TTB interview tomorrow

[I H8 UM]

I am in Ohio. I have my TTB interview tomorrow. If all goes well, how long before I find out if I am getting approved?

Thanks.

Rich

[South County]

It will always vary, for us it was 1 week. After the interview your file is passed off to a supervisor for final approval, so even if you have everything done and fulfilled per the interview, its still subject to review. So it could be 1-3 weeks realistically. I'm sure others can chime in.

[CopperKettle]

Ours was 10-14 days, can't remember exactly. You are really close.

[brewkettle]

Brewers Notice

Once you finish with the TTB, which will be 7-14 days if all goes well. Then you move on to ODLC, that will likely be in the 30 day time frame. The good news is you will be brewing by The Fourth Of July!

[BradJP29]

I was visiting a brewery-in-progress recently and one of the owners said they just got their TTB clearance after a whopping 110 days! He said that initially, he was told it would take up to 90 days.

This is much longer than the time frames cited here. I wonder what the deal was.

If you ask me, it's plainly absurd that the government would keep you from being allowed to conduct business for nearly 4 months while they push around your paperwork. Considering you need an address for the TTB process, this means 4 months of paying rent and not selling beer? Suppose also your distributor pays you on 30 day terms. That's a long time to be paying out regular money without any cash coming in, all because Uncle Sam says so.

[almalkin]

We are currently waiting on our TTB approval and were given the 90 day time frame as well. After speaking with someone at TTB last week, I got the impression that they are extremely busy right now. The down side for the expansion of small brewers may be that the government is not able to keep pace.

[BradJP29]

I wonder if TTB is required by law to turn around applications within a certain time frame (90 days?) or if it's entirely up to them. Would seem to be rather unfair if it's the latter, for reasons I outlined. If it's the former, well then they simply must abide by the law and they cannot go over.

[I H8 UM]

One of the items the TTB asked me for was an approved fire inspection. I have not converted my space yet. This tells me that before applying, you need to have your brewery operational, as the fire inspection is the last thing you get. Any thoughts on this? Can I have the space inspected as it sits, get approval and do it all again after my space is converted? Would they go for that?

Thanks,

Rich

[S.Foster]

Your brewery can not be in operation before the feds, state and city sign off on your operation by granting you their documentation for approval of operation. If the ATF of the TTB find you operating before they provide with final approval and you dont have said approval in your facility thats a serious issue you do not want to be dealing with. Dont go there. Get all your city issues out of the way first. Fire, building, zoning, any interior permits for making the changes you need to do, technical drawings of original layout to changes you are making, meet all local codes for these issue, property tax documentation....etcetc.

[I H8 UM]

I Think you misunderstood. They are requiring the approval of the local fire department as a part of the approval process. How can you get approval of the local fire department if your brewery hasn't been built?

It is a Catch 22. I didn't say the brewery would be producing any beer, only that it had to be completed in order to get fire department approval.

Thanks,

Rich

[S.Foster]

Yes you are quite right in it being a catch 22. You can have your brewery put together prior to the fed approval just not producing any beer. Once you get your brewery in place have the local inspection conducted. Once our local stuff was out of the way ATF showed up to do their inspection. Once that was out of the way along with a few other state issues our license was granted.

[ctull]

During the interview the TTB Specialist will ask if applicant has checked with the local fire department. However, an inspection by the fire department of the premises from which the applicant intends to conduct brewery operations is not a requirement for approval of the Brewer's Notice.

[I H8 UM]

Good to know. I am getting a letter from the fire department stating that the premises is approved for it's current use. Hopefully that will do.

Thanks,

Rich