Widirtfishing

Oh bizarre. I will double check maybe i am recalling incorrectly. After I finish “How to Brew” by John Palmer i’ll be looking for my next one Good luck to ya on your future endeavors!

I will add Cask Management to the list, that one is only $65 new thats a little more palatable. Batch Distillation is $150+ at the moment so was trying to decide if these prices were worth it. Potentially in the next few years (researching and writing a business plan now) I plan to do some brandy (hopefully partner with local vineyard, in discussions with them), experimental craft whiskies, light/white whiskey to bring in some cash off the bat. All while trying to pack away bourbon the first few years, contract GNS for gin & Vodka as i want to focus more whiskey and brandy. However I’m also aware that i need cash flow coming in to be sustainable. So I’m trying to get over the ego part of not being able to say “We distill all our own spirits” but that will come in due time I’m sure. So we’ll see how it all pans out but thats the general plan now. Currently in talks with our county zoning department as they really don’t want to put a “farm distillery” in an agriculturally zoned plat. Wisconsin doesn’t have a Farm Distillery designation as other states do and there is some hesitancy from our zoning department to rezone Ag to Commercial. I also am bootstrapping this so I can’t make a fatal mistake like buying property that can’t be rezoned. So I guess we’ll see how this goes. Luckily WI does have some more relaxed rules on tasting rooms and retail bottle sales.

I’m at the point where I feel like I’ve read all the books recommended that cost <$50. I’m looking into a few other books in the $100-$250 range. Mix of new and used, but I think the used ones are that expensive due to scarcity. I am willing to put the money into the books, as I see them as an investment and reference text but does anyone have any recommendations? I’m looking at the following: Whiskey Science: A Condensed Distillation by Gregory Miller Distilled Spirits edited by Annie Hill & Frances Jack Brewing and Distilling Yeasts by Graham Stewart Distillers Grains: Production, Properties, & Utilization edited by KeShun Lui & Kurt Rosentrater Batch Distillation: Science and Practice by Matt Strickland The Alcohol Textbook by D.R. Kelsall Any others I should add to the list?

Oh okay. That makes more sense. I thought you meant that you had your permits before any sort of equipment was purchased.

Are you saying you applied for your federal license before remodeling and equipment in place?

Hey Everyone, I’m in the beginning stages (i have a 5 year plan haha) of planning to open my own operation. Until then I work for the Feds. I’ll be heading to the Chicago next week on travel, Westchester to be specific, and wanted to check out a couple local places. I’ll have a government car so they would have to be reasonably close to Westchester as I will need to Uber. I did use good ole Google but wanted to see if ya had any opinions or suggestions. Thanks!

Thanks for that insight. I plan to be completely upfront and have a conversation with the municipal water plant whatever way we go. Discharging into septic really isn’t an option either so either way I’ll need a grain plan. Plenty of farmers around here though and have a contact that works on a pig farm, haven’t reached out yet, as I’m not that far along in my planning stages but I will definitely factor that in.

It’s ridiculously high. And i would like to keep my plans in the town I live but I couldn’t imagine how much a distillery would be. Our water treatment plant is only a few years old so thats why it’s so spendy. i did just email though for a copy of the latest water tests and asked about usage rates for commercial, if it’s any different than residential. no rural water programs that I’m aware of. Its well or city. Just trying to contemplate all this before writing out my whole plan.

Thanks for the heads up. I’ll have to look into these Well Head Preservation areas. The contaminants due to being in Farm country is a concern, but our village water treatment plant is brand new in the last few years and they haven’t been easy to deal with for residential issues, so I couldn’t imagine trying to do it in a commercial level. Regardless I know some filtration either way will be needed, but given that I’ll be bootstrapping this and soliciting banks I want to keep costs down as much as possible & be realistic with my expectations and numbers. I would love to take you up on that this winter! I’ll shoot you a DM.

Are there any other logistical advantages to propane? To be honest, I feel that starting up I’m going to have to make sacrifices of what i WANT to do, to be more fiscally realistic. I wouldn’t exclude any site based in propane as the only source alone but I would give it greater scrutiny. My filtration comment was generally speaking , not for just cooling. I think Paul was just mentioning one pro of well vs city. i’m willing to take any feedback or advice on the topic.

Thanks for the insight. Both would require filtration, as our city is highly treated and we’re in farm country here but perhaps a well would be the best way to go if I can find a rural parcel with Nat Gas at the road. Thanks

I searched via google and on this site and came back with some mixed results. I’m in the planning stages of drafting a business plan and doing research. I want to open a “farm distillery” (however state of WI doesn’t recognize that term, anywho) my area has excellent well water if you go deep enough. I want to start soliciting townships and villages about the support for this style of distillery. 2 of the target areas have city water which is rather spendy. I live in one of the Villages now and my residential bill, quarterly is $500 for water and sewer, so I can’t even imagine what the city water bill would be So it got thinking about more rural, but still in target geographic location. Then we’re talking, septic, and I’d have to find an area that offers Nat Gas as propane pricing is too volatile. Any feedback on pros and cons, if you had to pick city vs well would be appreciated.

Thanks Tom i appreciate the insight. I haven’t called yet as i contracted a nasty case of RSV over the weekend, and barely have a voice.

Hey, I’m wondering if someone can clear something up for me. WI Dept of revenue taxes based on liter. But unlike the TTB’s definition of Proof Gallon, no such definition exists (that I can find) for what constitutes a liter for tax filing purposes. Can anyone clarify? Would I pay the same level of tax on 1 liter of 40% ABV vs. 1 liter of 80% ABV spirits? I can & will call the state on Monday but this is driving me nuts as I do my research & build my plan.

I think you need to chat with @SlickFloss i believe he just posted about this.