Transitioning from a Brewery to a Brewstillery
Transitioning from a brewery to a brewstillery is a bold and exciting step that can significantly expand your brewery’s product line and market reach. For breweries that want to add distilling to their repertoire, ABS Commercial offers unparalleled expertise and support. While it may seem daunting, many breweries can make this shift seamlessly by leveraging their existing equipment and adding a few essential pieces to their setup. This approach minimizes the need for extensive investment in new infrastructure, saving time and money, and allows breweries to diversify their product portfolio, tap into new markets, and capitalize on the growing demand for craft spirits.
The Benefits of Becoming a Brewstillery
- New Market Entrance: Adding spirits and ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails to a brewery’s offerings helps create a diversified product line to attract new customers and increase sales opportunities.
- Increased Revenue: Spirits generally have higher profit margins than beer, potentially boosting overall profitability.
- Market Differentiation & Distinction: A unique combination of craft beer and spirits can set a brewstillery apart from competitors.
- Brand Loyalty: Offering a broader range of products can enhance customer loyalty and attract a wider audience.
Making the Switch: Inspiration and Vision
Les Stewart, co-owner of Young Hearts Distilling and sister company Trophy Brewing in Raleigh, North Carolina, and his partners found inspiration to transition from brewing to distilling through a blend of passion and opportunity. Les explains, “My partners and I have always focused on vision first. One of the focuses and passions, particularly of my partners coming from the bar background, was that they loved spirits. And so, it was an opportunity to pursue that passion from a maker’s perspective.”
This shared passion for spirits and the desire to explore them drove Les and his partners to pursue distilling. In addition, their brewing experience provided a solid foundation for the shift. Les recalls, “We were halfway there. We were most of the way to making spirits already. We certainly had the equipment, had a little bit more capacity in that equipment, and thus the one piece that we really needed was the still component to get to the finish line.”
This combination of vision, passion, and existing capabilities made the transition into distilling a natural next step for Young Hearts Distilling. With ABS Commercial’s support, they were able to bring their vision to life, seamlessly integrating distilling into their operations and expanding their product offerings to include a wide range of craft spirits.
Tailoring and Customizing to Fit Your Needs
The ABS Commercial team of experienced engineers and designers worked with Young Hearts to develop a customized solution for them, designing and installing a 300-liter combination still in a 120-year-old building. The 14-foot tall still with a whiskey helmet and two columns ensured a perfect fit within the limited space of Young Hearts Distilling’s facility. “We worked a couple of days to install the still, and it was beautiful and fit perfectly,” Les says, highlighting the precision and care ABS Commercial brought to the project.
The in-house team at ABS Commercial provides comprehensive support from the initial design to the final installation of distilling equipment, ensuring that each project meets operational requirements while maintaining aesthetic appeal. With our consultative approach, we tailor to your production capacity, space constraints, and budgetary considerations to help you create quality, crafted spirits. Our distilling equipment ranges from 50-liter to 5,000-liter and can be high or low wine, steam or electric, and pre-plumbed for CIP.
Navigating Challenges and Ongoing Support
The transition from brewery to brewstillery involves navigating regulatory environments, mastering new production techniques, and integrating new equipment into existing operations. ABS Commercial’s expertise and consultative approach make this transition smoother and more manageable. Our team’s experience stems from years of technical brewing, distilling, food, and beverage production; they can assist in overcoming spatial challenges, such as installing equipment in tight spaces and accommodating existing structural elements.
Beyond the physical installation, ABS Commercial offers ongoing support to ensure that their clients can operate efficiently and adapt to new challenges. Les appreciated the responsiveness, particularly in adjusting the water flow through the dephlegmators and fine-tuning the software controlling the still. “They were there to support us, and that really allowed us to pursue the business model that we laid out from the beginning,” he says.
“What I found really great was the relationship didn’t end with the delivery of the still,” Les notes. “As we tweaked what we wanted to produce, it was really easy to pick up the phone and talk to the ABS team about how we wanted to change things around.”
Ready to Start Your Journey?
For breweries looking to venture into distilling, the journey may seem complex but can be immensely rewarding. ABS Commercial stands out as a valuable partner in this process, offering customized solutions, ongoing support, and the expertise needed to navigate the challenges of distilling or transitioning into a brewstillery. The success of clients such as Young Hearts Distilling underlines the impact of having a dedicated and experienced partner to help your journey.
Ready to start? Contact our experienced consultants today.
Giving Back
At ABS Commercial, we pride ourselves on our commitment to giving back to our industry in ways that truly make a difference. Through our Giveback Campaign, we support our community by providing tools and resources that help others achieve higher levels of success.
This summer, ABS Commercial is celebrating all things spirits and distilling with our Summer of Stills Giveaway! We’re excited to give one lucky winner the chance to turn their distilling dreams into reality. The Grand Prize includes a 50L copper still and 20 threaded sixtels, perfect for taking your distilling game to the next level.
