Bastian

The work you folks are doing sounds exciting for microdistilleries to come. I'm sold.

Sounds like a neat app. I don't have a smart phone, could you tell me what else the app does. Seems like you can catalog your whiskeys and do some other stuff.

Excellent talking points KBFreeRange. It seems easy to forget this simple fact, that land & farms will be made barren as we continue with this model. Medium size farms seem to be just about as efficient as large farms. Sadly though, in efforts to commodify 'Organic,' it seems most folks have no idea that this isn't just about what we consume, but equally, the soil and plants. Christian, it reminds me of a small french vineyard where only horses can fit between the delicate vine rows. Those horses are equally represented in the employee list.

Can't contribute anything directly, but I love the idea of diesel or waste vegetable oil. Add to that, the current trends in Ethanol Diesel and you're set. Good luck. I'm considering a water jacketed still, which I hope should let me add a diesel burner below. Curious, are you building or buying a diesel burner. If you are buying, which one are you considering?

As a new micro distillery you might be wondering how your brand can compete with lofty advertising budgets and breakthrough to sophisticated drinkers. Social Media and the Web have changed all the rules. Like David & Goliath, agile micro distillers can win loyal customers by showcasing their people stories & communities online. For small business, often their marketing and online strategies are a daunting and delayed project (eg.HTML, CSS, PHP, those are languages?), where they really can be a simple and enjoyable experience. Imagine a Content Managment System (eg. Wordpress) that lets you upload video, photos and content that speaks to your brand, its values and your community, in just an hour a week. From creating a concise branding document with taglines, audience analysis and usage rules, to implementing a simple online strategy and tracking results, I've helped local business grow their clientele & brand. I'd like to find temporary work with a micro distillery helping them unleash a new cost-effective, simple and enjoyable marketing & PR program, using the online & offline strategies best suited to your distillery. I would also like to spend a portion of my time apprenticing with the Master Distillery, from cleaning to tastings, there isn't much I won't do. If your micro distillery needs to connect with audiences in a meaningful way, I'd like to discuss your needs and how I could help construct your brand strategy. You can visit my portfolio online at www.goodmeme.org to see some of my projects. I can be reached by email at dvbabu at gmail.com or by phone at 831-325-9099, my name is Vikram. Thanks.

As a beginner, it has been useful to understand the chemistry of batch distillation, eg. how the demisting test works. I am not sure this is even in reference to your question.

Two more Michigan related questions. We are hoping to maximize on these two MI small distillery clauses: 1)May sell spirits to consumers for consumption on the manufacturing premises. 2)May sell spirits to consumers for off-premises consumption (take-out) for not less than the uniform price set by the Commission. The way I understand 1), we can sell drinks like a bar, is that true? For 2), this means that we avoid paying 65% markup, but what do we owe the state of MI, is it 12%?

I should mention that we are working to start a micro distillery in SE Michigan, Washtenaw County and are working to complete our Business Plan for the Small Business Development Association. I'll also be at the next MSU Distilling workshop at the end of March. Anyone else considering a distillery in Michigan? I know Ugly Dog just opened here.

Wanted to say hi to the members here. I've enjoyed reading the forums and posts, pleasant and informative. Ann Arbor has been a bit quieter since the Leopold Brothers left.

Sounds amazing, I think hobby/micro distillers could use more distilling options in the sub 5k & 30-50gal range.