#we get a whiskey barrel from a local distillery

[jasper-borealis]

It’s great working at a small coffee shop and roasters part time, because I’m in the loop just enough to understand this, but sometimes I wished I wasn’t because this sticky note is legitimately hilarious out of context.

[exoticwineliquor1]

Speyside and Highland Single Malt Whiskies: Scotland's Whisky Diversity

Our first thoughts when someone mentions Scotland are of its magnificent lakes, upbeat music, and rich cultural diversity. However, we are also appreciative of its contribution to the whiskey industry. Whiskey aficionados have a particular place in their hearts for Scotch whiskey, also just called Scotch. All of this acclaim is due to its distinct texture—fruity and smoky at the same time. The variety of Scotch whisky is one of its unique qualities. Scotland's unique environment along with its historical influences give each whisky made there a unique flavor profile. 

Highland and Speyside whiskies

Ever wonder why people love scotch whisky so much? One thing we can assure you of is that the small things matter greatly!  In other words, this amazing drink originates from Scotland's Speyside. The selection of tastes and types is enormous. We are going to delve deep into Scotland's most infamous whisky-producing regions, Speyside and Highland, in a moment.

Highland: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskey ​

Let's talk about Highland single malt scotch whisky first. If you've never experienced Scottish whisky, this is the whisky to pair it with. Made in Scotland's Highlands. The Highland order has two distinct regions, Banffshire on the islet of Islay and Aberdeen in the northeastern lowlands. The UK government views Highland whiskey as a safeguarded point due to its extreme scarcity. This implies that stringent regulations are in place to ensure the highest caliber of whisky is always present.

There are several whisky distilleries in Scotland, and each one uses a different process to make whisky, so you're sure to discover something you like. The most infamous distilleries in the Highlands are Aberdeen, Balblair, and Ancnoc (Aberdeen & Ardmore). Let's talk about Speyside single malt whisky now. As you continue reading for more details, we go over the history of each unique flavor.

Speyside: Speyside single-malt Scotch whisky

Speyside is one of the most well-known regions for single-malt Scotch whiskey. Well known for its excellent single-malt Scotch whiskies, it's like nirvana for whisky nuts. It is blessed with rich glens and is traversed by the flowing River Spey. Its geographical and climatic mix creates a great environment for producing exquisite whisky. ​

Speyside Whiskies' Unique Characteristics

What separates Speyside single malt Scotch whisky from the rest of the world? Speyside whiskies can be identified by their different features. They are often low in peatiness, focusing on rich, fruity, and frequently sweet flavors. Flavours of apples, pears, honey, vanilla, and spice are common while sipping a Speyside single malt. Point often overlooked is that local water, barley, and the centuries-old production methods are the reason for its unique flavour. ​

Common Speyside Whisky Flavours

Consider the flavours of fresh fruit if you're uncertain what to expect from a glass of Speyside whisky. Speyside whiskies are like a fruit basket, with apple and pear flavours dominating. The honey and vanilla sweetness contrast beautifully, and a dash of spice adds depth and complexity. Another key point is that their graceful and approachable taste notes are the reason these whiskies are popular among seasoned whisky enthusiasts as well as newcomers to the Scotch realm.

The Secret Ingredient: Sherry Casks

The use of Sherry casks in maturation is one of the secrets behind the rich flavours of Speyside whiskies. Particularly, many Speyside distilleries prefer wooden barrels that originally housed Sherry wine.  These casks impart a rich, fruity, and slightly nutty flavour to the whisky. The combination of the whisky and the Sherry-seasoned wood results in a lovely blend of Speyside flavours.

Best Place to Order Liquor Online

You can get everything you need in one place, you don't have to worry about driving, you can have alcohol delivered to your door in no time, and, most importantly, you don't have to worry about price because you're getting it from the best place to order liquor online: Exotic Wine & Liquors.  You can buy a range of goods from our website. One of the best purchases is High West Bourbon 1.75L, priced at $69.99. It is a well-liked choice. This bourbon has a well-structured and harmonious finish with notes of candy corn, honey, sweet vanilla, caramel apple and pecan pie. It spends 7 years in virgin white oak before you taste it.  With the best ingredients and affection the flavours of honey, vanilla, lemon, peach, and wood are superbly balanced.

Conclusion

We discussed the renowned regions of Scottish whisky in this article. Highland and Speyside is the place where you can find the best whiskey. Additionally, we discussed the top liquor store in Washington, D.C. Additionally, we have compiled a list of some of the top whiskies from rare wines and spirits. You should give each one a try to see which one you prefer.

