LQD Assets, LLC

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FET, or Federal Excise Tax can be one of the most costly line items in spirits.The current federal distilled spirits exc...
06/05/2026

FET, or Federal Excise Tax can be one of the most costly line items in spirits.

The current federal distilled spirits excise tax structure is:

• First 100,000 proof gallons: $2.70 per proof gallon
• Over 100,000 up to 22.23 million proof gallons: $13.34 per proof gallon
• Over 22.23 million proof gallons: $13.50 per proof gallon

These are annual volumes.

So if you are running everything through a large co-packer, there is a good chance you are not accessing that lower tier at all if they are producing any sizable volumes. That jump catches a lot of brands off guard.

LQD Assets and BRBN Storage have structures in place that allow brands to take advantage of a reduced FET rate.

It is a small detail on paper that can make a big difference on your margins.

If you are planning production, it is worth understanding if this is something you can benefit from. Please reach out with any inquiries!

06/04/2026

You know what’s wild to me?

There are people in business who would rather string someone along than simply say, “I can’t help you.”

Instead of being direct, they overpromise, underdeliver, and give half effort until you eventually figure out they were never capable of getting the job done in the first place.

It wastes time, it kills momentum, and honestly, it damages trust far more than a straightforward “no” ever would. It’s a powerful word and often garners great respect.

There’s nothing wrong with not being the right fit. The problem is pretending you are!

06/04/2026

Why do whiskeys vary in color?

Many people assume the color comes from the spirit itself, but whiskey actually enters the barrel completely clear.

The barrel does the heavy lifting.

In fact, it is generally accepted that all of a whiskey’s color and more than 50% of its flavor can be developed from the barrel during maturation.

A few factors that influence the final color and flavor:

• Barrel char level
• Barrel age and previous use
• Length of maturation
• Warehouse location
• Climate and seasonal temperature swings
• Barrel entry proof
• Evaporation and concentration over time

One of the most interesting factors is where the barrel sits in the warehouse.

Barrels on the upper floors experience greater temperature swings throughout the year. As the whiskey expands and contracts, it moves in and out of the wood more aggressively, extracting more color and flavor compounds. These barrels often mature faster and develop a darker color.

Barrels on the lower floors tend to stay cooler and more stable. The whiskey interacts with the wood more slowly, which often results in a lighter color and a different flavor profile.

This means two barrels filled on the same day with the exact same whiskey can look and taste noticeably different years later simply because they aged in different micro-climates.

The next time you’re looking at two glasses of whiskey with different shades of amber, remember that color is telling part of the barrel’s story.

What’s the darkest whiskey you’ve ever had?

06/01/2026

One thing that surprises a lot of people is that not all alcohol is regulated by the same federal agency.

If you make wine, beer, or a ready-to-drink cocktail under a certain ABV threshold, you’re often dealing with the FDA.

If you make distilled spirits like bourbon, whiskey, vodka, rum, or tequila, you’re dealing with the TTB (Alcohol and To***co Tax and Trade Bureau).

The difference matters.

The TTB oversees things like formulas, labels, advertising claims, excise taxes, bonded facilities, and production reporting for distilled spirits.

The FDA focuses on food safety, ingredient requirements, manufacturing practices, and consumer protection across most food and beverage products.

This is why launching a bourbon brand looks very different from launching many other consumer packaged goods products.

A new whiskey label may require TTB label approval. A barrel transfer requires regulatory compliance through TIB’s. Aging inventory sits in federally bonded warehouses. Excise taxes become part of the equation long before a bottle reaches a shelf.

Most consumers never see this side of the industry.

Behind every bottle is a regulatory framework that influences how products are produced, stored, marketed, and sold.

For those of us working in spirits, understanding the TTB is just as important as understanding the whiskey itself.

Wine gallons vs. proof gallons…This is a common point of confusion!Wine gallons measure volume by space.Proof gallons me...
05/19/2026

Wine gallons vs. proof gallons…

This is a common point of confusion!

