Ask the Collective
The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
Which booking systems work best for managing distillery and visitor centre tours?
For small operations running just a couple of tours on weekends, a simple product page on Shopify paired with a spreadsheet for manual tracking is sufficient. For venues running multiple tours daily with specific requirements like group size limits and recurring events, members recommend a dedicated booking plugin. - **Evey** — The go-to recommendation for active tour operations. The upgraded package costs around £50/month plus 50p per ticket sold. Members praise its seamless Shopify integration, easy setup of recurring events, and optional scan-in functionality for guest check-in. Works well for venues needing to manage group sizes and capacity constraints.
What are the alternatives to current waste spirit disposal arrangements for distilleries, and what are typical costs?
Disposing of feints (heads and tails combined from rectification) is a common challenge for distilleries. Members currently use **Kimia** for feints disposal but are actively exploring alternatives due to cost concerns. Known options and costs: - **Kimia** — established supplier (members currently using, but seeking alternatives) - **Generic waste disposal companies** — quoted at approximately £450 per IBC, though members note this may be expensive relative to other options Context: Feints typically range from 60–65% ABV once heads and tails are combined, which affects disposal logistics and costs. The volume and ABV of waste spirit being disposed will influence which supplier offers the best commercial terms. Members recommend exploring multiple quotes from waste disposal specialists before committing, as pricing appears variable. Note: The discussion did not surface detailed comparisons, alternative named suppliers, or significantly cheaper options—only that members are actively seeking alternatives to their current arrangements.