[nwbeerguide]

Detroit City Distillery increases production of their Annual Honey Bourbon and expands distribution.

Press Release

The official launch starts with online sales at detroitcitydistillery.com at 8 a.m. on Friday, November 10, 2023. A launch party begins that day at 4 p.m. at the distillery's Tasting Room in Eastern Market for in-person sales and online purchase pick-ups, along with many honey-themed treats and gifts provided by Bees in the D, a non-profit focused on honeybee conservancy and education.

Honey Bourbon and Honey Old Fashioned will be available statewide on shelves the week of November 20, just in time for Thanksgiving.

Demand Fuels Expansion Honey Bourbon launched in 2019 as an experimental limited-edition single barrel of bourbon. Since then, sales have grown twenty-fold. Due to overwhelming demand from fans across Michigan, the distillery is doubling production this year for statewide distribution to grocers, liquor stores, bars, and restaurants throughout Michigan.

New Ready-to-Serve Cocktail: Honey Old-Fashioned For the first time, Detroit City Distillery is putting a ready-to-serve cocktail into distribution with its new Honey Old Fashioned. The new product is based on the distillery's best-selling cocktail and features Honey Bourbon, raw Michigan honey and house-made bitters.

"This fine bourbon features the truest taste of Detroit you can get," said Michael Forsyth, co-owner of Detroit City Distillery. We combine the award-winning bourbon we make in Eastern Market with honey made by thousands of honeybees using flower nectar from all over the city. This year, we're launching our first ready-to-serve cocktail in distribution, the Honey Old Fashioned, so more fans can enjoy this product in more ways."

New Honey Bourbon Gifts to Sweeten the Season This year, DCD is upping the ante with additional gift ideas for Honey Bourbon aficionados:

Detroit City Distillery Honey Bourbon – ($60 per bottle) – The bourbon is finished with raw honey from Bees in the D rooftop beehives on top of DCD's Whiskey Factory.

Detroit City Distillery Honey Old Fashioned – ($25 per bottle) – This 375ml ready-to-serve cocktail features Honey Bourbon, raw Michigan honey, and house-made aromatic and orange bitters. Each bottle makes five cocktails. Just pour over ice and enjoy.

Bees in the D Bourbon Barrel-Aged Honey: Crafted from honey harvested atop DCD's Whiskey Factory rooftop and aged in bourbon barrels, this delectable addition is priced at $50 per bottle. One hundred percent of sales support the non-profit Bees in the D.

All three options, along with various honey-themed gifts to support fundraising for Bees in the D, will be available online starting at 8 a.m. on Friday, November 10, 2023, and can be picked up in person beginning at 4 p.m. during the Honey Bourbon Launch Party.

The labels on these exquisite bottles are more than just packaging; they're authentically-Detroit works of art, making them the perfect holiday gift.

Join the Party at the Honey Bourbon Launch

Honey Bourbon Launch Party at Detroit City Distillery Tasting Room

Date: Friday, November 10, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Location: 2462 Riopelle Street in Eastern Market, Detroit City Distillery Tasting Room.

Admission: Free, with limited capacity.

Indulge in a Honey Bourbon-themed event featuring cocktails and treats that will tantalize your taste buds. Plus, explore a trove of merchandise from Detroit City Distillery and Bees in the D. Find more details @detroitcitydistillery on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Detroit City Distillery creates small batch artisanal whiskey, gin and vodka, using the finest local ingredients sourced directly from farms near its Distillery and tasting room located in Detroit's famed Eastern Market. The result is a drink of distinction made for the revolutionaries rewriting the history of a great American city. To learn more about our fine products –Butcher's Cut Bourbon, Four Grain Bourbon, Homegrown Rye, Gilded Age Vodka, Railroad Gin and Peacemaker Gin and limited edition releases – please sign up for our newsletter at www.detroitcitydistillery.com, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @detroitcitydistillery. Customers must be 21 to purchase alcohol.

Bees in the D is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to create a cooperative effort between residents, schools, organizations and businesses in the City of Detroit and Southeast Michigan to contribute to both the health of honey bee colonies and native pollinators, and the education of their importance to our environment. Bees in the D currently manages over 225 honeybee hives at over 75 locations across five counties and between two countries (The United States and Canada). To learn more, visit www.beesinthed.com and find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @beesinthed.

