anyone have any other sources, they'd be willing to share? On a related note, what methods are you all using for storing dry botanicals? Any issues with spoilage or botanicals going bad? Thanks in advance and happy gin making... TB

Depending on your market, you may have some luck with bevforce.com. Indeed is fine, but you'll get a lot of people outside of the industry. In my experience, the best people come from personal contacts and networks. Don't be afraid to reach out to people who aren't looking for work. Most of the best people already have jobs. Also look at bar managers and retail store clerks, particularly those who have purchasing experience. And make sure you have a thorough understanding of their role (i.e. sales v marketing, will they manage distributors or coordinate self distribution). Also take into account the tools you will give them (budgests, travel, mileage, POS tools, discretionary activatiion dollars, etc). You can't someone out there empty handed... Hope this helps...and good luck with your search!

https://www.herbco.com/ They usually have large quantities, good prices and consistent quality.

@whiskeytango On a large scale (Jager, Fernet Branca, Campari, etc) most are a combination of maceration and extracts in a sourced neutral spirit, followed by filtration, resting in very large barrels (not aging), sweetening and coloring for consistency. Many european herbal liqueurs run the entire color spectrum from light yellow to amber to dark purple. The variance in process and flavor is part of the fun.

Congrats Old385. If you need any help on your marketing/sales planning, feel free to reach out. I live in SC and am quite familiar with the landscape in GA, having worked with several distilleries in that great state. I"m also a GA native, so I know a bit about the "quirks" of the booze industry. Feel free to say hi and good luck!

Unlike most CPG industries, paying for shelf space (slotting fees) is forbidden in bev alcohol. This also goes for cocktail menus, tap handles, visibility, etc... It happens, and there are plenty of ways to do it (distributor, supplier, agency, card swipe, etc), but it is highly illegal regardless of who is doing it. If you find yourself in this situation, move on to the next retailer. Every year someone gets a massive fine and the TTB doesn't care if you're craft or global.

Dave, Generally speaking brokers charge anywhere from 10% - 15% FOB on depletions. Many will also charge a base fee in the initial 6-9 months, in order to have some $ coming in as they build the brand. Hope this helps. TB

Howdy SRT6. There are a few of us having fun with craft spirits, here in The Lowcountry. I'm based in HHI, so if you ever want to connect, feel free to drop a line. And good luck in your journey. Cheers!