B. Ellen Consulting

Law’s Whiskey House

Organization:

Law’s Whiskey House, Denver, CO

Production:

A fast-growing craft distillery rooted in Colorado’s terroir, Law’s Whiskey House grew from a small-batch operation to a repeatable, scalable production environment focused on quality & the passion of the people who drink it. While serving as Lead Distiller, Barb sharpened a lot of their core skills here to the point that now directly informs the B. Ellen Consulting approach to manufacturing optimization & growth readiness. 

Problem:

Barb, as Lead Distiller, had a large scope of responsibility in this expanding brand. Core focuses included: 

• End-to-end distillation operations, from raw material handling through barrel filling
• Production scheduling and capacity planning
• Equipment selection, commissioning, and integration
• Hiring, training, and supervising distillery staff
• Process documentation and standardization
• Safety, quality, and regulatory compliance during rapid growth

Approach:

In a two-phase expansion process, Barb helped to build scalable capacity and to build out a high-volume production environment with a growing team. 

Phase 1: The first expansion phase focused on transitioning from a small-batch operation to a repeatable, scalable production model.

Key outcomes included:

• Installation of additional distillation and support equipment
• Redesign of production workflows to reduce bottlenecks
• Introduction of standardized operating procedures (SOPs)
• Initial growth of the distillery team to support higher throughput

This phase enabled the distillery to move beyond its original constraints and establish a foundation for sustained growth.

Phase 2: The second expansion phase addressed significant demand increases and long-term capacity goals.

Highlights included:

• Integration of new large-scale equipment into existing operations
• Expansion of distilling and cellar staff to support multi-shift production
• Improved production planning and coordination across teams
• Increased focus on efficiency, consistency, and safety at scale

Through these efforts, the distillery successfully increased output from filling fewer than 60 barrels per month to consistently exceeding 200 barrels per month.

Solution:

• More than 3× increase in monthly barrel production
• A fully staffed and trained distillery team aligned with growth goals
• Scalable systems capable of supporting future expansion
• Operational insights now applied across client engagements at B. Ellen Consulting

This real-world distillery growth experience shapes how B. Ellen Consulting supports clients today—especially those navigating:

• Equipment upgrades and facility expansions
• Staffing growth and training during scale-up
• Transitioning from artisan production to industrial efficiency
• Maintaining quality, safety, and compliance while increasing output

Barb brings not just theory, but proven, on-the-floor experience in building operations that grow successfully.