Detroit City Distillery Doubles Production of Annual Honey Bourbon, Adds New Honey Old Fashioned Cocktail and Expands Distribution for Nov. 10 Launch

[tsgparkcityutah]

Making Spirits Bright

THE STORY BEHIND THE BEAU COLLECTIVE AND ALPINE DISTILLING PARTNERSHIP

Sara and Rob Sergent, Lindsay Cunningham and Whitney Kozlowski

The Beau Collective and Alpine Distilling are two local Park City staples who are not only disruptors in their own industries, but also big on community and lending a helping hand. So when The Beau Collective’s lease was coming up and it looked like they might not have a home, Rob and Sara Sergent of Alpine Distilling swooped in and helped save this beloved Park City fitness institution. 

While sitting down and chatting with the Sergents and Beau Co-Founders Whitney Kozlowski and Lindsay Cunningham, you could feel the love and synergy that they have for each other. 

Whitney and Lindsay started The Beau Collective back in 2015 in the basement of a hotel gym. They realized that regular exercise is a big priority for the people of Park City and saw a need for a more team-based small group fitness class, with a strong community component. These powerhouse women created a program treating fitness like a progression, where participants can sign up for specific time slots 12 weeks at a time, investing in their health and creating relationships with teammates. 

Lindsay Cunningham and Whitney Kozlowski

Rob: “Very rarely do you get to live in such an energetic and inspiring community and find a business that totally encapsulates everything about why you moved to a place. There's no food, no spirits, no ski resort, anything, that sums up Summit County, in our opinion, better than The Beau Collective. They've tapped into the spirit of what it means to live here, and it manifests itself as exercise because we're a very active community, you don't casually move to Park City, you have to be very deliberate. So everything that they've done is, I think, a direct reflection of exactly the energy that we all have.”

Sara and Rob wanted to create something where as a family, they could work together and show their kids the value of waking up early, mopping floors and breaking down boxes, while creating a responsible and sustainable business which gives back to the community. They've approached distilling from a strong sense of heritage, with Rob hailing from Eastern Kentucky and Sara studying and earning her diploma in gin making at the Edinburgh Whisky Academy.

It’s been three years since Alpine Distilling came to fruition, and in that short time they’ve won multiple awards and have been lauded throughout the country. Alpine has established a make-your-own gin program, which peels the curtain back on what it's like to create a gold medal winning botanical spirit. And at the distillery, they are proud to be green certified and are also very conscious of stewarding the fragile, high desert environment we live in. 

Sara and Rob Sergent 

Lindsay: “One thing that's amazing about Alpine Distilling is how much they care about this community. I've gone to a lot of fundraisers and non-profit events sponsored by Alpine, and I think it really shows how much they care. When you go to these events and see that the bar is brought to you by Alpine, it creates a real standard for action in this community. And it's something I'm always impressed by.”

So how was the partnership initiated between Alpine Distilling and Beau Collective?

Lindsay: It's very rare for us personally and as a business to ask for help, and it came down to a situation in October where our future really was in jeopardy. 

Sara: One of my greatest friends in town, who I only see at Beau Co had called me and told me Beau was going to close their doors. Rob looked at me and said “What do we do?” Beau Co is my adult outlet. These are my adult friends. The place where I connect with other Park City people who I want to spend my free time with.

Whitney:  We had a plan A, B and C, and when plan C fell through, that kind of motivated us to  ask for help.   So after class one day, we pulled everybody together and said, we want you to know, we're so committed, we're working so hard and we are exhausting every avenue.  We were standing in our old location and were kind of struggling with a way to proceed with one of these plans that we didn't necessarily like, but we were going to do anyway, just because we cared so much. We drafted this big text to try and figure it out, and when we set the phone down to really think about it the text went away, but then the phone rang 20 seconds later, and it was Rob. It still gives me chills. We picked up the phone and he said “Hey, we’re out of town and we just heard what happened. I feel like we have space and I hope it works. Can we put something together and can you come and see the space? I don't know if it'll work, but I just want you to know that nothing is more important than my wife's happiness and you are a big part of it”. That is what he said, verbatim. 

Lindsay: So we went and saw the space and immediately said, “We’ll take it!” When we walked through the door, we looked at each other, and we both said, this is it! There's just a certain feeling you get when you walk into a room and when we saw the space, we just knew.

Whitney: I would say pulling up to the front door and just seeing the Alpine barrels outside made it feel like we speak the same language. You wouldn't necessarily put fitness and whiskey together, but here we are! Rob & Sara absolutely gave us a lifeline and enabled us to continue to thrive and do what we love to do on a daily basis. 

