The Still Is Coming!
One of the most exciting parts of opening a distillery is actually receiving your custom commercial distillation equipment! All the well-spent money, and you finally get to see your dream in your distillery. Ah! It’s a great feeling. There are a few things you should be ready for before the truck shows up with your new distillation apparatus and system, though.
Shipping Commercial Distillation Equipment
StillDragon ships using Old Dominion Freight. We have a great relationship with them, and they have a great success rate! We’ve had customers schedule their shipments with lower rates where the trucks show up with holes in the floor – not Old Dominion! Old Dominion will show up with new-looking, safe trucks and a friendly driver. Another great part about the Old Dominion experience is that when the bill of lading is created, the pro number (tracking number) is assigned, so the entire shipment is tracked from our dock to yours.
In preparation to ship, we take precautions to ensure your commercial distillation equipment arrives as safely as possible. Your kettle(s) will have at least an extra 6” of skid on every side, the feet will be cleated to the skid, the kettle will be wrapped with multiple layers of protection, and then banded to the skid as well. These few steps will keep the kettle mounted to the skid throughout the duration of the journey. Once it has arrived to the local distribution center, you will get a call to set a time when it can be delivered.
Preparing to Receive Your Equipment
Commercial distillation equipment is heavy and awkward in size. Therefore, having an adequate forklift or pallet jack on hand for delivery is absolutely necessary. Typically, the forks are 48” long, so you’ll want fork extensions for any equipment larger than our 380L Still; the extensions allow you to get under the skid to safely pick it up to prevent the skid from teetering on the shorter forks. If you don’t own the proper forks, check with your local heavy equipment rental company. They will have everything you need in half-day or full-day rates. If you’re not sure what equipment you’ll need to receive your distillation apparatus, give us a call and we will happily provide the weights and dimensions.
Delivery Day!
Once you get all the pieces off the truck, you’ll need to inspect each skid and / or crate. While Old Dominion has a great success rate, unfortunately, accidents do happen. Make sure you note any damages to the packaging on the bill of lading BEFORE you sign it, and make sure you point them out to the driver. Sending us pictures will help, as we can quickly file a claim with Old Dominion. If you do experience damages, it is very important that you do not dispose of the packaging.
Once you’ve inspected the packaging, and signed the bill of lading, it’s time to unwrap your precious. It is important to take note of any damages to the distillation apparatus and system itself. Sometimes, accidents happen in shipping that won’t be visible on the packaging. If this occurs, it is imperative to notify us immediately with pictures, and again, do not dispose of the packaging. In the case of any damages during shipping, Old Dominion will send out a representative within 24 hours to inspect the packaging and equipment to issue an insurance claim.
The great news about all this is that it seldom occurs with Old Dominion, but it is still important to know what to do. Once you’ve received your commercial distillation equipment and inspected it for damages, you can FINALLY set up your long awaited still. And don’t forget to send us pictures of it set up, we love seeing our stills in their natural habitats!
