opening a legal distillery in the U.S.

[manu de hanoi]

symmetric mountain is symmetric. You draw this using a vector imaging tool ? Some printing house require the vector format. Anyways it's very convenient.

[blind drunk]

Just noticed this thread and wanted to wish you all the best. Small is in and I'm sure you'll do well. Agri tourism is big everywhere and the folks like seeking out artisans who live the life they want and follow their passion. We have a couple of cheese makers, bakers, wine yards etc and people flock. Can you sell direct to the public? Whatever the case, great success to you.

Cheers
BD

[BUCK-O]

good luck

[MountedGoat]

Any news Uncle Jessie? How about a website update? Looking forward to your rum coming out when it does!

[blind drunk]

This may be already posted, but if not I Googled and found this. I'm going to California and would love to visit.

http://www.pioneerspirits.com/about/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[Virginia Gentleman]

Hey fellas, been a long time since I've been on the boards. Afraid my job has kept me from the boards and from stilling. But just fired things back up with a fresh 15 gal. wash and making a new year's resolution to get back on with it and to be on this forum more often. Have sure missed it and discussing the art with y'all.

Jesse, cograts on your progress with the distillery. Sounds like you're fully licensed and under production. Have you started selling your product yet?

And another question for you or others who have researched this: can a distillery and a brewery (or winery for that matter) operate on the same premises? Think I might have read that they cannot.

Merry Christmas all and happy stillin' in 2009!

[Big J]

And another question for you or others who have researched this: can a distillery and a brewery (or winery for that matter) operate on the same premises? Think I might have read that they cannot.

It is possible under an 'alternating proprietorship' arrangement. Anchor does it. Rogue also has a distillery, not sure if it is on the same site as their brewery.

Cheers,
J

[Virginia Gentleman]

Thanks Big J. Yeah I forgot that Anchor makes a Rye Whiskey as well.

More info here, although it doesn't make it clear whether you can have a brewery and DSP at the same location:

http://www.ttb.gov/beer/alternating_prop.shtml

[glassman]

i believe you can but it is a state by state issue. where i am is a 3 tier state. i'd have to sell my booze to a state abc and buy it back to sell for tasting if it was allowed. this is why it takes a long time to get licenced......lots of research and lots of paperwork and a bit of $$. gman

[Virginia Gentleman]

Yeah, I know one of the distilleries nearby in VA can't offer tastings. Lots of deep regulation for sure.

[playswithknives]

Just an idea -
Dry Fly Distilling in Spokane is giving classes on how to do the micro-distillery thing for a pretty penny - If you were to recruit an experienced schoolteacher to put together a lesson plan and coach you a bit on how to deliver it, you could perhaps fill a few gaps in your budget.

[Virginia Gentleman]

For those interested, more info on alternating proprietorship and running a distillery and brewery/winery under the same roof:

Federal regulations also allow another kind of "alternation" -- where a proprietor uses a single facility for its own operations under multiple classes of licenses. For example, in order to de-alcoholize wine or produce distilled spirits at your winery or brewery, additional licenses and permits are required. Instead of incurring the cost and inconvenience of establishing completely separate premises for these operations, you can alternate the use of your existing plant's floor space, tanks, and personnel for greater efficiency.

Sourece: http://www.csa-compliance.com/html/Prod ... ating.html

[goinbroke2]

I'm doing a feasability study right now on opening a micro-distillery in Nova Scotia Canada. WOW! Talk about a mountain of paperwork and no clear answers! I joined ADI (american Distiller Institute) and am trying to research how to obtain bottles/distribution/laws regarding labels/etc. Holy crap there is a lot to it. It's not even that I consider myself a "pro" per se, just that I really enjoy it and now have 25years in the army and am considering retiring. There are two other distilleries in the maritimes. One is "Salty Dog" in PEI which I have not received any feedback from and "WineGarden Estates" in New Brunswick who I will be contacting next.

I think it's a real uphill battle here. From the Winegarden "history" section;
"Originally from Endingen, Germany, Werner and Roswitha Rosswog and their family emigrated to the Baie Verte area in 1983. The Rosswogs brought with them a long family history in the distillery business. Werner quickly found out he was breaking totally new ground. Since there were no laws in place for private distilleries and he had to abide by the same rules as the big manufacturers - pay the same licensing fees, utilize the same distribution channels and be subjected to the same mark-up. This meant extremely large start-up costs, hefty annual fees and very small profit margins."

And this was in 1983! There is even more bad news.

"Unfortunately, there are not only positive reports to present. A Federal Excise audit in 2003, ordered that
service fees for co-operative partners have to be included in our store sales. As a result, the threshold
limit for Excise duty was exceeded for Winegarden since co-operative service and on-site sales were
suddenly combined, in contrast to store sales only in previous years.
Our innovations and the provincial efforts to grow an industry, as we interpret the situation, were therefore
penalized. As a result, additional investments at Winegarden have been placed on hold. Political support
from the “Liberal” MP’s of New Brunswick has not occurred."