Alpine Spirits and Beau Collective T-Shirts

Rob: In terms of synergies, there's a great study which shows that the alcohol soluble part of juniper berry is the most effective antidepressant on the planet, better than any drug. And what Beau Co does is give you an outlet to release all the energy, the alpha, the stress of balancing life.  

Lindsay: Looking back, we had talked for years about trying to come up with ways that we could collaborate, and so it was like there was always something in the universe pulling us together to do something, but we just didn't quite know what it was. Now we know that we're meant to share a wall.

Whitney: I truly believe everything happens for a reason and “Making spirits bright” was a tagline we adopted over the holidays, but it doesn’t just have to be a holiday thing. This is what we all do on the daily, right? We make spirits bright. For our people, for our families, for this town. That's what I would say is our mission. 

Rob: So, you know, the winners in this scenario are Sara and I, and Alpine. However this unfolds, we are grateful that they've chosen to share what they do, next to us, and as a partner trying to be successful in this very competitive community. 

Whitney: I’m excited to see Alpine start to really get more traction. I mean, look at what they’ve been able to do in such a short timeframe, I think it speaks to what their success will be for the long haul. We're their biggest cheerleaders, because of how much they've done for us and our entire community. To be able to contribute to the success of someone else and to be such a steward in the community helps elevate all of us.

Lindsay:  We're all community minded first. So I think as we go forward, it's going to be really fun to see what we can do together while supporting and watching each other grow.

The Beau Collective has solidified itself as a social hub for Parkites to challenge themselves physically, evolve internally and enjoy social “happy hours” post-workout. Their new found home at Alpine Distilling really creates a space that further encourages post-sweat, endorphin high conversation.

It’s been truly wonderful to sit down with Rob, Sara, Lindsay, and Whitney and hear the stories behind the collaboration of The Beau Collective and Alpine Distilling. We are so very fortunate to have them as a part of The Scout Guide Family. The Scout Guide is about fostering connections within our community. We are proud to represent local businesses like these and we are so excited to see what they have in store for the future!

Article, Interview, and Photos by Rachel Friedman Elberts

[microshiner]

Ska, craft spirits, and Colorado's real drinking town

The hangover bell rings loud and clear in my head as I lift a 70 pound guitar cabinet into the back of a white 2000 Ford Econoline XL. Rain falls lightly. I am running on only a few slovenly hours of sleep but despite the pounding head, my mood is jovial. My band mates and I recount the night before over and over. In the world of ska music, there are few bands more respected than Hepcat, and few bands more infamous than Mephiskapheles, and we just shared the stage with both in one night. It was also the kick off to the second leg of our spring and summer run- this morning we hit the road out of Denver and head for Durango, Colorado, where we’ll spend a week in the studio and follow it up with two shows in the area including a performance at the legendary Ska Brewing Company.

Alright.

Personally, I am excited for more than one reason. I went to school in Durango, but it’s been six years since I’ve lived there and from what I can tell, the drinking scene has only gotten better. A new craft distillery just opened up, and the number of breweries has jumped from 4 to 6 (All this in a town of 17,000. Fort Collins gets the glory, but at over 150,000 residents, are their 14 breweries and 3 distilleries that impressive? Which is the real drinking town?)

I contemplate this and other pressing issues to pass the time on a 7 hour haul over the Rocky Mountains. As we climb in elevation, my mood levels off. It always does when passing time in the van. Whether I am headed somewhere new or somewhere I’ve been many times, as long as it’s light outside touring has always had a bit of a weird vibe to me. The late nights, the shows, the people, the free drink tickets - that is what it’s all about and what makes it worth it. The rush of playing a good show is matched by no drug or other experience I’ve ever had. But during the day, driving through the middle of nowhere to the next town while getting further and further away from your personal life back home, the anxiety creeps in.

Maybe it’s because I’ve never been in a band at a level where touring was our income. I’ve always had to hurry back home after each run and get to work in order to keep the bills paid. Right now, it’s about 9:30 on Monday morning. Everyone I know (except the three guys sitting here with me) is at work, or walking the dog, or heading to the bank, something normal.

Don’t get me wrong, there is certainly a level of awesome to all this. I’m never going to be a ‘company man.’ I knew that by the time I hit high school. I take a lot of pride in what I do for a living and for a hobby. But the older I get, the harder I find it to relate the stories of the road and the stories of the pen and the stories of so many nights passed in rock clubs to people who are my age but haven’t had a night out in months. The word ‘baby’ means something entirely different to them.

As Vonnegut would say - So it goes. We pull into town just in time for happy hour but unfortunately the liquor store will have to suffice for tonight; we’ve got to get to the studio. Tomorrow I will have the opportunity to experience some of the actual culture of this town I’ve missed so much.

