Distilling help

October 15, 2009 1:01 PM

What is involved with starting a distillery? Namely, in Texas.

Interested in potentially starting a distillery. I see the TABC license fees, and assume that I would need both a license to produce, and a private warehousing license to store.

What other requirements/costs should I know to expect?

posted by kaseijin to food & drink (6 comments total)

You're going to need fed licensing, too. But do yourself a favor - first go to Bill Owens' American Distilling Institute for info. He's pulled together a huge amount of info (see the resources page). Good luck!
posted by sixpack at 1:25 PM on October 15

As far as I can tell, there is only a few distillers in Texas, here's a list - you should try getting in contact with a friendly soul and asking how it works.
posted by bigmusic at 1:26 PM on October 15

Anecdotal but very relevant to you - looks like you're likely to need professional legal help to negotiate it. If you're thinking about artisan stuff and haven't already you want to research the term micro distillery. I researched this a little a few years ago. It is simultaneously highly resource intensive business (the equipment, professionals, and materials are all high premium) and legally complicated. Still, there has been a boom in craft distilling in recent years, so it isn't impossible.
posted by nanojath at 2:04 PM on October 15

Have a plan to make money during the aging process.

I visited Glenora Distillery a few years ago when I stumbled on it on the way out to Cape Bretton. Pretty excited at finding a new single-malt distillery, I dropped in and approached the receptionist.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"Well, maybe," I said. "Do you have a tasting room where I might be able to sample some of your whisky?"

"Oh my good heavens, no," she said.

She could see that I was a little perplexed.

"You see," she explained, "we've only been making whisky for four years. We wouldn't dream of selling any until it's aged at least ten."

Lunch at the Inn was delightful.
posted by dinger at 3:21 PM on October 15

Good advice, so far!

At this stage, I'm mostly just doing the research and homework to see what a venture like this would require in terms of footwork and capital. The plan, if I ever do eventually get it going, would be to start distilling non-aged spirits while simultaneously setting back some aged spirit.

Something akin to starting on gin or silver rum... and then, once established, being able to offer (at first limited) whiskeys without having to wait an additional 4+ years to age.
posted by kaseijin at 3:28 PM on October 15

These guys in London are an interesting case study to look at if you're thinking of a high end craft gin distillery. More detail here and here.
posted by MuffinMan at 3:53 AM on October 16