So now what?? The last update is 2007. I'm hoping that NS isn't as backasswards as the rest of the maritimes but since moving here from New Brunswick 2 years ago I've found in general this place is about 10 years behind.....crap....

It's really true, making it is the easy part....

[Dnderhead]

I believe that Uncle Jesse has already lade claim to that name you need to fiend another.

[goinbroke2]

I believe that Uncle Jesse has already lade claim to that name you need to fiend another.

You talking to me?? What name?

[HookLine]

http://www.pioneerspirits.com/about/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[SlurryWort]

Hey,
Which law firm did you use to file the paperwork, or did you do this yourself?
Thanks for letting me know.
Captain Slurry

[Boxman]

One thing about whiskey, you have to let it age a while before you can see a cash flow. there are quite a few companies making legal shine that do well. I am sure you have read some articals about our countries favorite beverages of the past. Maybe you can make a variety of spirts to generate some immediate cash flow. Make sure you make something for the ladies.

[fatbloke]

Been a while since I've been here (never enough time to do everything you enjoy is there.....)

Well done Jesse, it looks like all you and your business partners efforts have finally bourne fruit. The website is starting to look good as well.

Whether the likes of me will ever be in a position to taste your products ? well, I can but hope......

I thought that the label design looked good, if a little "soviet bloc era" in style (sorry to sound critical, but change the man carrying the barrel so he has Lenins head and bingo.....).

Have you thought of running vodka, or gin ? both of which seem to be popular globally. you might even be able to produce neutral spirit and use commercial flavourings ?????? that would, surely, get you along further with saleable products, quicker ???

anyway, again, well done to all involved, your perseverance is an example to us all, given that with such businesses there are such huge bureaucratic hurdles placed in the way of the newcomer.....

I can only dream, that one day, I might be in a similar position...

regards

fatbloke

[I-GOR]

One thing about whiskey, you have to let it age a while before you can see a cash flow. there are quite a few companies making legal shine that do well. I am sure you have read some articals about our countries favorite beverages of the past. Maybe you can make a variety of spirts to generate some immediate cash flow. Make sure you make something for the ladies.

Right now Dry Fly is making a killing on $30 bottles of gin and vodka while they age their malt whiskey. They can't make it fast enough! I've never tasted their product (It's gotta be a special occasion for me to spend $30 bucks on a bottle, and I had to take a big pay cut to stay employed) but probably it can hold it's own. Anyway, it's been said that an inferior product with excellent marketing will far and away outsell an excellent product with inferior marketing. Dry Fly said their greatest efforts went into marketing.

[Bohunk]

Well after a full year of paper work, yesterday was payday!! I had a “show cause” hearing before the Nebraska State Liquor Commission, and was finally granted my state permit. I have had the federal TTB permit for several months, but this being the first permit issued in this state, it required everyone involved to feel their way along the licensing path.
Now, we can finally start making some product.
We hope every one in our area, who interested will take the time to stop by and visit with us. Whewwwwwwwwww what a relief to have finally gotten to the top of this pile.

The Bohunk

[Husker]

Great news. I have enjoyed following your journey Bohunk. I will get up there when I have a chance.

H.

[Tater]

congrats

[rad14701]

That's great news, Bohunk... And being the first through the process is a worthy distinction... You're the flagship for the entire state...

[goinbroke2]

CONGRATS!!
I hope you do well in your endevours.

[Rotgut]

Well after a full year of paper work, yesterday was payday!! I had a “show cause” hearing before the Nebraska State Liquor Commission, and was finally granted my state permit. I have had the federal TTB permit for several months, but this being the first permit issued in this state, it required everyone involved to feel their way along the licensing path.
Now, we can finally start making some product.
We hope every one in our area, who interested will take the time to stop by and visit with us. Whewwwwwwwwww what a relief to have finally gotten to the top of this pile.

The Bohunk

Where are you located? I am from Omaha and would be interested in stopping by sometime.

[Barney Fife]

Well done and congratulations! But! You do realize you've just ruined a perfectly good hobby for yourself, right?

[Bohunk]

Guys, thanks for all the congrats. Rotgut, I PM'd you with contact info, your always welcome, love to talk "shine" with any one. Ya Barney, I have lost a great hobby, the TTB keeps such close watch on a guy, it's hard to mix up something new to expermint with, but I'll not stop looking over the forum to see what you folks are cooking up new.

The Bohunk

[Big J]

Congrats Bohunk! I know how good it feels to have successfully navigated the TTB's mountains of paperwork. Looking forward to hearing about your products. Good luck!

Cheers,
J

Well after a full year of paper work, yesterday was payday!! I had a “show cause” hearing before the Nebraska State Liquor Commission, and was finally granted my state permit. I have had the federal TTB permit for several months, but this being the first permit issued in this state, it required everyone involved to feel their way along the licensing path.
Now, we can finally start making some product.
We hope every one in our area, who interested will take the time to stop by and visit with us. Whewwwwwwwwww what a relief to have finally gotten to the top of this pile.

The Bohunk

[backwoodsVAboy]

hey congrats fellas! love those pics to! nice setup ya got there