We are in the process of developing our small distillery (just like so many others) and have recognized there may be some benefit to forming a Co-op or similar group. If anyone in the Northwest USA is interested please send an email.
The basic criteria we have developed so far include:
Location: 150 miles + / - from Portland, Oregon
Stills type: One each, custom built or purchased pot still and column
Still volume: 60 to 1000 gallons
Other: Small press/ crusher for fruit, food mill, grain mill, Certified organic process
$ to participate in the Co-op: $10,000 + or to be determined depending on equipment, rent, etc.
Feel free to comment in any way appropriate and we are open to any ideas (it would be a co-op after all).
Sincerely,
Michael Menzies
Braeside Farms Distillery
Estacada, Oregon 97023
Reply:
Have you considered a kettle/column hybrid still?
Reply:
It would be a good addition to the arsenal, but the hybrids are not substitutes for a real pot still, IMHO.
Guest_Michael_*, you may want to start by getting ahold of the TTB and getting some feedback on your plan. I got it from the horse's mouth that they frown on anything that resembles applying the "You-Brew-It" approach to distilling.
Reply:
Do you mean a worker-owned business, like Full Sail Brewery out near Portland? Or a distillery where "members" can make their own stuff on a shared-use basis? The latter is probably a no-no with the TTB, unless you were really elegant about it. A business cooperative is a very viable model, on the other hand.
For resources, start with the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives. http://usworker.coop
Reply:
We are in the process of developing our small distillery (just like so many others) and have recognized there may be some benefit to forming a Co-op or similar group. If anyone in the Northwest USA is interested please send an email.
The basic criteria we have developed so far include:
Location: 150 miles + / - from Portland, Oregon
Stills type: One each, custom built or purchased pot still and column
Still volume: 60 to 1000 gallons
Other: Small press/ crusher for fruit, food mill, grain mill, Certified organic process
$ to participate in the Co-op: $10,000 + or to be determined depending on equipment, rent, etc.
Feel free to comment in any way appropriate and we are open to any ideas (it would be a co-op after all).
Sincerely,
Michael Menzies
Braeside Farms Distillery
Estacada, Oregon 97023
