Washington: State Gets First Grain Distillery Since Prohibition
Partners (left) Don Poffenroth and Kent Fleischmann

Check out the news website
www.dryflydistilling.com

Out the door. Dry Fly will be able to produce 5,000 cases of gin, vodka, and whiskey annually.

By Maggie Dutton

This month, Don Poffenroth and Kent Fleischmann of Dry Fly Distilling in Spokane officially became the proud parents of the first grain distillery to open in Washington since Prohibition. One small step for local cocktail drinkers is one giant leap for our state.

Dry Fly's still arrived last week from Germany, where it had been constructed by Christian Carl, an industry giant that builds everything from small pot stills to giant distilling plants. Once the still is set up, the Dry Fly facility is set to produce vodka, gin, and whiskey at an initial capacity of 5,000 cases total a year, which puts the operation in the territory of craft distilling.

A craft distillery is marked by a less industrial, more hands-on distilling process. Craft distillers typically only produce one comma's worth of product, contrasted against the big distilleries that crank out millions of cases of booze. Though there are still fewer than 100 small distilleries in America, the craft spirits movement is growing, with Portland leading the charge. With Dry Fly, Washington finally joins in.

To date, whenever I have asked someone from a distributor or winery (i.e., "the business") why there weren't any distilleries in Washington, they've come up with the most cockamamie answers and conspiracy theories. Some have said distilling spirits wasn't legal here. Some told me that the state had made the licensing process technically impossible.

Turns out, our state-controlled system makes the process of owning a distillery difficult, but that's due to the lingering fallout of Prohibition more than any nefarious plot to keep distillers out of Washington. Poffenroth says that, in fact, the Liquor Control Board helped walk Dry Fly through the process, an intensified version of the same process potential winery owners have to undergo.

Given the higher profit margins that distillery owners stand to make, the scrutiny of potential distillers is greater, as is the bonding required. The federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, as well as the state Liquor Control Board, want to make sure those getting into the distilling business are able to stay in business-and pay taxes.

Enduring the background checks and opening up their financial histories might have felt like joining the CIA, but Poffenroth and Fleischmann made it through the process without being sent back to the starting point. As Poffenroth advises other budding distillers, "Licensing is not hard; it is just very detailed and takes a long time. You have to have your stuff together, or they will shoot you down. We made it through in the first pass, and it still took six months."

Both Poffenroth and Fleischmann come from high-level jobs in the food industry. They cite corporate burnout as one of the main factors that motivated them to find a trade in which they could work more flexible hours, to allow morning forays to the river (Dry Fly is named for their favorite pastime, fly fishing). Washington wineries share knowledge as commonly as they do equipment, but the two distillers must go it alone for now. Notes Poffenroth, "We're glad to be the first, but we're hoping for company."

Dry Fly vodka, gin, and whiskey will cost around $30, and the duo hope to have their vodka and gin on the shelves of a state-controlled liquor store near you this fall (the company is shooting for October). The distillery's single-malt whiskey then will be ready for stores in 2009. I suggest they name that kid "Poffenroth & Fleischmann Select"; it's a natural.
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Iowa: Vodka returns to Iowa

Premium ClearHeart is the first bottled in the state since Prohibition

Iowa can now boast another corn byproduct:

ClearHeart Vodka from Cedar Rapids. Handcrafted 10 gallons at a time from Iowa-grown corn and apples, it's the first and only legal post-Prohibition vodka distilled and bottled in Iowa.

ClearHeart is one of four spirits produced by two-year-old Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery, owned by Jeff and Laurie Quint.

With all the corn that grows in Iowa, Jeff Quint said, "it seems like a good place to have a distillery.''

Quint decided to make vodka because, unlike whiskey, it requires no aging.

He compares his 80-proof vodka to Grey Goose and Ketel One, known as super-premium vodkas because they're going to cost in the $20 to $28 range.

Quint said his vodka is not meant to compete with low-priced Hawkeye Vodka - which is distilled in St. Louis and is the state's top-selling vodka, according to Lynn Walding at the state Alcoholic Beverages Division.
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OFF-CENTERED DISTILLERY MANAGER WANTED

Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats is seeking a dependable, organized, self-motivated, team-oriented person to become our Distillery Manager. You must be a rare mix of creative and administrative as you will be called upon to both pioneer and replicate exciting beers and spirits, in addition to managing your world, including costing, budgeting, scheduling, maintaining compliance (including tracking TTB documentation and audit coordination), managing suppliers, etc. You will exude your own personal air of Dogfishness while representin' at pub tours and through your active participation in other events. You will champion beer and distillery education efforts on behalf of the pub. And as a valued member of the pub management team you may be called upon to support various pub initiatives and handle other duties as assigned.

