Thinking about becoming a microdistiller

[shadylane]

I've been building and gathering the equipment, It's almost reached the point that I could become a micro-distiller.
Micro as in starting with a 15 gallon boiler. From a logical perspective, this is probably insanity to even start the process.
It would be an expensive hobby with dangerous legal ramifications. Sounds like what I've been doing for years while in hiding.
I'd like to pay my taxes and be proud of what I'm doing. The tools and skills, I've built and learned.
From what I've read, my still house would meet the legal requirements. Getting info from the state should be safe and easy.
Going to the county court house and asking about opening a micro-distillery is something else.

[jb-texshine]

Maybe hire a lawyer to deal with it? You know,attorney-client confidentiality.

[goose eye]

All these other folks aint from round here you is.
don't let this place lull you into a false sence of
security. Think long an hard. Once you start them papers you best
get every drop you got off premises . Ain't tryin to talk
You out of it but think it out. All the way out.
what your old bootleggin buddys say.
Micro distillerys been round along time folks
just used another name back then.

Best of luck

So I'm tole

[shadylane]

Good advice, best get my drinking liquor stock built up and hidden before I start.
I'm scratching my head on things like "COLA" Certificate of Label Approval
And that's only the beginning. But I'm slowly working on it.

[shadylane]

The bad part is, I'd rather smash copper, malt, ferment and distill than do paper work.
Uncle Sam wants the paper work and the tax money.

[jb-texshine]

What's the difference between a distillery and a micro distillery,from a legal standpoint? Permit cost wise and tax wise I mean...

[3d0g]

What's the difference between a distillery and a micro distillery,from a legal standpoint? Permit cost wise and tax wise I mean...

Depends on the state. Absolutely nothing in most cases.

[bluefish_dist]

In Colorado there are no destinction by size. All the licensing is the same. Federal permit (dsp) is no charge. You do have to spend money to get everything in place for the permit, insurance, bond, etc. Colorado mfg license is $1050/year.

[jb-texshine]

Not that I would at this point any way but it occurs to me that after 9 months of stillin ,my ujssm is better that most of the legal"moonshine" on the market. At least the five or six I've tried.hell half the bonded shine tastes like everclear and water. What yall think, would there be a market for a corn and oat sourmash sugarhead?
a good model for a micro distillery would be that lil distillery in Hawaii making pineapple vodka that I think bushman posted pics of. 55 gallon stainless drums for boilers . Maybe a two or three plate flute ,or just a pot still head on top of a thumper made same as the boilers..... Ok,ok, so maybe I have thought about it... Casually

[BaxtersDad]

The alcohol business is about tax collection from a regulatory standpoint. After 18 years experience in a microbrewery, I know that to a dead certainty. There are thousands of pages of federal regualtions of breweries, the TTB (formerly the ATF) has come by only a couple of timesin 18 years. They don't care about any of the regulatory compliance except tax. The state liquor control board audits annually, and all they care about is does the tax your paid match up with the amount your reported that you produced and does that match up with the brewing ingredients you purchased. I would not expect the distilling business to be any different!

[woodshed]

shady, 15 might be a little small but if you look at my setup it is apparent it can be done on a small scale with some success. If I can help let me know. Every journey starts somewhere.
And yeah, distillery is just an abbreviation for tax collection center.

[jb-texshine]

How much did it cost you in permits bonds insurance and so on, not counting building and stilling equipment to get up and running woodshed? Cost to be allowed to fire it up minus building and equipment.

[shadylane]

I'm going to put this idea on the back burner for now.
Some more research is needed.

[Rastus]

Shady,
My hats off to you... I would stand in line to fetch me a bottle of your finest iffin you get to a point of sales.

it all starts with the idea, and ponderin it and learnin what you can till it dont make sense to not do it...

good luck sir

[Bushman]

I have to admit I came very close about 2 years ago. My son was graduating from college in hospitality and thought he would like to open a gastro type distillery if he could get licensing. For college he even developed a business plan but since graduating he got a good job as a manager of a restaurant/bar attached to one of the 5 star hotels in the PNW. He has good benefits and wants more experience before venturing out on his own. My involvement would have been financial investement and probably working for a year to get him up and running but at my age I did not want to start another career after retirement. Good Luck to you Shady as I hope it all works out.

[3d0g]

In Colorado there are no destinction by size. All the licensing is the same. Federal permit (dsp) is no charge. You do have to spend money to get everything in place for the permit, insurance, bond, etc. Colorado mfg license is $1050/year.

Plus another $1050 for the wholesalers license if you intend to self-distribute.

[BaxtersDad]

...[A]t my age I did not want to start another career after retirement.

Probably prudent, regardless of your current age. "It takes years to be an overnight success." You do not want to be tied to a business when you are 75, as I almost certainly will be, from a business I started in my 50s! The lease guarantee alone ensures an on-going involvement well into ripe old age!

[Truckinbutch]

All these other folks aint from round here you is.
don't let this place lull you into a false sence of
security. Think long an hard. Once you start them papers you best
get every drop you got off premises . Ain't tryin to talk
You out of it but think it out. All the way out.
what your old bootleggin buddys say.
Micro distillerys been round along time folks
just used another name back then.

Best of luck

So I'm tole

I gotta weigh in with Goose Eye . I just don't think I would do that .