Tuesday morning I am walking down Main Avenue bright and early in a leisurely search for a cup of coffee and a paper. Part of me feels like a Texan, stopping to gaze into each store window as I pass by and then actually purchasing, after looking around to make sure no one I know is in sight then ducking quickly into the storefront, a “Durango” t-shirt. I’ll have to bury this down in my backpack so my bandmates never see it. I justify the window shopping and eventual purchase as a mere way to pass some time before my scheduled meeting with some real locals, the owners of Durango Craft Spirits, at 10 o’clock.

I walk into the tasting room to meet owners Michael and Amy McCardell. Immediately I can tell that the duo lives by their motto and are ‘Inspired by the true spirit of Durango’ - It is only 10 am but the room is full of bluegrass music and the McCardell’s beckoning call for a drink. Michael handles the distilling of what is currently their sole offering - Soiled Dove Vodka, made from a mash of 60% native grown, non-GMO white corn they get directly from the Ute Mountain Tribe of Ute in Towaoc, Colorado (just a little over an hour from Durango). His soft voice, with a bit of a country tinge, makes even a short sentence sound well-rehearsed and wise. Perfect for telling stories, and I’m guessing he has a lot of them.

Lucky for me, Michael is not at all shy about telling the story of Durango Craft Spirits, his pride and joy.

It is, I learn quickly, Durango’s first post-prohibition, grain-to-glass distillery. “We’ve got a couple friends over at Ska, Dave (Thibodeau) and Bill (Graham), that opened Peach Street Distillery, in Grand Junction) years ago and one day I met the old distiller and Bill brought in one of their first bottles of gin, along with a bottle of Bombay Sapphire,” Michael says. “It was just unbelievably so much better. That first opened my eyes to craft distilling.”

This was over ten years ago, and until that day Michael had no plans at all of going into the distilling business. “A couple years later, I’m hiking around a piece of property up north with the county assessor, and he said ‘I gotta tell you this story. There’s a buddy of mine who thought he found some ancient Anasazi ruins on his property and he wanted me to come check them out. They hiked up there on a cliff to an Anasazi looking wall and there was an old still sitting back there.’”

He decided to do some research and try to figure out what kind of distilling was done in the area. “I started reading a few books about distilling in the area, and there was quite a bit done,” Michael says. “Especially turn of the last century when the silver market took a crash. A lot of the miners took to cooking booze in the mines.”

With his interest piqued, Michael attended three distilling schools and landed himself an internship at Wood’s High Mountain Distillery in Salida, CO, with the intention of opening his own show in Durango once he learned about the operational side. Both Michael and Amy had spent years in the local hospitality industry managing hotels and a golf club.

As their current jobs came to end due to sell offs, the decision was made to go full-steam with the distillery concept. Step one, securing a location. Where They landed right on the corner of 11th and Main, in the heart of downtown, and opened in January of this year.

Their setup is pretty simple - tasting room in the front, still setup and work area in the back (visible to guests), and office off to the side. Nice and cozy. “We go grain to glass right in the building with all regional grains,” Michael says. “We’re real proud to mash, distill, and bottle right in house.” I had been sold on their concept already, but at this point I could not continue the interview without trying some of their product.

Amy, generally in charge of the tasting room and PR, hands me a pour from behind the bar. I stir, smell, and sip. Then I gasp.

I am not a vodka drinker. My taste for the stuff was ruined by too much Smirnoff as a teenager. But this morning I am happy to make an exception. This stuff is good. Smooth, one of those spirits that you know would be perfect in a cocktail but it almost seems like a sin to dilute it, like a fine scotch. Until you realize that a vodka of such high quality could finally allow you to drink those plastic-bottle vodka infused party concoctions you swore off in your mid-twenties because you can’t stand the headaches any more, minus the headache. “I use a pretty strange recipe for the vodka compared to other distilleries, and it gives it a pretty unique flavor.” That, I agree, is easy to notice.

“The product is tied to Durango’s history,” Michael informs me as empty my glass. “Soiled doves being a Victorian term for the prostitutes of the town. They operated into the 1960s in Durango and were fined heavily, with the fines helping to cover the cost of the schools, the police department, and the fire department.”

The McCardells pay homage to these lovely financiers on the back of their bottle. The cocktails served in the tasting room are also related to the town’s history, an effort that has most certainly allowed the curious tourist to feel more accomplished in his imbibing. The distillery looks to release an unaged whiskey this fall, with barreling scheduled to begin this month. The vodka is currently only sold within 150 miles of Durango. “We are being (probably) too cautious about our growth,” Michael says. They do, however, plan to expand further across Colorado. Not bad for a true mom-and-pop and operation.

