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Mountain View Distillery in Corvallis, Montana


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Hey Everyone,

Thought I would introduce myself and describe my potential setup if I do decide to go through with starting this business. My name is Lukas Swanson. I am the 4th generation apple orchardist in the Bitterroot Valley just south of Missoula Montana. My great grandfather started the business back in 1907. Anyway, I am 26, a recent graduate from Cornell University where I received a Masters of Engineering in Applied and Engineering Physics. I have been putting together a business plan for a distillery as a complimentary business with the orchard for the past few months. I am waiting on one thing to work itself out and then more then likely within the next month I will be heading to the bank to apply for the loan so I can get going on purchasing equipment and so on.

The product that I plan to start with is an apple brandy/eau de vie de pomme. I am not sure yet as to the exact recipe but I plan on experimenting with apple mash, apple cider and apple pomace. If I can use apple pomace, the waste product from us pressing apple cider, that would be perfect because I would then be utilizing a waste stream that we normally feed to our cattle to make a premium apple brandy. Here is a simply mock up of the bottle and label I plan on using (pending state/federal approval)

LabelDesign.jpg

I also plan on starting with a 30 gal VendomeCopper still and 2 300 gallon variable capacity stainless steel fermenting tanks. Anyway, thats kind of the highlights of my business plan. I have written all out and done the 2 year projections so all I have to do now is go to the bank and sign my life away if I want to do it. I think its a really great business model to accompany the orchard operation with a distillery and/or a brewery. I have one more job interview I am planning on going to before I decide whether or not to do this so we will see what happens. Also, I am planning on going to the Michigan Brewery Workshop here on the 18 and 19th. Anyone else going? Here is a link to the website I created for our orchard operation

Swanson's Mountain View Orchards

And here is our Facebook page

Facebook page for Swanson's Mountain View Orchards

Anyway, glad to be on the forums.

Luke Swanson

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Guest Bonanza

Beautiful and well organized property you have and with all the family support, just great.

Wish you the very best Luke.

Joe

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Luke,

Send your mailing address so I can add you to the Distilling Directory.

bill@distilling.com

Hey Bill,

I havent actually pulled the trigger yet on going through with starting the distillery but it looks like I will. Here is the address:

1752 Mountain View Orchards Road

Corvallis, Montana 59828

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey Bill,

I havent actually pulled the trigger yet on going through with starting the distillery but it looks like I will. Here is the address:

1752 Mountain View Orchards Road

Corvallis, Montana 59828

Hey guys,

First off great workshop at MSU with CARL. Thanks again to Nick, Alexander and Kris. I will be going through with opening my own distillery now so the proverbial trigger has been pulled. I am putting together the last bit of info to present to the bank before i go get my loan.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey guys,

First off great workshop at MSU with CARL. Thanks again to Nick, Alexander and Kris. I will be going through with opening my own distillery now so the proverbial trigger has been pulled. I am putting together the last bit of info to present to the bank before i go get my loan.

Hey guys, just thought I would let everyone know that the ball is officially rolling...finally. I have submitted my articles or organization and my SS4 forms. Once I get those numbers/acknowledgments back I will be able to get going with all the TTB and State forms. Plus, I have the loan papers being drawn up as we speak and hopefully on Tuesday, the 6th, they should be able to do the wire transfer to get my still production started :D

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  • 6 months later...

DSP permit is in hand. Took 5 months and alot of headache but from what I understand that is actually a pretty quick turnaround. Thanks to everyone for all your support. I look forward to sharing more with you in the coming months as I start streaming my operation. Fully operational now and working through some of my first wine batches but I continue to iterate my procedure. Should be good fun.

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DSP permit is in hand. Took 5 months and alot of headache but from what I understand that is actually a pretty quick turnaround. Thanks to everyone for all your support. I look forward to sharing more with you in the coming months as I start streaming my operation. Fully operational now and working through some of my first wine batches but I continue to iterate my procedure. Should be good fun.

Luke, congratulations on making the start! We are still scouting location and finishing business plan. Agree the MSU course was very good. Did you take this past spring? If so, then I think we may have met. I am a Cornell Engineering Physics grad too (BS '78)! Very interested in how you are getting along. We are going to start with a gin and a grappa, but are generally interested in eau du vie, and have talked with a local orchard about co-branding and working with them on an apple spirit. Did you end up getting the 30 gallon Vendromme? Good luck!!! Derrick.

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Luke, congratulations on making the start! We are still scouting location and finishing business plan. Agree the MSU course was very good. Did you take this past spring? If so, then I think we may have met. I am a Cornell Engineering Physics grad too (BS '78)! Very interested in how you are getting along. We are going to start with a gin and a grappa, but are generally interested in eau du vie, and have talked with a local orchard about co-branding and working with them on an apple spirit. Did you end up getting the 30 gallon Vendromme? Good luck!!! Derrick.

Hey Derrick, Yeah I went to the MSU/CARL workshop at the end of June. I actually got a 40 gallon Jacob Carl still. I like the bubbler plate design over the copper filing/packing which is why I went with Carl over Vendomme. Anyway, feel free to give me a call anytime.

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  • 4 weeks later...

TTB formulas approved. Labels submitted for approval....the FINAL step before I can sell. Two things to say, thank God and about time. Hopefully the turnaround time with my labels is as quick as my formulas was. Anyone else submitted formulas and labels online through ttbonline.gov yet besides me? I felt like their guinea pig going through the process. Not the most intuitive online software but once you get the hang of it it works...I guess.

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  • 2 months later...

Just thought I would let everyone know that I have everything completed including label approval and I am just waiting on my labels to actually arrive...hopefully this week considering they have had the approved proofs for a month now :( Anyway, I still find it amazing how slow things progress within this industry. Luckily I have found a few things on the side to keep busy until I get my labels. Ill post as soon as I have actual labeled product to sell :)

LegendaryGold.jpg?attachauth=ANoY7coqjSLaPPhpjWktJs30NLHjKThVw7F1ibmYR_QzHdR0ZrsERwcKxnH_4xtZ5hOF1cbhg6DGSxULlax1yUF181Wk_xccVNpE46QYD5wdfcJaROlbT2s18ui_aosCNyKxAub8WA2BGxZchdquS0sN-VlJwZZwnGj7yxELmgvc0nfmar9SyMSbUKEhaJu6SlnnpmVNUfU5AgVX08qTT71yZWHaBNAmwsswnKlzCnbdTyc6-TdKoCg%3D&attredirects=0

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Congratulations, Luke!

Let me know when the first shipment goes to Helena and I'll start bothering the Flathead stores to get your hooch on the shelves.

I'm looking forward to giving it a few sips!

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Well, just finished my first official bottling run. Bottled 28 cases (6 bottles/case) of the 750 ml bottles and 12 cases (12 bottles/case) of the 375 ml bottles of my Legendary Gold Honey Spirits. I should be able to get the states first shipment to them sometime this week when I get a chance. You cant believe what a huge weight has been lifted now that I actually have product ready to go.

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Just delivered my first order to the state warehouse. If you are in Montana, feel free to request "Legendary Gold Honey Spirits" at any bar or state liquor store. It is ready for delivery. :)

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  • 2 years later...

We should compare honey spirits sometime. We haven't aged any yet, selling all the unaged product for the time being. Finally went into local distribution with it though. Ever get out Chicago way?

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