Wine gallons measure volume by space.

Proof gallons measure volume based on alcohol content.

So what does that really mean?

Start here:
• 1 full barrel = 53 wine gallons
• Wine gallons ignore proof, it’s the same way you would measure a gallon of water

Now layer in alcohol strength.

Proof gallons adjust for that:
• Formula: wine gallons × (proof ÷ 100)

Example:
• 53 wine gallons at 100 proof = 53 proof gallons
• 53 wine gallons at 120 proof = 63.6 proof gallons

Same volume by mass, but the higher alcohol content allows you to stretch that barrel further during the proofing process.

That difference matters when you dilute, bottle, or sell.

In simple terms:
• Wine gallons measure true volume
• Proof gallons measure volume with respect to a specific alcohol content

It has been a while since I have done one of these, so I wanted to reintroduce myself.I’m Morgan Salsman, Founder of LQD...
05/14/2026

It has been a while since I have done one of these, so I wanted to reintroduce myself.

I’m Morgan Salsman, Founder of LQD Assets and Cofounder of BRBN Storage.

I spend most of my time behind the scenes in the bourbon supply chain, working with brands and investors on how barrels are sourced, stored, and positioned over time.

Today, that looks like managing over 110k sf of warehousing space, and tens of thousands of barrels across a range of strategies.

I’ve always been most interested in what happens before the bottle. The decisions made years earlier, and the details behind the liquid.

That perspective shapes how I approach this industry and the conversations I share here.

If you’re new, I’m glad you’re here.

If you’ve been following along, I appreciate you!

05/13/2026

What does it mean to be a “Straight Kentucky Bourbon?”

To be a straight bourbon, the product can be distilled anywhere in the United States (contrary to popular belief). It must be aged at least two years to be considered “straight.”

To be considered a “Kentucky Straight Bourbon” the product must be distilled and aged in the state of Kentucky for at least two years.

Although Kentucky might be the Bourbon capital, it is not the only place bourbon can be made!

Today is National Small Business Day.What does it really mean to be a small business? Is it revenue? Employees? Square f...
05/10/2026

Today is National Small Business Day.

What does it really mean to be a small business? Is it revenue? Employees? Square footage?

To me, being a small business means the decisions are close to the ground. The people making them are the same ones dealing with the consequences. Cash flow matters more. Relationships matter more. You are the strategy, the ex*****on, and the accountability, and feel every win and loss directly.

It also means you get to build something your way. You can move fast, adapt quickly, and shape the culture from day one.

Small, to me, means intentional. It means relational.

And it takes a strong set of partners to make it all work. Grateful for ours, both internal and external!

Have you ever heard of an “orphan barrel”?In bourbon, an orphan barrel is inventory without a home. There is no brand be...
05/08/2026

Have you ever heard of an “orphan barrel”?

In bourbon, an orphan barrel is inventory without a home. There is no brand behind it and no clear path to market.

This usually happens when a brand shuts down, a contract falls through, or inventory changes hands and gets left behind. The liquid keeps aging, but no one is actively building a product around it.

That is where things get interesting.

These barrels often surface quietly, and pricing does not always reflect long term value. If you understand what you are looking at, there is real opportunity sitting in barrels that were never part of a finished plan.

People often use these barrels to create one off, exclusive products that are impossible to repeat. In the right hands, these forgotten barrels turn into hidden gems. 💎

When it comes to storage, location is everything.Our warehouses sit in Springfield, KY, right in the middle of bourbon c...
05/06/2026

When it comes to storage, location is everything.

Our warehouses sit in Springfield, KY, right in the middle of bourbon country, with easy access to many of the industry’s key distilleries and bottling hubs.

Why does that matter?

Location plays a role in how barrels age. It impacts consistency, climate, and long term outcomes.

It also keeps logistics simple. Shorter distances mean lower freight costs and easier movement as barrels change hands.

Where your inventory sits matters more than most people think!

Address

Bardstown, KY
40004

Telephone

+15028278089

Website

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