To get things started, first complete our step-by-step questionnaire. Fill it out to the best of your ability and our team will review with you. To begin your experience, CLICK HERE.
Schedule your distillery production appointment. Production generally takes five to seven days. You may join us in Des Moines for a couple of days and work side-by-side with our team to produce your whiskey. If you choose to join us, we will help coordinate a great time in our fair city with whatever you like to do for fun. We specialize in cool bars, steakhouses and golf courses.
We'll be in touch with you leading up to your appointment to help you decide on all the details: mash bill grains, enzymes, pH, specific gravity, yeast strain, fermentation temperatures, barreling proof, etc. During distillery production, you'll monitor the mashing, fermentation and distillation process, as well as help put your whiskey into your personalized (30-gallon) and pilot (5-gallon) barrels. We will send you home with a photo album highlighting your adventure, as well as a display of your mash bill for your home bar or office.
Next, you'll work with one of our graphic designers to bring your whiskey to life. We'll work together to create a distinctive logo that will be the basis for the product and eventual label, subject to approval of the Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
Waiting is hard so we'll try to make it easier with regular information on how your own custom whiskey is aging. Every quarter, you'll receive an update and sample from your barrel*.
*Subject to applicable laws.
Between 6 to 12 months after barreling, we'll send you your first bottled whiskey. You'll receive approximately 30 bottles from your 5-gallon pilot barrel, with timing based on our collective decision on how the spirit is aging. The smaller pilot barrel is designed to increase the contact of the whiskey with the charred oak inside the barrel, which accelerates the aging process. We'll quarterback the label approval process as well as make arrangements with a local distributor in your area for legal delivery of your special whiskey for you and your friends to enjoy.
We'll continue to send quarterly updates and samples as the whiskey in your 30-gallon barrel ages. Around 24-36 months after barreling, it should be good to go but that's up to you. When you decide your product is ready, we'll send you approximately 150 bottles of your custom whiskey. That exact number will depend on various factors including the angel's share and proof decisions we'll make together. Once again, we'll work with a local distributor to arrange a legal delivery. It's your call on how to celebrate, but we're guessing a party with good friends will be in order. You'll, of course, enjoy responsibly. After all, you'll have some very special inventory to enjoy and discuss for years to come.