Jump to content

Hiring a Consultant


Recommended Posts

I have a network of consultant specialists I endorse. This may be off topic but we each have our specialties and we can not cover the full start up consulting alone.

Initial paperwork and TTB Start up Jim McCoy.

Equipment sizing facility layout recipe development through production processes, personnel, distilling sensory perception is myself.

Reports and TTB form is Donald Snyder.

Barrel blending and nosing is Nancy Fraley.

Supply chain and barrel broker Richard Wolfe.

Flavor development by Flavorman.

Product promotion Scott Schiller.

Label design and production Otto Knop

There are so many for so many tasks.

If any of you provide more services I would like to hear from you.

I personally can't possibly cover all that and that makes your question hard to answer.

My usual time at a distillery is about 5 to 10 days depending on the talent on hand to train and the needs of the contractors assembling everything. Donald usually needs two or three days. I believe Jim needs a few hours to a day. Nancy usually has the hardest job of training blenders.

As you can see it might be a complicated answer.

One question I have been asked many times is how to answer the question that creditors ask "Who in the business has experience in distillery operations?" To me this is the most stupid question in the world because very few would without having been a moonshiner or a production manager retiree. It is nearly as funny as asking "Where can I hire a master distiller?"

A group of consultants may set you back as much as the plumbers and electricians or the cost of a boiler. That being said, a group of consultants can fast track you to production by answering the already known answers to prevent you from reinventing the wheel. A single day with the proper consultant can get you answers to nearly all your questions, size your equipment such as your cookers, stills, boilers, chillers bottling equipment and all the peripheral equipment such as lab needs, scales, hoses and pumps. Your production schedule can be estimated, your peak output and many other things that experience in dozens of distilleries can provide. I always call in a consultant when I need knowledge that is not readily available to me if I can find an experienced person willing to sell their experience and real world knowledge of the skill I lack to accomplish a task.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have contacted Jim McCoy as well as some others about handling the permitting for me. I won't speak for him as to his prices but can say it seemed affordable to me. Others were more and some much more, and his experience in the field (retired ATF or ttb) gives me confidence in his ability to make sure you have it right the first time. Call him up and ask him yourself. He's a real nice guy! Scrounge

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used Jim McCoy and was extremely pleased with the results. The process was effortless and his experience made a huge difference when there were questions. His pricing is very fair, and well worth the investment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Listen to Sherman. Get him out early and often and it will save you a ton of headaches in the future. Whatever you are doing, there is a good chance a lot of it is just wrong. Sherman will get you righted. I have also worked with Donald and can tell you he is also an essential ingredient. The TTB reporting is way easier when streamlined.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having worked with Sherman, Jim McCoy, and Richard Wolf in the field, I can confirm they are the best of the best and worth the investment. You can't go wrong with any of the consultants in Sherman's list above. Let me know if I can help with anything TTB monthly reporting related. -Donald

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...