The Firewater Network

Vancouver, BC

Oola Distillery Firewater Podcast by The Firewater Network

We talk with Tom Burkleaux, one of the pioneering founders of Portland, Oregon's New Deal Distillery.

Provocative spirits, local ingredients, and craft ingenuity are among the highlights of our discussion with this Squamish, BC based distillery. The Firewater Network is proud to bring our listeners an in-depth talk with the team behind Gillespie's Fine Spirits.

It's a privilege to speak with someone who understands what it takes to get products in front of the decision makers at retailers large and small. And when that person draws upon a lifetime of experience to innovate the way sales teams are managed, the conversation is truly enlightening. Tim Jones of Great Vines is an industry veteran who knows that not only is on-prem sales different from off, but an independent shopkeeper requires a different approach than a national chain. Further, he's bringing all he's learned to Great Vines to empower alcohol producers and sales teams with the tools they need to spend more time in front of customers and less in day-to-day drudgery.

Listen to the Firewater interview as we dive into the world of the sales, how to approach a shop's gatekeeper, when to bring on a sales team, and how to efficiently manage people in the field when it is time to grow.

What are the essentials of getting a distillery up and running? Space. Still. Bottles. Story. Recipe. These essentials will get you a product and get that product into a sellable state, but a distillery needs more. The government says you need a bond to get started and to store your product. Common sense says you should have some level of protection just in case anything happens at your distillery. All it takes is a bad weld to give out at the wrong time and all your distillery dreams can come crashing down. The transportation of alcohol brings unique challenges that most goods don’t face. The peculiarities and potential pitfalls of starting up a distillery are where Aaron Linden of HUB International Insurance thrives.

Listen to the Firewater Network interview with Aaron, where we discuss common mistakes that founders make when first getting started, the importance of working with an industry expert for a highly technical undertaking like a distillery, and the commitment that an insurance guy has to protect a nascent industry. Visit the Firewater Network and hear more podcasts at www.firewaternetwork.com/podcasts

In a sea of sameness, it's the small things that make a product stand out on a shelf. But standing out and conveying a sense of quality are two different things. Enter the craft waxery for craft distilleries: Reed Wax of Reading, MA. Their wax geniuses make a staid bottle look as good as the spirit it contains. Listen to the Firewater Network interview to learn how simple it can be to incorporate wax into a bottling system and how a small investment can deliver big returns. Concerned about "Peel Appeal?" Want to know how crazy a wax design can get (think "Disco Wax")? Read the Firewater profile, listen to the podcast, and watch Reed's own videos to see how wax can make a package not just different, but better: http://www.firewaternetwork.com/reed-wax/

A distillery starts up differently when it is located on the middle of an island. Listen to our interview with Ishan Dillon of the Seattle Distilling Company on Vashon Island, WA to learn how community plays a pivotal role when the only connection to the mainland is a ferry boat. From a shipping container re-purposed into a barrel house to local sculptors lending their craft in making a beautiful handmade still, this award-winning distillery is a reflection of its neighbors and its surroundings. Find out more about the unique Washington experience bottled into everything that Seattle Distilling Company ships on the Firewater Network: http://www.firewaternetwork.com/seattle-distilling-company

Alex Nicol is not just another spirits industry veteran who decided to create his own craft distillery. Rather, he has created a craft gin distillery with the dual goals of producing high quality, limited release gins while also training the next generation of craft distillers. Nicol's Edinburgh Gin is a collaboration between Alex and the faculty at Heriot-Watt University. Students learn the concepts of distilling in the classroom and then put what they've learned into practice at Edinburgh Gin. Education also extends to visitors of the distillery's tasting room, where the stills can be observed from the comfort of the bar and customers can actually infuse their own gin creations to take home. It's the way an industry veteran tries to better his trade and prepare the next generation of distillers, and gin drinkers, the way he knows how. Read the full profile and listen to the discussion on the Firewater Network: http://www.firewaternetwork.com/edinburgh-gin

*photo courtesy of Edinburgh Gin

What does it take to actually get a new spirit in front of a future customer? For many new distillers, the first step is to get their product into local bars. This often means leveraging all of those late-night outings at the local pub and reaching out to bartenders/managers who have come to know the distiller over the years. How bar managers decide what to stock and what to highlight behind their bars and on their menus is critical for the success of "on-premises" sales. In this week's release, we speak with the bar manager of a self-described neighborhood "dive bar" in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn - Meagan Walsh of the Plan B bar. Meagan has years of experience in running a bar, interacting with the public, and meeting with liquor sales professionals. For brands that align with the dive-bar esthetic, this interview should help in securing a bottle's place behind the bar and facing future customers.