I like to think that my band is a mom-and-pop operation. I guess it would be a quadruple-pop operation. Like Michael and Amy, we have grown our small company from nothing into nothing less than an amazing life experience, with no real guidance other learned experience. We have made plenty of mistakes over the last eight years but have slowly made progress come from each of them. We’ve dealt with marriages, jobs, mortgages, kids, operational disagreements, and an old van catching on fire on the road, and as life has happened, we have found a way to happen with it. Back in the early days, circa 2007-2010, I put all of my eggs in that basket. I was willing to work crappy kitchen jobs and live in dilapidated apartments so that I would in turn have the flexibility to leave town when I needed to and be able to keep my financial overhead at a bare minimum in order to play music multiple nights a week. I cared about nothing other than making the band succeed. I lost relationships and friends.

The other guys, at least the two I started the group with, did the same. And then, in the fall of 2010, we crashed and burned hard. So hard, in fact, that over the next two years we did next to nothing with the group. We had no money, our leases were up, and we had nowhere left to go. For a while, we went our separate ways. Our biggest lesson, and one of the most important things I have ever gotten out of life, is that you have to have options - you have to have more than one card to play. As we’ve grown up since then, we have found ways to have other priorities in life while still being able to come back and execute with the band when it’s time.

While the band was on ‘unofficial hiatus’, I filled the musical craving in another group, but I was also able to take the experiences I had with the band, mix them with my college degree, and create some kind of shit show career path based on music business and journalism. Five years later I feel I can see it blossoming. To me, the craft lifestyle embodies that same spirit - live life, take what you’ve got, mix in a heavy dose of passion, and throw it to wind. It takes awhile, but when it finally comes full circle, it tastes so damn good.

[nicomdistillery23]

A Glimpse Into the World of Nicom Distillery

 Introduction

Welcome to the world of Nicom Distillery! We are a small, family-owned business that specializes in the distillation of fine spirits. Our products are made with only the finest ingredients, and we take great pride in our craftsmanship.

Our goal is to provide our customers with an exceptional experience, from the moment they walk through our doors to the moment they take their first sip of our spirits. We hope you'll take the time to learn more about us, and we look forward to welcoming you soon!

What Is Nicom Distillery?

Imagine if you could purchase whisky that was made from the finest Scottish barley and aged in the finest oak casks for a minimum of six years?

Sounds pretty good, right? Well, that's exactly what you can expect from Nicom Distillery. They take their whisky-making process seriously, and it shows in the final product.

What's even better is that Nicom is a small, family-owned distillery that takes great pride in its work. So not only will you be getting a high-quality product, but you'll also be supporting a local business.

The History of Nicom Distillery.

When it comes to whiskey, most people think of Scotland or Ireland. But what about Japan? Believe it or not, Japan has a long and storied history of distilling whiskey.

And one of the most respected distilleries in Japan is Nicom Distillery. Founded in 1885, Nicom has been producing some of the finest whiskey in the world for over 125 years.

What makes Nicom unique is its use of traditional Japanese methods and ingredients. They use barley that's grown locally, and the distilling process takes place in copper pots that have been heated by Japanese oak. This results in a whiskey that has a unique flavor and character that's unlike anything else out there.

So if you're looking for authentic Japanese whiskey, be sure to check out Nicom Distillery. You won't be disappointed.

The Products Offered by Nicom Distillery.

The team at Nicom Distillery is passionate about their products, and they take great care in selecting the right ingredients and perfecting their recipes.

They offer a range of spirits, including vodka, gin, and whiskey. And their products are available in both liquor stores and restaurants throughout the province.

If you're looking for a high-quality spirit that's made with care and attention to detail, then you should definitely check out the products from Nicom Distillery.

A Tour of the Facilities.

Welcome to the Nicom Distillery. Our award-winning spirits are the result of a careful distillation process that takes place in our state-of-the-art facilities.

Our distillery is divided into three sections: fermentation, distillation, and aging. In the fermentation section, we use a combination of yeast and bacteria to convert the sugars in the mash into alcohol. In the distillation section, the alcohol is heated and vaporized, then cooled and condensed into liquid form. And in the aging section, we store the finished product in oak barrels to give it its distinctive flavor.

Our process has been perfected over many years, and we're proud to offer some of the best spirits in the world. We hope you'll come and visit us soon!

The People Behind Nicom Distillery.

