Are you interested in starting your own distillery in Colorado? Then you may want to stick around. The Colorado Distillers Guild is a non-profit association that is responsible for promoting the licensed distilling industry in the wonderful state of Colorado.

Meaning if you want to become successful, you want these guys on your side. However, if you are new to the distilling industry you may be confused about who these guys are, what they do, and how they can affect your business.

In this article, we explain everything you need to know about the Colorado Distillers Guild and how you can operate your business to ensure success. They can help your business become the best it can be.

Let’s get into it!

Who Are The Colorado Distillers Guild?

Colorado Distillers Guild is responsible for employing agents to gather information useful to members regarding laws, provisions, directives, and orders in a legal way that the mutual interests of the members and the licensed distilling industry in Colorado can cooperate.

In addition to informing its members about any laws, regulations, orders, or other decisions that might be made by the federal government, the state of Colorado, or any of their political subdivisions that are relevant to the association, it serves to educate the general public about Colorado distillers.

In basic terms, they help you promote your distillery business to the people of Colorado in a safe, legal way!

History Of The Guild

The Colorado Distillers Guild was founded in 2011 and has since been approved to take part in the Restart Industry Associations Program in 2021.

The CDG’s history is rather short, having only been founded since 2011 but it has done some incredible work for the distilling industry in terms of travel and tourism.

With more than 40 members, CDG created the Colorado Spirits Trail (CST) in 2019 to promote member distilleries and entice tourists to visit them throughout all of Colorado.

The Colorado Spirits Trails has an interactive map and website allowing participants to easily travel from one distillery to the next. Ensuring everyone who visits Colorado makes a stop at a distillery and see’s what the state has to offer.

Participants can also collect merchandise throughout the trail, further supporting the distilling industry in Colorado.

Becoming A Member

For any distillery across the state of Colorado, becoming a member of the guild is an excellent idea. Anyone considered a distilling company or a brand that produces a distilled product in a facility within Colorado can become a member.

Supporting Sponsorships can also become a member of the guild. This is for trade people or suppliers that are working with a distilling company throughout Colorado.

Presenting Sponsorships are available to any individual, partnership, or corporation in an associated industry or endeavor seeking to be the sole sponsor in any given industry, as well as to trade professionals or suppliers doing business with the distilling sector (ex glass, software, neutral grain spirit, etc.)

To round up, anyone doing any form of business with a distillery company throughout the state of Colorado can become a member of the Colorado Distillers Guild.

A regular membership can cost $350 annually while a supporting sponsor may pay $1500 annually. This is to fully reap the rewards of the Colorado Distillers Guild.

Current Members

SaverGlass is a presenting sponsor for the CDG. This company produced high-end glass bottles, decanters, and tonics!

The Colorado Distillers Guild has a distillers circle featuring members such as Bank of America, First National Denver, and Moye White.

Supporting Sponsors of the Guild include Great Western Bank, BSG Distilling, and Whiskey Sisters Supply. All of these sponsors work with a distillery within Colorado.

Regular members of the CDG are all operating distilleries within the state of Colorado. Including:

• 291 Colorado Whiskey.
• 1350 Distilling.
• Black Bear Distillery.
• Danver Distillery.
• Small Batch Elwood Distilling.
• Durango Craft Spirits.

And many, many more. All of these distilleries can be found on The Colorado Spirits Trail allowing you to visit each one, take a tour, and even try some of their products!

Colorado State Fees & Licenses

When it comes to distilling your own spirits in the state of Colorado, there are a few state fees to be paid annually:

• For each resident and no resident manufacturer’s license, the fee shall be:

1. For each distillery or rectifier after August 10th, 2017, $300,
2. For each winery, $300,
3. For each brewery, $300.

• For each importers license, $300.
• For each wholesaler liquor license, $550.
• For each wholesaler beer license, $550.
• For each brewpub, distillery pub, or vintner’s restaurant license, $325.
• For each manager’s permit, $100.

Other licenses and fees may be applicable to your business in regard to importing, distribution and selling for the state of Colorado. Another License which is essential for your distillery to operate is a Colorado Distillery Pub License which must have both state and local approval before it can be used.

Colorado Distillery Laws

The Colorado Legislature passed Bill 21-270 in June 2021, raising the yearly output cap for distillery pubs from 45,000 liters to 875,000 liters. This is a big deal since it will let a lot more distilleries compete with Colorado Brewpubs, which is good for the state’s distillery economy.

Since it is a retail license, distilleries wishing to “transition” or “convert” to a Colorado Distillery Pub License must submit an application locally. In exchange, the Distillery will give up its licenses for manufacturing, wholesale, and the salesroom.

Regarding “conversion” or other intricacies to the application process, as well as the transfer of current spirits from the Manufacturing License to the Distillery Pub License, we anticipate receiving advice from the Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division (LED).

Final Thoughts

So, who is the Colorado Distillers Guild? They are simply a non-profit association with the goal of promoting the distilling industry in the state of Colorado.

Anyone with a distillery or looking to do business with a Colorado distillery can become a member for an annual fee.

While the CDG has no legal authority, they are there to help anyone involved in the distilling industry. Means if you have any questions feel free to contact them!

We hope you found this article useful and enjoy your adventures on The Colorado Spirits Trail!