Glaser Estate Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 Hello, I'm looking for a short internship, at least a week no more than a month. I have just started a distillery in Roseburg Oregon and while I wait for sales to pick up I thought this would be an incredible time to work with someone else, make sure I'm doing my records appropriately. I am going to be focusing on rum production and play a little bit with whiskey. I'm working with a local micro brewery for now, until I can justify purchasing my own equipment for that. Any distillery doing either of those products would be fantastic. I am using a hoga column pot still in a waterbath. For skills: I can do all of the paperwork Operate a forklift and pallet jack Lift 150lbs, carry about 100lbs for a while Start and manage fermentations Measure alcohols and other lab-type work Work and repair gas lines, equipment, water lines, electrical etc... I'm willing to travel pretty much anywhere. I would love to help anyone who is getting overwhelmed this time of year. Leon Glaser glaserleon@gmail.com (541) 580-4867 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott @ Twenty2Vodka Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 Leon, I had to jump in with some advice. Waiting for sales to just pick up will be your downfall. You need to get ou there and push your product to get it moving... Spending time away as someone elses "intern" will do nothing for you if you've already made product up to this point as your post implies. If you want to be sure you are doing your records paperwork right, send the TTB an email, then get back onto the street shaking some hands and pouring samples. Best of luck, -Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick jones Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Waiting for sales to just pick up will be your downfall. You need to get ou there and push your product to get it moving... Production is important, but Scott is absolutely right. Neglecting to focus on sales for even a moment hurts your brand forever. I bet that scheduling a few day trips shadowing distillers that you respect would serve you just as well as such a short internship. If the trip is in a market where you want to sell, you can make it a sales trip as well! Best of luck, and of course you're welcome to visit us here in Santa Fe anytime. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glaser Estate Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 Nick and Scott, Thank you for feedback. I'm waiting for the OLCC to list the product and make it available, and then waiting for them to ship it back down to Roseburg. I'm waiting for the TTB to approve new formulas and labels, I'm waiting for the OLCC to give me more state codes so I can get stickers ordered. I'm waiting for everyone and just being frustrated. You're right I should just shadow other more local distilleries but the few times I made contact I got negative feedback on that idea. I'm also afraid people will be putoff when I go and talk it up, and then its not available for purchase for who knows how long? You're definitely right this is a little selfish, but you understand where I'm coming from? Leon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick jones Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I'm also afraid people will be putoff when I go and talk it up, and then its not available for purchase... Probably a good instinct, though there are many instances of people creating a "buzz" about their brands prior to release. But I'd say that I've seen more failures to create a buzz than successes. I'm sorry to hear that you've gotten negative feedback from your fellow distillers when you've asked if you could shadow them for a day. My cynical opinion on that is: if someone doesn't want you following them around their distillery, they've got something to hide. More often than not, they're not hiding some miraculous, previously unknown secret recipe. They're hiding certain aspects of their process that they may be embarrassed about. You've got nothing to learn from these types, in my opinion. You should seek out those distillers who are proud of what they are doing and willing to show you how proud they are. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mash Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Glaser, OOOHH the waiting game. I'm in the "Rack'em, Pack'em and Stack'em" period as well. All I want to do is make a product and give the gov't their share. (Which I belive is a complete rip-off, but I knew that going in.) So Mr TTB let's look at it like a business, I want to give you money, my background is vetted, why take so long.....Thats a rehtorical question, please.... I truly know why. Government... at least only the commited survive the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denver Distiller Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I'm sorry to hear that you've gotten negative feedback from your fellow distillers when you've asked if you could shadow them for a day. My cynical opinion on that is: if someone doesn't want you following them around their distillery, they've got something to hide. More often than not, they're not hiding some miraculous, previously unknown secret recipe. They're hiding certain aspects of their process that they may be embarrassed about Not always true, Nick. Particularly now that so many have no interest in distilling, and just want to build a business and sell it to Diageo. Cynicism cuts both ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohninWV Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Not always true, Nick. Particularly now that so many have no interest in distilling, and just want to build a business and sell