Last week I spoke about the building renovation project and the progress being made with the distillery and equipment schedule. On Monday, we received a sample of locally grown wheat which will be the grain we use to produce one of our first products, J. Carver Vodka. The wheels started turning as Matt and I poured the grains of wheat into the bottle imagining what it will be like to actually pour our vodka out in a few short months. We look forward to seeing you enjoying beverages with family and friends made with J. Carver spirits and we are proud to have our ingredients come from local Minnesota farmers. We are proud to work with these local farmers who are growing the grain so we can produce exceptional and distinctive spirits inspired by a tradition of craft and curiosity. Summer is finally here and we can’t wait for you to enjoy activities with family and friends with a libation made with J. Carver spirits in hand. Like you, we are proud to be a part of this Minnesota community supporting local businesses and local products. The future looks bright.
Taking Shape – Day 45
I was going through photos in my office yesterday to update the gallery page on our website when my friend John Hayes, owner of Enki Brewery in Victoria, stopped by to check out the distillery. As I took him around room by room, I stopped in amazement at how much progress we have made in only 45 days. Walls define new rooms where open space existed weeks ago. The sampling bar is taking shape and flooring, piping and lighting are on track for completion in the next couple of weeks. All of our equipment has been ordered and we wait with bated breath for the arrival of our stills, but that time will come soon enough. As John and I finished checking out every space, I smiled because of John’s excitement for our project. Having been through a process similar to ours, building Enki Brewery, he knows this part in the process, when everything takes shape and the finishing touches come together. The renovation completion will be here soon enough and when it does, we can’t wait to celebrate it with all of you. Thanks for stopping by John and checking out the exciting progress. Next time as promised, we will make sure the sampling bar is open.
Schedules Are Filling Up - SAVE THE DATE!
We are looking forward to many distillery firsts this year. We are nearing the final stages of our renovation and are beginning to nail down our production schedule. The calendar is filling up so I want to get the word out to SAVE THE DATE for our first annual J. Carver Distillery Charity Golf Tournament on August 18th at Island View Golf Course in Waconia. A lot more details to follow but looking forward to a great day of golf and tasty libations made with some of our first J. Carver Minnesota Craft Spirits to hit the local market. Until then, get out your Big Bertha or your shot glass and start warming up.
Meet and Greet – Announcing the J. Carver Distillery Newsletter
Ok…every once and a while during a start up, you just have to break away and enjoy the meet and greet around town. I met some new fantastic Chamber members at an event this morning called Chamber Coffee Connection put on by the Waconia Chamber of Commerce and was hosted by Randy and Avis Hammer at their beautiful venue, Willow Winds Gardens. It couldn't have come at a better time since it gave me the opportunity to share with Chamber members the first edition of the J. Carver Distillery Newsletter being sent out today to people who signed up to get insider news on our website. Our newsletter is called THE GOOD GOSSIP. It will be published the first Thursday of every month and will highlight all that is happening at the distillery, major events occurring in and around town and any other J. Carver news. I invite all of you, our distillery friends and fans, to sign up on our website contact page. Let’s have some fun as we journey on this J. Carver Distillery adventure together. J. Carver Distillery– Spirits of Discovery.
(L to R) Gina Holman, J. Carver Distillery Manager, Avis and Randy Hammer, Owners of Willow Winds Gardens, Kellie Sites, Chamber President, and Carmen Gesinger, Chamber Marketing & Communications Specialist
Groundbreaking - It's OFFICIAL!
Our groundbreaking ceremony took place on Friday, April 11! With heartfelt gratitude, we want to thank Kellie Sites, President of the Waconia Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber Ambassadors, Mayor Jim Nash, Waconia City Staff, our State Legislators, Tim Forcier of Sondergaard Forcier Builders, and our families, friends and all in the community who supported us along the way to get to this point. We could not have done it without you! We look forward to all the future holds and can’t wait for the first day of production at J. Carver Distillery. You heard correctly. Bill, who doesn't normally sport a beard, is growing one out in anticipation of our first drop of spirits to come out of our still. Stay tuned...
from left: Minnesota Representative Jenifer Loon, Waconia Mayor Jim Nash, Founder and Partner Bill Miller, Tim Forcier of Sondergaard Forcier Builders, Founder and Partner Tom Kullman, and Gina Holman, Founder and Manager.