Operating a distillery demands dedication and skill, making it a journey filled with challenges and rewards. The rise of small craft distilleries—now over 2,600 in the US, compared to fewer than 300 just over a decade ago— highlights the growing interest in this business sector. Yet, for those new to the craft, opening a distillery can seem daunting.
Traditional distilling courses, while comprehensive, often impose significant time and financial constraints, leaving little room for busy entrepreneurs. So, what recourse exists when confronted with unforeseen hurdles or the pursuit of operational excellence?
Enter Kindred Spirits – your trusted partner in the realm of distillery consultancy. We provide customized solutions that fit your specific needs, avoiding strict frameworks and excessive expenses. Whether navigating uncharted spirits, optimizing production efficiency, or charting a course for expansion, our consultancy services are designed with your success in mind.
At Kindred Spirits, professionalism and expertise are our hallmarks. From strategic planning to construction and expansion, our comprehensive suite of services is meticulously crafted to elevate your distillery to new heights of excellence. Explore our areas of specialization and embark on a journey of unparalleled success with Kindred Spirits by your side.
Our goal is to see you thrive in your business endeavors. We're eager to assist you in enhancing your business in any necessary areas. Be sure to review the "Areas of Expertise" highlighted above for an overview of how we can support you. For more detailed information, explore the Planning, Construction, and Expansion Tabs.
The planning phase of any project holds utmost significance as it sets the foundation for future decisions and outcomes. At Kindred Spirits, our primary objective is to collaborate with you throughout this crucial phase, ensuring clarity and eliminating uncertainties every step of the way.
Choosing which spirits to produce has a major impact on distillery planning. For instance, crafting vodka from scratch demands different equipment than focusing on rum or whiskey. Conversely, if your aim is to blend pre-made spirits, your equipment requirements would also vary significantly. There's nothing more disheartening than realizing your equipment can't produce the spirit you're passionate about. That's why we prioritize helping you make the right equipment choices from the start. This saves you money and frustration in the long run.
The layout of your distillery plays a crucial role in its efficiency and safety. Strategically placing equipment throughout your workspace ensures optimal functionality and minimizes hazards. Given that most distillery equipment is large and permanently installed, any redesigns or adjustments post-setup can be costly, particularly steam piping installations. Therefore, careful planning of your building layout is essential to avoid unnecessary expenses and delays.
"A place for everything, and everything in its place" is a mantra that holds true for distilleries. A well-organized space not only enhances efficiency but also contributes to a clean and appealing environment, ideal for tours and future expansion endeavors. Our seasoned designers collaborate with you to create a layout that prioritizes safety, functionality, and aesthetics. Moreover, we anticipate future growth and ensure that the design accommodates the increasing demand for your product seamlessly.
The construction phase of your project can be both challenging and fulfilling as your distillery begins to materialize before your eyes. With equipment installation underway and contractors bustling in and out, the flurry of activity can feel overwhelming. It's essential to ensure that progress remains orderly and efficient amidst the chaos.
We understand the demands of this phase and are here to support you every step of the way. Whether you need guidance to preempt potential problems or assistance in overcoming any hurdles that arise, we provide focused expertise to keep your project on track.
Becoming legally registered with the Alcohol, Tobacco, Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) can be a daunting process for anyone venturing into the distillery business. It's essential to initiate the registration with the TTB before commencing construction on your building.
This involves providing detailed information to the TTB, including the type of spirits you'll produce, the equipment you'll use, estimated proof-gallon output, storage and transfer vessels, and the size and location of your bonded area within the distillery. All of these aspects must be discussed and approved by local and state government authorities before applying for your permit with the TTB.
It's crucial that the distillery outlined in your application closely mirrors the equipment and setup you'll use for spirit production. This ensures smooth progress with the project and minimizes issues during future inspections by the TTB. Since the permit processing can take several months, careful planning of the submission timeline is vital to avoid delays in production startup.
At Kindred Spirits, we offer support to ensure your permit application is accurately filled out the first time and submitted within a timeframe aligned with your distillery opening goals.
Obtaining building permits is a crucial step in the construction phase of your distillery. The physical location of your building, as well as neighboring structures, dictates the specific rules and regulations you must adhere to. Zoning requirements can pose significant challenges, especially if your local municipality considers rezoning your building into a higher danger classification.
Understanding the nature of your production, sales, and storage operations is key to determining whether your building requires certain safety features. We offer support in this regard by providing knowledgeable assistance to meet with local boards and address any potential issues.