You want to know who we are, don't you? We're the team behind Nicom Distillery. We're a small, family-owned business, and we take a lot of pride in our work.

We've been distilling spirits for over a hundred years, and we've learned a thing or two along the way. We use only the finest ingredients, and we take our time to make sure each batch is perfect.

We're passionate about what we do, and we think you'll be able to taste it in our spirits. We hope you'll come to visit us soon, and we can give you a firsthand look at what goes into making our award-winning liquors.

The Distilling Process.

When you enter the doors of the Nicom Distillery, the first thing you'll see is still. It's a beautiful sight and one that immediately captures your attention.

The still is the heart of the distilling process, and it's where we start to make our magic. We use a combination of copper and stainless steel to create a unique flavor that's unmatched in the industry.

The mash is cooked in the still, and then it's cooled down and transferred to the fermenting tanks. This is where the yeast does its thing and starts to transform the sugar into alcohol.

Once it's been fermented, we distill it again to get rid of any impurities. From there, it goes into our tanks where we age it for just the right amount of time. And that's how we create our award-winning spirits!

Conclusion

At Nicom Distillery, we take great pride in our whisky-making process. Our distillery is located in the heart of Speyside, and we use only the finest ingredients to create our whisky.

If you're ever in the area, we invite you to come and visit us. We would love to give you a guided tour of our distillery and show you how we make our delicious whisky

[journey-of-our-lifetime]

Snitching Lady Distillery - Fairplay, CO

Not actually pictured: our pre-hike chicken sandwiches that were BOMB. If you drive through Fairplay or just want a really dank chicken sandwich, check out Otto’s (https://m.facebook.com/100063346681828/).

Snitching lady was our post-hike stop. They are originally from NC, but barrel whiskey 11k ft high in the Rocky Mountains! We all got fun drinks and watched the locals get excited about the rain (kinda like southerners oh and ah at snow).

[greatdrams]

Are New Whiskies Capitalising Without Proving Their Worth?

Over the last decade or so there has been a massive uptake in the Whisky industry. People are flocking to the market, excited by a spirit with so much diversity of flavour and adaptability.

Part of this is obviously the tendency for new distilleries to pop up here and there on an almost constant basis.

Now it’s not that I’m not all for new distilleries appearing. I love it when a new brand surfaces; it makes me excited for what’s going on in the Whisky industry, with new innovation everywhere.

The issue I have, is that many of these brands are marketing themselves as Super Premium or Premium, with little mettle to their claims.

Anyone can say their Whisky is Super Premium and needs a price tag that matches, but is that actually true? Is the quality actually there?

Marketing

A lot of this is to do with assumed quality and ‘limited edition’ bottlings of very young whisky. Tell people a product is Premium and they’ll want it more. We all like to pretend we’re not susceptible to marking, but hasn’t there been a time when you’ve bought something top of the range, got it home, and realised its actually a bit rubbish?

That’s how these distillers are getting consumers, and that’s what a lot of brands do to sell themselves as Premium. Now before I get sued, I’m not saying these brands actually are rubbish, I’m just explaining how the market for new distillery brands is evolving.

A recent brand with the Super Premium label attached is The London Distillery Company, who brand themselves as “the first to successfully distil Whiskey in the nation’s capital for more than 100 years”. Each bottle of their new Rye Whiskey costs £251.

That’s a lot of money. Especially for a new brand, with no history of distilling - and a fair few ups and downs, not to mention a ropey approach to customer service for those who bought their small barrels a number of years ago. The leaders in the Scotch world don’t even have the audacity to attach such a label to their anything but their finest blends and malts.

And yet, TLDC, as they like to be called, has entered the market with this staggeringly high price and nothing to prove that their malt is the quality it claims to be.

TLDC may have been the first to produce whiskey in the capital for 100 years, and I was one of those who bought their 20 litre barrels as I was very excited about that, as a Londoner, but nowadays there are several distilleries producing spirit for maturing into whisky in London.

One such distillery is Bimber, who also happen to promote themselves as one of the few distilleries making Whisky in the capital. They also promote themselves as being small batch and artisan, focussing on their location as something unique and special, setting them apart from others.

But again, they are a new brand, they have only been open since 2015, on what do they rest their laurels?

That being said, Bimber have seen impressive sales, and they have proved to be popular. But surely this is the point at which they can begin to craft their Premium label, not before they have proven themselves on the field.

Small Batch

TLDC have also only produced 251 bottles of their rye Whiskey, which makes it look like an exclusive, unique Whiskey. It also looks like a small batch Whiskey.

