Valentine Distilling Co. partners with Frilli to expand whiskey production
Valentine will invest $1m in a 1,500-gallon still manufactured by Frilli, called Sherbert, which will have the capacity to produce 1,000 barrels of whiskey a year.
Frilli to ship to US
Rifino Valentine, founder, Valentine Distilling Co. said the company has seen exponential growth since opening its doors more than 10 years ago and it needs to expand its production facility as a necessity.
“We wanted to build the best still to maintain the quality of our products. Frilli has been building distillation equipment since 1912 and has a phenomenal track record and experience in triple pot distillation, and that’s what we need to keep up with demand,” he said.
It is the first still Frilli has shipped to America, and Sherbert is one of the largest stills being placed in a micro-distillery in the US.
“We are honored to build this still for Valentine. We are excited to ship to the US for the first time,” said Simone Martini, export and marketing manager, Frilli.
This is not the first time, Valentine Distilling Co. has expanded its facility; it relocated its production facility in 2016, to a 15,000sq ft warehouse in the vicinity and now plans to add an additional 5,000sq ft for a rick house to store the aging barrels once the product leaves the still.
Open house ceremony
Established in 2007, Valentine Distilling Co. started making small batch spirits when there were approximately 15 to 20 micro-distilleries in the US. Today, there are more than 2,000 known micro-distilleries in the country.
A Valentine-style “ribbon cutting” ceremony and open house will debut Sherbert and the expansion of the production facility on March 22 at Valentine Distilling Co. 6-9pm, 965 Wanda Street, Ferndale, Michigan. Registration for a complimentary ticket and details of the event are available on Eventbrite.
