A micro-distillery explained (according to yours truly)

One can get fairly philosophical in a hurry when trying to pin down the definition of a micro-distillery. The American Distilling Institute pegs it with production volume, saying a “craft” or “artisan” distiller doesn’t exceed 50,000 proof gallons per year. Assuming some things about alcohol by volume, that can mean production of around 68 9-Liter cases per day. The big guns of the industry can produce in the neighborhood of 46,000 9-Liter cases per day by comparison. But that definition alone only helps Uncle Sam with tax brackets. What about the craftsmanship and gumption of someone seeking perfection? Excuse us if it sounds highfalutin, but a volume count doesn’t capture the gall of someone looking at the distilling business – one with a long history, big reputations, and even bigger marketing budgets – and say, “I can add something different, maybe even better than what’s there.” You’re starting to get at the heart of a micro-distillery when you view the person behind the product. Someone, or as in our case some family, that decides dedicated craftsmanship and attention to detail can lead to something new. Architects, perfectionists, entrepreneurs, innovators, dreamers – all defining titles we won’t squabble over too much as long as they come with the understanding that our work is carefully researched and practiced every day. Certain terms have become synonymous with the micro-distillery movement, chief among them being “small batch” or “single batch.” Again, this speaks to production volume meaning a relatively small quantity of a spirit being distilled at one time as opposed to a large continuous distilling process. Whatever your views on production or volume size may be, we value the production process involved. When your top focus is on your own still design and the quality of production from beginning to end, volume doesn’t matter as much as the process and the people behind it. We’re always glad to share about micro-distilleries, and about the methods in our small (or micro) corner of the spirits industry. We may even get philosophical on you if you stick around long enough.   

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