Business-wise contact your local Small Business Administration (SBA) office. They are a HUGE help dealing with the business environment in your area.
Alcoholic beverage production facility (ABPF)-wise – talk with other ABPF operators in your neck of the woods. They have been down the road you have set your feet upon. Chances are they can recommend an attorney who knows, and can help you navigate the local laws that you need to comply with. It may seem counter-intuitive, but other ABPF operators in your area will be pleased to help newbies succeed. Strength in numbers.
It is WELL worth the investment to hire someone who knows the local ropes. The TTB can be very helpful. The local bureaucracy, often times, not so much - especially with an alcoholic beverage that they know little about. Alcoholic beverage laws are VERY local.
Just my 2₵ worth, - from someone who is pursuing a similar path on Hawaii Island.
Nothing new to report, except more run-around, more people saying “oh, I don’t do that, you want this guy.” But I think I’ve found the person I need to talk to. I’ll try calling them tomorrow.
I didn’t plan on it being this difficult to determine who is actually in charge of regulating wineries.
Last night I ran out of homebrew. I’ve spent every free day over the last few months working on business plans and doing research, and haven’t had any time to brew. It occurred to me that if I did get the meadery off the ground, I probably wouldn’t be able to brew recreationally more than a few times a year, if at all. It also occurred to me that I don’t really want to spend the next decade in Missouri, and if we have kids, I really don’t want to raise them here.
At this point I’m putting the meadery project on the back burner, and I’ll revisit it later if my life situation changes.
Since I started to brew commercially I do not brew at home at all.
If I do not have underfilled bottles I do not drink anything.
It is fun job but it is not hobby anymore.