Mash

"Another option would be a new Stainless IBC tote. While they aren't as pretty, they'll last forever, with a wall thickness of more than double that Letina tank (you can ding the Letina, you'd never ding a tote)." I have four totes in my operation. On a side note, I went to visit a distillery in Seattle and they had some Steampunk, Armageddon, Apocalyptic still running with all sort dials and such. On closer inspection it was a 500 gallon tote in a copper and metal box. It looked cool and got the job done, but I still chuckle at the smoke and mirrors effect. Secondly, if you are patient, you can find a jacketed tank, attach water heaters, a circulation pump and some safety's and you'll be good to go. My cooker can double as a still as well. It has a tri-clamp fitting at the top.

What is a "HACCP" plan?

We run a 200 gallon cooker, 3- 350 gallon fermenters, 1-550 gallon fermenter and a 200 gallon still. So it takes two runs to empty a tote, but it does give us a lot of flexibility. We have been cooking with a 40 gallon pot and that is a pain. Fermentation is the choke point because we could always do two runs in a day, it just extends the shift. We have not put the 550 into service yet as sales do not dictate it.

The size is more dependent on "Sales". What is your sales forecast over a 3 year plan. Best, worst and Average. Then go from there. There is a distillery not far from me has $300, 000 worth of equipment and not really sold anything. Do you have deep pockets? You can make a lot of spirits on the pair of small ones, but it is also a factor of what your making.

Wow, that does not qualify as a Micro-Distillery in my world. My advice is to seek a consultant(s) that can draw up a plan to meet your needs. But welcome to the ADI forums anyway. Cheers

From my experience- Distributors are not interested in rolling out anything, unless you have big bucks and commit tens of thousands of dollars to market it. Simply put they are in business to deliver product to be sold. Period. They will invest little to nothing on an unknown, you have to sell, market, develop a need, drive the consumer to the retailer, advertise, do tastings and on and on. If you expect the distributor to do this for you, the reality is it aint happening, no matter how good your product is. I've been doing it for 3 years and if ignorance is bliss, I am no longer a happy person.

Most of us make whisky using grains. So I can't help you, but Homedistillers.org might be a good source of info.

Best of luck and welcome to the struggles, fun, pain, and financial woes of running a distillery.

I use pex heat loops and circulation pump and use the water heater to supply the heat. I have no automation, just the water heater the hot and cold line run right above the fermentation tanks. It can get very cold in my "Barn Like" building, but the yeast keeps working.

They have come a long way in three years that I have known Mike Haney and the Hillbilly crew.

My personal feeling is, Spirits, Wine and Beer contests are money making events, (for the promoter). It's often like a Beauty Pageant for 5 year olds, everybody wins. I may be wrong, but for me to spend $495 to enter a spirit, I better win something. On the other hand, we do enter contests that cater to craft distilling as I want to be judged by my peers. Maybe someday we will do the "International New York San Fransisco Texas Whiskey Fest", but for now I really can't afford it.

5000 barrels, that's awesome. Got any pictures of the Plant?

As a Craft Distiller, AMS has little brand power, as we, and like most others, are trying to build a brand. I wish I could get paid in 60 days. So far, we have had to place inventory in their warehouse and get paid as it is sold. They have no real drive to sell it, so we do. My partner lives in Annapolis, but getting them to service the accounts we send them is another up hill battle. Between the VA ABC's strangle hold on distribution and the law making us use distributors in 3 tier states, I can say sometimes; this business really sucks.

Big Still, toilet with a shower and a locker, Halle Berry.

Welcome, this is a tough business. Best of luck.

I use a Kubota L39 backhoe, but that's because we have to drive the pallets down the mountain to the truck. It is very multipurpose which fits my needs perfectly.

Hello fellow ADI members. Though everyone might enjoy a good TV show. Airing November 20th at 8:00 PM Eastern time on the Smithsonian Channel a documentary will cover the three main facets of alcohol, Wine, Beer and Spirits. Appalachian Mountain Spirits was selected as the distillery for the show and yours Truly, Mash is the star of the show. (not really I'm just a fat old distiller, trying to keep up with the taxes). So check your DVR and and lets see how this plays out. There is no stupid hillbilly crap, I won't allow buffoonery but it was fun nevertheless.

I'd like to install a couple of chargers at my downtown store and distillery. Since it's right off I-81 it could be a draw for the more affluent. Did you get the equipment form Tesla and what was the cost?

Same type of thing almost happened to me. Swam with sharks for about 4 months before pulling the plug on the whole deal. Was not worth it, by any means.

Personally I don't think it is an issue. There should be no pressure in the vessel anyways. Once I've collected what has been distilled it gets dumped as stillage. If there is more than 10% abv in the stillage then I won't be in business very long.

Update- We are officially Store #027, as of today August 26th. There are a few banking issues to be worked out. But it is a reality. To answer your question, the Major Hurdle was the ABC itself. They had no idea how implement, operate, design, a distillery store, other than their five existing distilleries. I have been ready and selling in the ABC system for 17 months and then got grouped into the whole newbie thing. Be very patient, and time has no meaning to the government.

I can't speak for Pennsylvania, but if you were to ask the same question in Virginia. Think very long and very hard before making a decision. Had I known then what I know now, there is no freaking way I would do this again.

Love the video, really cool.

It's cool if your the distiller, producer, and bottler and enter it. But if your buying some mass produced spirit and enter it as your own, then no.

I deal with issue everyday, and have to educate the customers one at a time. It's amazing how much smoke and mirrors exist in the liquor business. It's worse than selling cars. But as a true distiller of my products it certainly gives us a level of satisfaction to represent the truth.