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Head Distiller Wanted


rewyanc2k

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New start up distillery in Virginia Beach, Va looking for a Master Distiller. We are looking for a knowledgeable, passionate, and creative Master Distiller for our new distillery located in the historic Cavalier Hotel (http://www.cavalierhotel.com/the-cavalier/) in Virginia Beach. Our distillery is in the heart of the Virginia Beach tourist district and only steps from the Atlantic Ocean. The distillery will be have a full operational distillery, tasting room, and restaurant/bar located next door.

Duties:

  • Responsible for entire distilling and quality control process and therefore should be well versed in scheduling, distilling, aging, and packaging operations
  • Day-to-Day operation and management of distillery and its employees
  • Management of raw ingredient inventories, ordering, and quality
  • Record keeping
  • Barreling and barrel aging management
  • Packaging
  • Quality control
  • Creation of new products
  • Equipment and systems maintenance
  • Attending events, festivals, competitions, etc...

Knowledge and Experience:

  • 3+ years of distilling experience in a permitted craft distillery
  • Must have experience at all stages of distillation process from grain selection to bottling
  • Must have experience distilling whiskey, rum, gin, vodka, and bourbon
  • Ability to operate and maintain all distillation equipment
  • Knowledge of federal TTB laws and reporting requirements
  • Compensation will be commensurate with experience

The Master Distiller will be responsible for developing the distilleries portfolio of brands. This position requires a creative mind, managerial experience, attention to detail, and a passion for quality spirits. The head distiller will manage and oversee all aspects of the distillery operations. The Master Distiller will be responsible for overseeing and managing both the Assistant Distiller as well as and hourly employees working in the distillery. This is not a 9-5 job, when late nights are required to meet production needs it is expected that the master distiller will be there. We want someone with passion and enthusiasm, who can work as part of the team, be creative and have fun, and ultimately develop a successful portfolio of brands for our company.

Construction of the distillery is underway with an expected opening date of May 2016. We are looking to hire someone in advance to be part of the design, development, and coordination of all pre-opening activities. Therefore we are flexible with regards to starting date and hours.

Please send inquires or resumes including any accomplishments with your salary requirements and availability to: josh@backbaybrewingco.com

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IMHO, a distiller that knew all that would know you chances of getting a DSP approved, AHJ approval, and insurance obtained in a hotel is slim to none..... Add in HVHZ hurricane requirements for locations such as yours and mine, and slim walks away pretty quick...

Additionally, a distillery of the size that can actually make enough spirits to pay a master distiller will have to be high-hazard... not many business plans work out for less than 120gal of flammable liquids... High hazard separation requirements will be extremely difficult in a historic building. It would also be large enough to need separate people for most of those tasks...

Finally, if you open not in a hotel, say a standalone building nearby, I suggest an employee ownership option path also,as a master distiller would likely look at this set of specifics and know that as soon as you get your recipes and reporting down, their days are numbered...

I hope I am not offending, it is not my intent, and I am only an apprentice distiller who recently opened a distillery that I operate myself...

-mike

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