A Contractor’s Guide to Building a Distillery
The road to success is always under construction.
—Arnold Palmer
The advancement of any craft requires constant tweaking and fine-tuning. With distilling we find this to be literally true as well. A production facility must have a well-built foundation, properly plumbed...
Distillery Cost Accounting 101
Craft distillers face a daily mountain of responsibility. The last thing that a distiller wants to worry about after a 12-hour day running the still and cleaning the fermenters is cost accounting. Even the thought of their accountant asking...
Cost Analysis: from Grain to Retail Shelf
Barrel-aged gin. Flavored moonshine. Small-batch rye. Cinnamon whiskey. Hand-crafted tequila. Single-barrel bourbon.
At the local liquor store, the average consumer is treated to spirits of all varieties, ages, levels of quality and artisanship, and packaging shapes and sizes, but generally...
Outsourcing Spirits
“Always in motion is the future,” said Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back, proving once and for all that Yoda had never set foot inside a rickhouse.
A rickhouse is dim and motionless. And for a distiller, it’s his or...
The State of Our Bar Community is Dire
It’s a terrifying time for all. But it’s a dire time for small businesses, especially our beloved restaurants and bars. Not only do our independent restaurants and bars bring the color and literal and figurative “flavor” to each of...
Distillery Insurance
Whether you are brand-new to the distilling industry or if you have been making products for years and distributing on a national level, one of the greatest considerations that you should take into account is your insurance coverage. I...
The Long Haul
The next time you walk into a craft distillery and see rows of aging bourbon or whiskey barrels, take a moment to reflect on what went into those investments. Every barrel was meticulously crafted and represents a significant investment...
Life After Acquisition or Investment: The Decision & the Aftermath
Check the industry news headlines from the past few years and you’d be forgiven if you thought there was an ongoing game of distillery dominoes taking place. First one falls—acquired by or invested into by one of the major...
Laying Down Barrels Managing Cash
The challenges associated with managing cash while producing and barrel-aging whiskey can be enormous.
Distilling single malt whiskey is not just my business, it is my passion. I’ve been trained in the art and science of brewing and distilling, and...
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Partnerships in the Distilling Business
Craft distilling is the heart and soul of the alcohol movement. Many craft distillers began as hobbyists, keeping their day jobs while focusing night and weekend efforts on perfecting their spirits. And those efforts paid off: the industry is...
