Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyler Halstead.
Hi Tyler, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
As of October 2021, (in the heart of the pandemic), I began the acquisition of Outlaw Distillery, a small batch, hand-crafted distilled spirits manufacturer specializing in whiskeys and rums.
As a former finance and entertainment executive, I had experience in the acquisition process (buying and selling of businesses) but knew very little about the distilled spirits or alcohol market. And I knew even less about the challenges associated with running an alcohol manufacturing business here in the State of Utah. Nevertheless, I kept working at it and today am proudly running a growing and re-energized Outlaw Distillery.
This is really a unique opportunity… As part of the purchase agreement, I negotiated the ongoing support of the Founder and my education began. I immediately began learning everything I possibly could about a liquor business including the science behind distillation, marketing best practices, and operational tips and tricks to succeed. I spent countless hours taking online classes, reading books, listening to podcasts, and learning directly from our founder.
In the last year plus we have 5x our production, we have seen 43% growth in our Bourbon throughout the State of Utah Liquor Store system, and continue to run at 70% new customers acquired through sales directly from the distillery.
This has been a fun ride and we are just getting started.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Not at all.
Operating in Utah brings challenges (and opportunities – more on that later) that I did not fully comprehend. Within the State of Utah, you only have two (2) sales channels: 1) right out of the front door of your functional manufacturing facility, and 2) the State-owned liquor stores. However, the catch is that you have no say, input, or influence on the Liquor store market.
Every bottle on the shelf is a decision made via an algorithm managed at the DABC (Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control) main office. I have had to learn to operate a business without the ability to “sell” and without control over my own destiny.
Yet I continue to find solace in the things I can control and we are performing well.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Outlaw Distillery?
Outlaw Distillery is a small batch, hand-crafted distillery specializing in whiskeys and rums with an emphasis on using the absolute best local ingredients. Unlike most big commercial brands we do every step of the alcohol-making process here in the house. We mill our own grains, filter our own water, ferment our own alcohols, and distill all of our own spirits.
While this may sound like the standard it is far from reality. Most brands are nothing more than “marketing” entities simply buying liquor in bulk and putting the spirit into their bottle with their own label while claiming to be a “distillery”. This is like someone ordering a t-shirt with your logo and claiming to be in the “apparel business”.
We source all of our grains from local Utah farmers every kernel of grain we use is grown locally and 99% of all our grains are hand delivered by the farmer or the wife of the farmer. As a small-batch producer, we entirely focus on quality (and I believe you can taste a difference). I meticulously distill all of my products to remove as many impurities, imperfections, or volatile alcohols leaving a cleaner, sweeter flavor with less toxins entering the body.
One thing I wish readers knew is that…
Yes there is alcohol in Utah. And actually, some of the best products in the world are being made here. I am not exclusively speaking for my brand when saying this but some of the world’s best restaurants, coffee, art, music, beers, and now spirits are being made here in Utah and because of perception we are all forced to tell a little bit of an “underdog” story!!
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I entered this business with very little experience (depending upon my bar tab that night).
I have surrounded myself and built my team with good people I can count on, I entirely indulged myself in this business, and I continue to hold true to the idea of the potential.
We have a really cool opportunity to introduce the world to some of the best spirits ever made… oh and by the way, they are being made here in UTAH.
Pricing:
- Bottles retail for $29 to $32.50 (depending on the product).
Contact Info:
- Email: tyler@outlawdistillery.
com - Website: www.OutlawDistillery.
com - Instagram: @OutlawDistillery
- Facebook: facebook.com/
OutlawDistillery - Yelp: yelp.com/biz/outlaw-
distillery-midvale-2
Image Credits
TBD
