Write a Craft Distillery
Business Plan in Under an Hour
DistilleryPlanPro is an AI business plan generator built for craft distilleries. It produces an investor-ready PDF aligned with the SBA's recommended business-plan structure — with TTB-aware compliance notes, distillery-specific startup-cost modeling, and a 5-year aged-spirits financial projection — starting at $99.
- 10 SBA-aligned plan sections
- 5-yr aged-spirits cash-flow model
- < 60 min total drafting time
- $99 starting price
Drafting is free. Pay only to export the final document.
Distillery-Specific Financial Modeling
The startup-cost calculator covers still capacity (100g–1000g+), fermentation and aging vessels, real estate buildout, and TTB bond requirements. The 5-year projection separates aged spirits — which generate no revenue for 24 to 48 months — from un-aged products like vodka and gin, and surfaces a working-capital warning when barrel-aging programs would otherwise hide a cash shortfall.
AI Drafting in Plain English
A 6-step input wizard captures your concept, market, products, team, operations, and capital request. Anthropic Claude then drafts each of the 10 SBA-aligned plan sections in 3 to 5 minutes, using your inputs verbatim where appropriate so the final narrative reads as your own — not a generic template.
Bank-, SBA-, and Investor-Ready Exports
Every plan exports as a typeset PDF that follows the SBA's recommended business-plan structure — the format SBA 7(a) and 504 loan officers expect. Professional and Enterprise tiers add an editable Word (.docx) version, an Excel (.xlsx) financial workbook, and an 11-slide investor pitch deck outline.
How much does it cost to start a craft distillery?
Craft distillery startup costs typically range from $150,000 for a nano-scale operation to $2 million or more for a regional producer. The largest line items are the still and fermentation equipment, real estate buildout, federal and state licensing, and 12 to 48 months of working capital to cover barrel aging before whiskey revenue arrives. DistilleryPlanPro's calculator generates a sources-and-uses table for each of the three production scales below.
Nano Distillery
$150K – $400K
~1,000 cases per year. 100-gallon still, ~1,500 sq ft facility, single founder operator. Common for vodka- or gin-led launches that avoid long aging cycles.
Micro Distillery
$400K – $1.5M
~3,500 cases per year. 300-gallon still, ~3,500 sq ft facility, 2 to 4 staff. Most common scale for new bourbon and rye programs serving regional distribution.
Regional Distillery
$2M+
15,000+ cases per year. 1,000-gallon still, 10,000+ sq ft facility, multi-state distribution. Requires institutional capital and 36+ months of barrel inventory funding.
Cost ranges reflect commonly cited industry benchmarks compiled from American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) annual reports, TTB Distilled Spirits Plant (DSP) registration data, and SBA 7(a) loan applications for distilled-spirits producers. Actual costs vary by state, real-estate market, and equipment sourcing.
What should a craft distillery business plan include?
A craft distillery business plan should include 10 standard sections aligned with the SBA's recommended structure and the documentation an investor or loan officer expects. DistilleryPlanPro drafts all 10 sections from your wizard inputs.
- 01
Executive Summary
One-page synthesis of concept, market, capital ask, and projected returns.
- 02
Company Overview
Legal structure, mission, location, founding team background.
- 03
Market Analysis
Regional spirits demand, competitor mapping, target consumer segments.
- 04
Products & Production
Spirit categories, production process, capacity, aging schedule.
- 05
Licensing & Compliance
Federal TTB DSP, Basic Permit, state distillery license, bond, zoning.
- 06
Marketing & Distribution
Tasting room, three-tier distribution, on/off-premise, DTC where legal.
- 07
Management Team
Roles, distilling and business credentials, advisory board, gaps.
- 08
Operations Plan
Facility layout, equipment, supply chain, headcount ramp, milestones.
- 09
Financial Projections
5-year P&L, cash flow, balance sheet, break-even, sources and uses.
- 10
Appendix
Permits, resumes, equipment quotes, letters of intent, supporting data.
How does DistilleryPlanPro work?
Four steps from a blank page to a downloadable, investor-ready PDF — typically completed in under one hour.
Input Strategy
Define your vision, market, and production approach.
AI Generation
Our system drafts comprehensive section narratives.
Financial Modeling
Calculate startup costs and 5-year projections.
Export & Pitch
Download your finalized plan and secure funding.
Transparent Pricing
Draft for free. Pay only when you are ready to export the final document.
Basic
$99
- Complete PDF business plan
- Executive Summary & Financials
Professional
$249
- Everything in Basic
- Editable Word Document (.docx)
- Investor Pitch Deck Outline
Enterprise
$499
- Everything in Professional
- Multi-Scenario Financials (Conservative / Base / Aggressive)
- Editable Financial Spreadsheet (.xlsx)
- Brand Customization (logo, accent, founder photo)
Frequently asked questions about distillery business plans
How do I write a business plan for a craft distillery?
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A craft distillery business plan should include 10 standard sections: executive summary, company overview, market analysis, products and production process, TTB and state licensing plan, marketing and distribution strategy, management team, operations plan, 5-year financial projections, and an appendix with permits and supporting data. DistilleryPlanPro drafts all 10 sections from your wizard inputs in under 60 minutes.
How much does it cost to start a craft distillery?
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A nano distillery (~1,000 cases per year) typically requires $150,000 to $400,000 in startup capital. A micro distillery (~3,500 cases) generally needs $400,000 to $1.5 million. A regional-scale distillery (15,000+ cases) commonly needs $2 million or more. The largest cost drivers are the still and fermentation equipment, real-estate buildout, federal and state licensing, and 12 to 48 months of working capital to fund barrel aging.
Will the plan be accepted by SBA and bank lenders?
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Every plan follows the SBA's recommended business-plan structure and includes the 5-year financial projection, sources-and-uses table, and break-even analysis that SBA 7(a) and 504 loan officers typically expect. Final acceptance is at the lender's discretion — DistilleryPlanPro produces the document; the underwriting decision is theirs.
Does the plan account for whiskey aging cash flow?
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Yes. The financial model treats aged spirits separately from un-aged products like vodka and gin. Whiskey laid down in barrels generates no revenue for 24 to 48 months, and the projection surfaces a working-capital warning showing how many months of operating expenses must be funded before barrel revenue arrives.
What permits do I need to open a distillery in the United States?
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A federal Distilled Spirits Plant (DSP) permit and Basic Permit from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), a TTB-approved operations bond, a state distillery or manufacturer license, and local zoning approval are typically required. Exact requirements vary by state and business model — verify with the TTB, your state alcohol regulator, and qualified counsel. The TTB DSP application commonly takes 4 to 8 months.
Can I download the plan as an editable Word document?
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Yes — the Professional ($249) and Enterprise ($499) tiers include an editable .docx export. The Enterprise tier additionally includes an editable .xlsx financial workbook and an 11-slide investor pitch deck outline.
How long does it take to generate a plan?
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Most users complete the 6-step input wizard in 30 to 45 minutes. AI generation of the full plan narrative runs in under 5 minutes after the wizard is complete. Total end-to-end time from sign-up to a downloadable PDF is typically under one hour.
Do I have to pay before seeing the plan?
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No. Drafting and AI generation are free for the first plan. Payment ($99, $249, or $499) is only required to download the final PDF, DOCX, or XLSX export. A blurred preview of the generated plan is shown before purchase.
No credit card required to draft.