Huffy2k

2 hours ago, whiskeytango said:

But seriously if you could do this, it would be a great idea and stretch this out.

As Joe Dehner said in another thread on this topic, just move all of your product out of your bonded facility into a non-bonded storage area at the end of 2019. 

Maybe it's late, maybe those few drams I had after dinner leave me unable to process the written word adequately, or maybe I'm just a bit dense, but I'm having a little trouble figuring out your point here. 

If you're saying craft trumps brand and craft is here to stay, I'm 100% behind you although I do believe that independently owned craft distilleries also need to build strong brands and compelling stories to compete in the marketplace with commodity products.

We love the team at Impact Print Solutions, Rochester NY.

http://www.impactprintsolutions.com/

Guess that's it Hedgebird, we should probably just close up shop now. It's been fun, good luck to you in your next endeavour.

Sarcasm aside, every startup is different with different levels of funding, different growth objectives, etc. To summarily dismiss those that choose a different option is silly without knowing a bit more about their business.

I used Nationwide Barcodes, they work great. We are not in any national chains or any other outlets that require official GS1 codes. If you're looking to cut costs, and most startup distilleries are not flush with cash, barcodes are a much better place than equipment/labels/etc to save a few bucks.  If Sam's Club picks up your product, you'll have enough money to change your labels to official barcodes then. Just my humble opinion...

Moisture content is also very important.  The moisture content required for harvesting corn is not dry enough for long term storage - we have our farmer dry our corn so that it will not spoil during the summer months.

6 hours ago, HedgeBird said:

Thanks Foreshot!!  I just delivered those bottles to PA Libations on Saturday.  8 hours of driving for 2 hours in Pittsburgh. 

You're welcome to stop in and say hello next time you're back in the Burgh, we'd love to show you around!

Congrats John!  My wife is from Marion OH so next time we are visiting family in the area we'll have to try to stop by!

1 hour ago, John Bassett said:

Thanks again.  Do you buy the open or closed head?

Open with locking lids!

I said it above and I'll say it again, you owe it to yourself to also investigate Hoochware. Price/features/support, Hoochware excels in all 3, we love it.

Yep, stainless. We got our 30 gallon drums from Janszen Products in Cincinnati.

How much are you talking about? We use a combination of 55 and 30 gallon SS drums (open top, lids with locking rings). Our bigger drums are equipped with wheels and we have all of our 30 gallon drums on movers dollies. Easy to get onto our floor scale for recording weights. 

Southernhighlander, I think you may be too personally invested in the moonshine culture to appreciate Roger's point.  I, like Hedgebird, made a conscious decision to avoid calling our white whiskey moonshine.  The term moonshine means a lot of things to a lot of people around here, not all of them positive.  While I appreciate a good moonshine, I also see a lot of shortcuts taken by some who simply purchase GNS, create dozens of flavor options and throw it in a mason jar.  People seem to love it, especially the non-whiskey connoisseurs (trust me, you don't want to be at a tasting event right next to the moonshine guy and try to get non whiskey drinkers to appreciate your aged whiskey right after sampling a variety of apple pie, strawberry panty dropper, pink lemonade, etc).  

Moonshines definitely have their place in the craft world, Roger's point was simply (I think) that including "shiner" in your name may very well prejudice the craft consumer you are trying to capture? 

I've heard of others doing this.  As long as you pitch the yeast I don't believe there is a problem.  I would imagine you'll have to get the weights of grains used in the mash as they are required in your monthly TTB Production Reports.

Trident Stills in Etna Maine. Excellent product and customer service.

From final decision to go for it until first distillation was 16 months, 18 months until opened doors to public.

At least 6 or 7 years of thinking about it until we decided to go for it.

Wilson Forest Products is an awesome place.  It's in Greene County PA and we've visited there a couple times.  Unfortunately, at the time we visited, he was basically producing bigger barrels for the European wine market and the smallest barrel he produced was 250 liters.   

Best of luck and good wishes! Welcome.

You can do this through Permits Online.  Click on "Create Amendment" associated with your DSP and then choose "Amended DSP" and then choose "DSP Receiving Spirits or Denatured Spirits by Transfer in Bond".

Temperature is only one parameter we consider when making cuts. Proof, smell, taste can't be discounted. Some products we go deeper into the tails, others not so much. You can and should consider many different things when making cuts.

We use 30 and 55 gallon SS barrels. We have all of the 30 gallon barrels sitting on movers dolly's so it's easy to roll them onto our floor scale, the 55 gallon barrels have integrated wheels. Since we don't have room for a forklift, these smaller drums work really well for us.

We'd like to assemble some gift boxes this holiday season - a bottle and glencairn glass, a couple 375 ml bottles, etc. Does anybody have any suggestions on gift box suppliers?

1 hour ago, whiskeytango said:

Yeah the guys who sell all the Indiana whiskey. 

 

That are doing very well despite being located in Utah!

Have you heard about High West?

Around 500 pounds per batch - takes about 1 hour.