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Craft DistilleryCraft Distillery

will be excited to see expansion happen in an orga- evaluate the process and flow required with the
nized way that allows them to witness the improve- appropriate instrumentation and controls. Then,
ments while keeping your normal operations hum- after customer approval, we specifically look at
ming along at the same time. They’ll come back the structure and utilities. Now we can provide the
to see the progress, anticipate the opening dates, distiller and architects detailed information on the
and think about what the changes mean for them amount of space and the size of the building need-
as a customer. They’ll share your enthusiasm over ed to meet those production goals while remaining
the expansion rather than your frustration over aware of the process and utility requirements, the
trying to negotiate your place of business through a equipment and vessel specifications, and the neces-
remodel, when they may decide to stay away until sary safety and code protocols.”
the remodel is complete.”
Archer told Beverage Master Magazine that the
Including Engineers Early in distillery’s geographic location usually helps deter-
the Process is Critical mine the look, feel and branding image of the dis-
tillery and the product. For example, rural Texas
“Engineers want and need to be included in the distilleries look different from a modern metropoli-
initial phase of design and planning,” said C.J. tan or urban location, and the brand image is usual-
Archer, Vice President of Marketing for VITOK ly marketed in the same way.
Engineers. VITOK Engineers have completed over
300 distillery projects, from new complex design Include Visual Aesthetics
through distillery additions. “When designing a and Alternate Income Sources
distilling space, everything is dictated by your tar-
geted volume of proofed product. If we know your “What we have been noticing is the trend of utiliz-
production goals, we can determine the produc- ing the distillery equipment as a feature of the vis-
tion rate needed to get that volume. Then we can itor experience,” said Archer. “The still, fermenters

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