it to Diageo. Cynicism cuts both ways. I agree with Todd. I have NOTHING to hide. But that doesn't mean I want to share everything with someone. I try to pay it forward to those that ask for help, but I get to choose what is shared and what isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick jones Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Well, gentlemen, covet your secrets if you like. I just don't want to hear any complaining from you about how "all of those other craft distillers are producing such aweful s**t" when all of those other craft distillers asked you for advice and you refused to give them the advice that would have made the difference between a so-so product and an amazing product. If you're trying to create an overall perception of poor quality for craft distilling then, by all means, sabotage your competition. If you believe, as Phil Prichard so eloquently put it at this last ADI conference, that "a rising tide lifts all boats" then I recommend that you make an active effort to help your fellow craft distillers in any way that you can. Leon, though it is a bit of a truism, I'll say it again. If somebody is refusing to teach you something, you've got nothing to learn from them. Seek out someone who is willing to teach you something. You'll be much better off that way. Heck, you may even find someone who is willing to teach you everything... but, alas, that would probably take more than a month... Nick P.S. Thanks again for all of the advice Todd, you're the man! I'm looking forward to sipping on the result with you one of these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denver Distiller Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 You're quite welcome, Nick. I'd like to add that there's a material difference between helping an actual current or future distiller who has done some work to educate himself/herself, and some guy who shows up at your door unannounced who expects you to do all the work for him/her. You can smell those who have no real interest in actual fermentation & distilling--- but just want the quickest path to making money. I'm sorry, but I have no time for those people. They're just going to wind up bottling bulk spirits (when they learn about that option) anyway, so why bother? As for the dozens of emails and phone calls and ADI posts I get every year---- for over ten years on the calls and emails, mind you--- from those who want to learn or need a little help, I have never refused request for assistance. Never will. Happy to help those who help themselves and put in some work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glaser Estate Posted July 17, 2012 Author Share Posted July 17, 2012 Thank you everybody for your feedback, it looks like I posted in haste though. As of yesterday my first product became available for sale through the OLCC. Time to start pounding some pavement! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveflintstone Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Nick, this is incredibly presumptuous of you. How do you equate "giving advice" to "following them around their distillery"? The former is often freely given, the latter is often asking too much. As you well know, some successful small distillers charge big bucks for on site learning, no day trip shadowing there. Are they "sabotaging their competition"? Or just running a business? And I'm not responsible if your product is crap, nor do I care. I'd prefer if it wasn't too much better than mine, but whatever. Some of your opinions and gross generalizations continue to flabbergast me. I will never cease to be amazed when people think that micro distilleries are somehow different than any other small business, craft or otherwise. Now it's 1:30am and I've got work to do; I'm glad no one's following me around. oh, congrats on your first product Leon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick jones Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 I know, Dave, I do get a little presumptuous sometimes. You know you love it. To answer your questions, I do not equate giving advice with following someone around their distillery. Distilleries who charge big bucks for onsite learning are not sabotaging their competition, they're helping their competition out (and making a profit by doing it). If they are teaching good lessons, they will be strengthing the industry. But I guess that you and I differ in that I can think of no greater pleasure than tasting someone else's spirit that is far superior to anything that I've ever made (or even dreamed of making). It seems that you would prefer not to experience that. I, however, would be grateful for the opportunity to talk shop with a distiller who clearly knows something that I don't know, and I would hope that he would be happy to talk to me too. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pressure9pa Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Thank you everybody for your feedback, it looks like I posted in haste though. As of yesterday my first product became available for sale through the OLCC. Time to start pounding some pavement! Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beauport Bob Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Dave & Denver, We have been using that saying for centuries. I think the fuller version will satisfy both your thoughts. A rising tide does lift all boats, except for those stoved in.(with holes). Read into it what you will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis McMillan Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 How did I know Bob would have a Boat saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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