ChainWhip Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Looks like there's trouble a brewin' in Waco:http://www.wacotrib.com/news/business/management-quarrel-threatens-waco-s-popular-balcones-whisky-distillery/article_73ad1ba7-f23a-51f4-8592-afb993e0a001.html?mode=jqm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry in WashDC Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Thanks. I note that the TRO says Mr. Tate cannot speak to anyone in the spirits industry or the media about Balcones or his position as Balcones president and head distiller (all according to the news report - I haven't read the actual order). The report didn't say anything about a hearing on the order - whether it should be lifted or made a permanent injunction. Unless somebody leaks, I guess we'll have to await such a hearing or a settlement (probably with a nondisclosure agreement applying to both sides) to get more details about the dispute.More important to me - I kind of like True Blue 100 - its burnt buttered popcorn flavor makes me warm inside like I'm a kid in a Saturday matinee. With burnt popcorn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I ain't fer sure, but it kind of reads like they are taking a Texan's gun jokes too seriously. I don't think anyone could seriously believe he intended to shoot his manager in the chest, or set the distillery on fire.Doesn't seem like a very fun place for a master distiller to work. Even if they get past this, it seems like there will be long standing grudges. I was planning on sitting out the early Balcones maelstrom and waiting for some more mature product. Perhaps I should reconsider.I like my popcorn well-done... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskeyagonzo Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 What a bizarre story. Something doesn't smell right. I would love to hear Chip's side of the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyOldKyDram Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Probably not the smartest thing in the world to be joking about, just sayin'.Still, crazy story and I hope it gets worked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Dusty Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Sounds like the age-old divide between the creative minds and the bean counters has reared its ugly head. Too bad they can't get along. That place had promise and a niche beyond the legacy distillery model products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Start filming the dust-up, sell the idea to A&E, and you have the next hit reality show! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEelfinn Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Sounds like the age-old divide between the creative minds and the bean counters has reared its ugly head. Too bad they can't get along. That place had promise and a niche beyond the legacy distillery model products. I read that tension too, Dusty. I wonder if they might benefit from mediation in an atempt to realign their common goals - making award winning whiskey for a profit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacinJosh Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Saw this all over Twitter last night. A damn shame. Such great people doing great things at Balcones I really hate to hear this. I hope they reach an amicable resolution soon and get back to experimenting and making great whiskey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Sad to hear this. It's impossible from the Waco Article to know who is the 'bad 'here, though.Since Chip is forbidden to open his mouth or type anything into a keyboard, all we're hearing is one side of the story. It could easily be a bunch of folks (the board) who decided to force him out and/or rip him off. They have the corporate authority and the court orders on their side to do just that. Maybe truth and justice will prevail; but don't count on it. MONEY almost always trumps truth. Too bad. We in the 'public' may never know for sure what's going on. Though leaks certainly happen in these situations.... one never is sure how accurate or how slanted the information being leaked may be.If Chip has been acting in bad faith, then he's reaping the whirlwind for that behavior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 As a rule Judges are reluctant to issue a temporary restraining order as strongly worded as this one so apparently there's a good deal going on we don't know about. Guess we'll know more on September 19th.However it shakes out the investors can still go forward with the expansion plans, after all it's their money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjbeggs Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I suppose it's possible that Chip could be behaving in a way that could hurt the company, but to me this sounds like a case of Bean-Counters thinking "Hey, we could reduce quality, find cheaper ingredients and make a bunch more money before this whiskey-boom ends...". Another story where a corporation destroys the creator's vision that made the company successful in the first place... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighInTheMtns Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 The "bean counters" didn't threaten to burn any distilleries or shoot anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 ...but to me this sounds like a case of Bean-Counters thinking "Hey, we could reduce quality, find cheaper ingredients and make a bunch more money before this whiskey-boom ends...". Another story where a corporation destroys the creator's vision that made the company successful in the first place...Is there another article floating around that would lead you to this conclusion? Or, do you have some other info available to you? Because, I cannot see how you could reasonably reach your conclusions from the piece linked above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callmeox Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 It is also possible that Chip's body was taken over by aliens and their misunderstanding of Texas culture led them to cause him to mis-speak his intentions in front of others as they were remote controlling him. You know, as long as we are pointing out plausible alternatives to what's in the article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWC Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Well this is just one big hot bowl of weird. It was like reading an article from the Onion. Hopefully we reserve judgment before the facts are revealed, however boring as that may be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Another story where a corporation destroys the creator's vision that made the company successful in the first place...Mr. Tate's purpose from the beginning has been to make money which is a laudable goal but hardly a vision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcbt Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I think it's pretty obvious what happened. Gustavo, errr I mean, the Board, went to Walt, errrr I mean Chip, and said to him, "You are going to take this man named Gale under your wing and teach him everything you know about making whiskey." Chip is no dummy, he sees the writing on the wall, that he will become expendable once Gale knows everything so obviously he threatens to kill Gale... And here we are now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quantum Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 The main takeaway for me is that the investors believe Chip is an immediate threat to the business. Whether it is because they disagree over basic business principles, or because Chip has become violent and unpredictable, is yet to be determined. Sometimes one can lead to the other, but my best guess is that the truth is somewhere in the middle. The actions taken by the investors are pretty severe, and it looks like they are trying to cut ties completely, instead of leaving room for reconciliation. For whatever reason, they seem to believe he is now a liability, and the company would be better off without him. It will be interesting to see whether they plan to take the company a different direction, or if they are just trying to mitigate their losses as the whole thing goes under. Either way, the whole thing is pretty disappointing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauiSon Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Anyway you look at it, Chip can still voice his opinion here without violating the court order, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishad Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Doesn't sound promising for the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Two full pages of comments and nobody has tagged this on the bourbon world's "Root of All EVIL"....?!?!?!?! ............. MARKETING!!!!!. Honestly, I'm a little disappointed in a few of you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yeti Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I like Scott's version of events and will continue to follow the story from that perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 (edited) Apparently, the Board offered this video clip of the last Balcones Board Meeting as additional support for the TRO... http://youtu.be/1yqoO9pQk2o Edited September 4, 2014 by callmeox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danz Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Damn. You had me there for a moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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