Caveats for teaming up with a distillery?

[pjj2ba]

I'm still in the early planning stages, but recently learned (via a mutual friend) of the possibility of teaming up/sharing equipment with a distillery that is looking to start up in the area. I'll be meeting with these folks in the next couple weeks. Does anybody have an experience with this? Anything in particular to watch out for and to be prepared to discuss before I meet with them?
At this point, I'm not sure if they have much experience making beer/wine etc. for distilling (they are heading off for a distilling course in April). I'm not totally sure what their needs are in terms of what is in the wort and what kind of fermentation they need. I got the impression from our brief discussion that I would bring much needed brewing experience, and they, good $$$. I want to make sure that I don't just turn into an employee, and would rather have two separate companies that happen to share equipment. There would be some pretty explicit signed agreements of course.

Philip

[nateo]

Have you talked to the alcohol control agency in your state yet? In MO they have different licenses for wineries, microbreweries, <22% alcohol manufacturers, and >22% alcohol manufacturers. Some are cheaper/easier to get than others. So first I'd make sure that it's even legal to manufacture all the stuff in the same place.

[pjj2ba]

That is a concern. That will be the first step after talking to these folks. Current politics here in PA might favor getting new legislation passed if this is not already legal. I'm assuming we would each have to have our own license. The question is would they let us use some of the same equipment.

[organicbrewer]

It is possible

You might want to talk to the guys over at Sly Fox. It looks like they figured out a way to do it. http://mybeerbuzz.blogspot.com/2013/...pottstown.html

[pjj2ba]

You might want to talk to the guys over at Sly Fox. It looks like they figured out a way to do it. http://mybeerbuzz.blogspot.com/2013/...pottstown.html

That's encouraging! The distillery looks to be across the street so there might be some restrictions.

Philip

[Tash]

TTB gets picky...

I don't know if it's gotten easier but the TTB wants to know every single step and record keeping has to be down to the dram...