The craft brewing and distilling industries have really taken off over the last five to 10 years, and there are more entrepreneurs than ever starting up businesses in these fields. If you’re going to find success in what’s starting to become a crowded industry, one of the best things you can do to put yourself on the right path is to make sure you select high-quality distillery equipment in Eugene, OR for your new operation, as well as a maintenance partner that can work with you to keep it all in great condition.

Thanks to the explosion of interest in craft distilling in recent years, there is more high-quality equipment on the market than ever before, which has made the business significantly more accessible despite the growing level of competition. Given how many options you have available, it’s important to know how to prioritize items in your search and what you should know to help you find high-quality items at reasonable prices.

Here are a few tips from our team to help you choose your distillery equipment.

Focus on the still

This should be the first item on your list, and fortunately you’re going to have quite a few options to get you exactly what you need. You don’t necessarily have to find a massive still or a weird hodgepodge piece of equipment—there are now stills being made that are designed to be smaller and more efficient for craft distilleries that have a much lower output than some of the larger players in the industry.

There are different kinds of stills, so you should know what you want before you head in to make a purchase. Traditional copper stills generally lead to the best end product, but there are other options available. A still is going to be one of the more expensive items on your list, but this is not an area where you want to cheap out—a high-quality still will not only produce a better product, but it will last you for decades if properly maintained. Consider also the size of still that is right to fit not just your business operations right now, but where you see your business growing to within the near future.

Select your parts

Once you’ve chosen your still, it’s time to select some of the other necessary components of a distilling operation. You don’t have to go out and purchase a complete distillery system—you can instead buy the still and browse around for other parts and materials individually. There are online catalogs that can help you find good deals, but you can also look around at secondhand sources. Check with other distilleries that may have recently expanded their operations—they may have old equipment that’s still in good condition that they’re willing to part with for a lower price than you’d find in other places on the market.

After you’ve found all the equipment you need, make sure you take the proper steps to keep it in great shape! Contact American Refrigeration Inc. for more information about maintenance of distillery equipment in Eugene, OR.