If your facility includes a boiler room, it must comply with the International Boiler Code (IBC) endorsed by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), along with all relevant local and state safety guidelines. Adhering to these rigorous standards can be daunting, particularly for inexperienced installers. We can assist you in thoroughly vetting contractors and provide a mechanical boiler system plan for submission to the necessary organizations and engineers for approval.
During the process of obtaining permits from local municipalities and the TTB, it's common for plans to require adjustments. To streamline this process and minimize delays, our senior design engineer collaborates with your architects and engineers to swiftly revise and resubmit drawings as needed. Our goal is to ensure that your distillery maintains efficiency and safety for you and your employees throughout this phase.
Having accurate and visually appealing final building plans offers numerous benefits. It allows for better planning of future growth, facilitates easy resubmission to local authorities if issues arise later in the project, reduces potential issues during inspections by entities like the TTB, and can be integrated into tours, brochures, and your website to showcase your distillery effectively.
When it comes to purchasing equipment, construction supplies, raw materials, and botanicals for your distillery, you have several options. If you're already familiar with some of these items due to your background in construction or distilling, that's great. However, if this is new territory for you, there's no need to worry.
Our team includes members with extensive experience in construction and design bureaucracy, who understand the various ways to handle challenges that may arise. Additionally, we have established a network of top suppliers across the country, ensuring that you have access to the equipment and materials you need to kickstart your distilling journey.
Every building has its limits in terms of accommodating equipment while ensuring safe and efficient distillery operations. The need for expansion can arise from various factors. For instance, while your current equipment may have sufficed for initial production goals, increasing demand for your spirits may necessitate finding ways to scale up production without overexerting yourself. Alternatively, you might need to invest in larger equipment or optimize existing processes for greater efficiency.
We collaborate with you to ensure that you maximize the utilization of your assets and provide recommendations for improvements or equipment purchases to keep your production running smoothly with minimal downtime. Fortunately, in the distillery business, existing equipment can often be sold to recoup costs or repurposed to support continued growth within your business.
Knowing where to find deals when acquiring new equipment or active markets for selling equipment can save you substantial amounts of money, making expansion more financially viable. We leverage our expertise to guide you through these processes, ensuring that your expansion plans are both effective and economically sound.
One of the most thrilling aspects of the distillery business is the innovation and introduction of new products to the market. However, developing processes for new products can pose significant challenges, particularly if your current equipment is not suitable for the task at hand.
Our experienced consultants are well-equipped to guide you through this journey. Should the need arise, we can make recommendations for equipment upgrades and support you as you tackle the complexities of developing a new product. Investing in experienced guidance can be a wise decision, as it can save you valuable time and resources during the trial phases of process and product development.
Deciding which spirits to bring to market is another critical aspect that requires careful consideration. Questions such as which spirits sell well in your area, current industry trends, projected future positions of aged spirits, storage considerations for aging spirits, and how new products will complement your existing lineup all play a role in this decision-making process.
We can assist you in answering these pivotal questions and ensure that you are well-prepared for product releases that seamlessly complement your current offerings, maximizing the success of your distillery's expansion efforts.
As a business thrives financially and expands its product distribution or lineup, the need to expand the size of the current building's footprint becomes inevitable. Alternatively, relocating to a larger facility may be considered if the current size cannot accommodate growth. However, such transitions can potentially disrupt the distribution of your product if not meticulously planned and executed.
Should you find yourself in this situation, we offer assistance by either redesigning your current building or collaborating with you to draft plans for a new distillation space. We tailor the design to meet your unique requirements and seamlessly incorporate new features and equipment to support the expansion of your product line. Our goal is to ensure a smooth transition that minimizes disruptions and maximizes the potential for continued growth and success.
If you're considering expanding your business to a larger building, we encourage you to refer to our planning section. There, you'll find comprehensive coverage of all the steps required for such an expansion. We've meticulously outlined the process to ensure that you have the guidance you need to navigate this transition successfully.
An eye-catching website or online profile is essential for attracting new clients to your business. A clunky or outdated website can deter potential customers faster than a poor-tasting product. That's why we offer consultation services to enhance the appeal, draw, and functionality of your website.
Ensuring that your website reflects the quality of your product demonstrates to potential clients your dedication to excellence in all aspects of your business. With our consultation services, we can help elevate your online presence, making it a powerful tool for attracting and retaining customers.
