One flipped decimal in a batch calculation doesn’t stay contained. It carries forward into your monthly production report, your excise tax filing, and potentially an Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) audit. When you’re running proof gallon math manually across multiple batches, that kind of error is inevitable. Calculating proof gallons is the…
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The Iceberg Look at an iceberg from a boat, and you see maybe 10% of it. The other 90% is underwater, hiding just below the surface. TTB compliance works the same way. Your monthly reports are the tip and recordkeeping and daily operations are the mass underneath. It’s ignoring what’s underneath that sinks a distillery,…
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At FIVE x 5, innovation isn’t just about adding new features, it’s about making life easier for the people who bring great spirits to life. Every update to DISTILL x 5 starts with a simple question: how can we help our customers work smarter, not harder? In the past, introducing a new proof or variant…
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The world of distilling is full of complex decisions—from sourcing ingredients to compliance and beyond. But one of the most overlooked decisions that can have major financial consequences? Choosing the right distillery software partner. At FIVE x 5®, we’ve spent years working alongside distillers, and we’ve seen firsthand how other software vendors take advantage of…
Continue Reading about DISTILLERY SOFTWARE CONTRACTS: THE HIDDEN PITFALLS YOU NEED TO KNOW →
Recordkeeping As a consultant for distilled spirits, I like to use an Iceberg metaphor to describe your compliance requirements. The tip of the iceberg represents monthly Reports of Operations – these require you to transmit a summary of your operations each month. The bulk of the iceberg lies below the surface, less visible: it represents…
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At first glance, you might wonder why regulations distinguish between Voluntary Destruction and Losses. The key differences: In either case, you’re typically not taxed on the quantity lost/destroyed – but let’s dive in deeper. Voluntary Destruction Voluntary Destruction is covered in 27 CFR 19.459, which states: A proprietor may voluntarily destroy spirits […] or wines…
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Regulations require you to track and report your bulk Imported Spirit separately from your domestic spirit. This applies to spirit held in the Storage liquid account as well as the Processing account. We’ll cover the scenarios and ‘gotchas’ so that you can stay on TTB’s good side. And, be aware that we’re not going to…
Inventory Management is one of those tasks that isn’t hugely rewarding while you’re doing it, but the benefits from good record-keeping are profound. Managing the cycle of raw materials, dry goods and finished products will allow your business to grow and react to changes. In today’s world of disrupted supply chains, staying on top of…
How do you know when the time has come and your distillery needs distillery management software? You’ve received your license— Many distilleries don’t think they need software early on in their development. However, in the United States the TTB requires reporting as soon as a license is issued, whether you are producing or not. Having…
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FIVE x 5 Solutions has partnered with Whiskey Capital Secured Financing Fund to bring non-traditional distillery funding to our clients. Whiskey Capital specifically provides funding for American Whiskey distilleries who have capital tied up in the whiskey aging in their rack houses. Fx5 Solutions CEO Caroline Calhoun recently sat down with Whiskey Capital Secured Financing…
Time is the most valuable resource any of us has. With a finite amount to use, how we choose to spend our time is the most important decision we make every day. Couple that with the fact that most modern humans deal with time famine – a universal feeling of having too much to do…
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The most critical thing distilleries must track is spirit production, on which tax (duty) must be paid. Consumers enjoy distilled spirits, and so do governments – if only because of the revenue gained from alcohol production! In the United Kingdom, HMRC oversees the license and oversight of distilled spirits producers and requires distilleries report and…
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Sometimes you don’t know your distillery needs outside help until it’s too late. Here are a few signs it’s time to bring in the experts – and what to look for when hiring a consultant.
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Navigating change is always going to be difficult. Navigating change while trying to mobilize an entire organization with you? Even more difficult. We have witnessed many of our client distilleries experience change over the years, and the common themes we found among those that did so with grace and ease: they know who they are,…
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FIVE x 5 SOLUTIONS INTRODUCES NEW WHISKEY SYSTEMS A new Whiskey Systems product designed for small and startup distilleries Denver, CO – Today, FIVE x 5 Solutions, the leader in operations management software for distilleries, introduced a new, redesigned Whiskey Systems specifically designed to provide the company’s best-in-class solutions to small and startup distilleries at a…
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Getting Started Steve VanderPol, co-founder and distiller at Eastern Kille Distillery, found his love of craft distilling in the same place FIVE x 5 Solutions found its start – Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, in Denver. “I drove past Stranahan’s every day on my way to work and eventually stopped in to take a tour,” Steve recalled…
Continue Reading about Client Spotlight: Eastern Kille Distillery →
Walking into The Whiskey Factory at Detroit City Distillery was completely unlike my last visit two years ago – with more equipment, more barrels, and more people in a beautiful new event space, it was like a completely different distillery. I was excited to hear about what the team had been up to, and what…
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