Crane’s eye view compliments of Jeff Schuler.

The crane operator said this is the baby crane after slapping close to 37,000 pounds of counter weights on it this morning.

It didn’t take much for the baby crane to lift our chiller and boiler over the roof of the still house before the cold front blew through. These huge pieces of machinery are the muscle of our distillery, and like all of our major equipment, they were manufactured right here in the United States.

Josh had a great idea. Why not show our pride in American manufacturing by placing a small American flag on everything in the stillhouse that was made right here?

Then it dawned on me. There would be flags all over this building, and that problem put a huge smile on our faces.

As Stillhouse #1 gets closer and closer to completion, we’re placing orders for the equipment we need. Earlier this week, a factory floor in Greensboro, NC received an order to start building a new forklift for us. The same thing happened in Michigan where a factory began constructing the high quality steel shelving we need.

In the next week or two, the Tennessee Farmer’s Co-op will bring our corn silo that was manufactured in Indiana, and family-owned Kentucky company Vendome Copper & Brass will soon begin fabricating our next cooker and still.

When you hear news of manufacturing orders rising, that’s the story of America getting back to work. It’s orders from companies like ours who reach out to our neighbors that help keep American jobs at home, and it starts right here.

We can’t always find what we need at home, but we’re proud when we do. From white oak barrels to the steel tanks used in our manufacturing processes, our orders are a part of America’s recovery.

We’re still figuring out the best way to show off that pride, but if you happen to see small American flags in the stillhouse, ask us about it. It’s a story we like to share.

Photo: Short Mountain Distillery President and CEO Billy Kaufman tours Knoxville Beverage wine & spirits distribution center with his brothers David, Darian and Ben.