We seek a reliable person who is detail and quality oriented, takes a sense of pride in their work and who is passionate about making world class spirits and beers that will grow the brand. Experience with regulatory issues and documentation, compliance and audits are quite helpful. We seek a highly motivated candidate who possesses a combination of technical training and practical experience sufficient to meet the demands of our anticipated brand growth through the brewing and distilling of innovative products. (While we love our home-brewer fans, homebrewing/homedistilling experience can not substitute for the former.) The process of brewing/distilling is a physical one; the successful distillery manager must be able to lift up to 50 lbs., twist/turn, reach over shoulders and stand/walk/bend on a continual basis. Working knowledge of MS Word and Excel is required.

If interested, please send a letter of interest, resume and salary requirements to Cindy at cindy@dogfish.com or fax to (302) 684-0541.

GABF in October? You bet we'll be there. Qualified candidates interested in getting on the GABF meeting schedule, please advise in your cover letter; appointment dates and times will be coordinated.
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Business Opportunity:

Successful small distillery with 40K annual gross revenues and 450 case per year sales. Retail outlets in 100 out of 163 statewide stores. Product sells retail in mid-range for $12 for a 750ml 80 proof bottle. Eight year operating history. Proven system of production. Reliable supplies of component parts. No company debt. Company owns building where plant operates. Existing plant capacity is 20K cases per year.
Favorable regulatory environment in state permits on site retail bottle sales as well as tasting on premises. Brand only requires promotion and marketing only to increase sales. All licenses current, 6 months of inventory on hand. Current equipment capable of 20K cases per year.

Plant capacity with additional equipment would be 50K to 100K cases per year. The company is located in Morgantown, West Virginia, a vibrant college town and home of West Virginia University. The plant is located one mile from interstate 79 with easy shipping and receiving access. Seeking qualified buyer to grow company and continue business.

Price: 750K.

See company website at http://www.mountainmoonshine.com/ Contact principal;

West Virginia Distilling Co., LLC

Attn: Payton Fireman
1380 Fenwick Ave.
Morgantown, WV 26505
Phone: 304-599-0960
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A& J Whiskey Barrels is now selling new charred white oak whiskey barrels.cost of these barrels is $ 210.00 plus shipping.call (513) 253-8591 or email us at ajwhskybrls@gmail.com anytime for orders and shipping quotes. delivery also availible.
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1 Liter round Liquor Bottles, 28 mm screw top finish packed necks down in plain Kraft brown boxes 12 per case.
Originally purchased from Saint Gobain.
Mold number 9935034. $7/case takes all 28 pallets at 91 cases per pallet. Terms can be arranged.
Call Mike at (505) 440 8666
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GAI Italian Rotary Washer, Filler, KERR Capper

The GAI Monoblock was bought new in 1997 and is a rotary washer that grips the top of each bottle and inverts it before spraying water in then feeding into a rotary fill station and has been used to chuck apply plastic KERR caps 28 and 33mm. Monoblock also comes with a flat dump table that is integral to feed the machine. All change parts to include gripper heads for the washer, feed screws, and star wheels will be included. For multiple bottle shapes and sizes.

Price $24,000.00
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Make: KOSME
Age: 1997
Max Fill Speed: 65 bottles per minute.
KOSME Italian 3 Label Self Adhesive/Pressure Sensitive Labeler
The Kosme pressure sensitive labeler is capable and has been used since purchased new in 1998 for applying a front, back and neck label on a series of square bottles. New chucks and vacuum heads would need to be purchased for applications of any other bottle sizes through Prospero Equipment at (888)732 1222 in New York, the broker for the GAI and Kosme machinery.

Price: $15,000.00

Gray Ottley
Director
Distilled Resources, Inc.
(208)727-1823
waytogoidaho.com
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--To obtain a distilled spirits permit go to: http://www.ttb.gov/spirits/index.shtml

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--To obtain TTB list of DSPs go to: http://www.ttb.gov/foia//err.shtml

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--To obtain TTB statistics on distilling go to: www.ttb.gov then scroll down to "spirits" and then the "year".
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--To obtain Distilled Spirits Laws and Regulations go to: http://www.ttb.gov/spirits/spirits_regs.shtml

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--To obtain label regulations go to: http://www.ttb.gov/spirits/bam.shtml distilled spirits manual circular.
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