Small batch and artisan are two buzzwords that were originally used to describe craft Whiskies, but they have also become harbingers of overpriced Whiskies.

TLDC do not explicitly use this marketing, but brands like Wolfburn and Dingle do.

Both are new distilleries and both focus on small batch spirits, in the vein of craft creators but with premium price tags.

Again, with new releases there is no proven track record of why one would pay so highly for an unknown, fledgling brand.

Using words like small batch and artisan, things that bigger producers also do to make themselves appear more accessible and niche, are ways to signal to your audience a certain level of quality that your brand might not actually have.

Dingle is part of a much wider discussion on the exceptional uptake in interest in the Irish Whiskey industry.

They promote themselves as unique, but at a time when there are Irish distilleries appearing fairly regularly, can they really make this claim, and charge matching prices for their brand?

Whisky is a very particular spirit to craft, and can be hard to do it well. Smaller brands that are only establishing themselves now seem to be really holding fast to the new popularity of the spirit. It will be interesting to see if they last, like the bigger names in the game have, through both high points and low points in the market.

History and Provenance

As well as marketing, new brands also like to play up the history of what has gone before them. Whisky has been around for centuries, and has special significance in Scotland.

New brands, with very little of their own history like to tag onto this and use it to make their brands and products seem older and wiser than they are. They also like to focus on provenance, using consumers’ attraction to hyper-locality to sell their product.

Daftmill for instance, a brand that has been around since 2005 but has only released their first bottling, a 12 Year Old, earlier this year, focus on both of these.

They intertwine the history of the site of the distillery, with the history of the brand.

This makes consumers believe they have a much deeper connection to the land, and that they must therefore be very well versed in making Whisky. I like how they have approached things, and how they use these ideas to build up a much more robust idea of their brand than a new malt should perhaps have.

Wolfburn, as mentioned before, also use provenance to make their brand appear as much more connected to the history of Scotland and Scotch than it is.

They promote themselves as “the most northerly whisky distillery on the Scottish mainland” and attach the label “Made in Thurso”.

Now of course they are not making any false claims, but the idea of hyper locality and provenance is then used to slap a premium price tag on a malt that itself hasn’t been around long enough to warrant it.

One of the worst offenders of these ideas is the Spirit of Yorkshire, a brand that uses history and provenance to sell “maturing malt”.

It lures you into believing that you’re “following the Whisky on its journey” but really, you’re being sold liquid that isn’t old enough to be called Whisky, and you’re paying £40 for the privilege.

Clearly the malt cannot stand on its own two feet yet, but the distillery has been shrewd in selling you partially aged new make spirit.

That’s not to say that you won’t enjoy the Spirit of Yorkshire’s Maturing Malt, or that it isn’t worth buying. However, for £40, a higher price than many well established and award-winning distilleries would sell their perfectly aged malt at, you might want to think twice about what you’re actually getting.

Beware the Label

I don’t want to make your mind up for you. Maybe you enjoy some of the brands here or you recognise the traps of dubious marketing and are still happy to pay Premium prices.

That’s fine, to each his or her own, and you will certainly come across some brilliant malts that deserve the label.

But be aware that not all Premium and Super Premium malts are deserving of the title. And they are certainly not deserving of the price tag.

There are plenty of new distilleries out there that do not charge ridiculous prices for their malt and do not big themselves up to be more than they are. These are the ones that we might just have more chance of experiencing when Whisky isn’t quite as on trend as it is now.

The post Are New Whiskies Capitalising Without Proving Their Worth? appeared first on GreatDrams.

from GreatDrams https://ift.tt/2FA5iR0 Greg

[siriuswoodfiredpizza]

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ATTENTION ALL FOODIES/WHISKEY LOVERS. We do a lot of amazing private catering events that are not open to the public, so when we can invite you to something fabulous we are always elated. This an over the top boujee event for your palette. Garryana Edition 6 whiskey tasting/release day! Join us at @westlandwhiskey for their barrel release party! What are we doing for this event? Our catering clients know we love to cook with whiskey, so this Saturday we will be using their whiskey in our house made coffee whiskey BBQ sauce on our pulled pork pizza, and in a chocolate hazelnut sauce for desert. #RSVP required to get your tickets. https://westlanddistillery.com/garryana-tasting The schedule- Every Tuesday- Vinyl record night at North 47th Brewing Co. 1000 Town Ctr NE #160, Tacoma, WA 98422 from 5 pm to 8 pm. OUTDOOR SEATING, Beer, wine, seltzer, and Schilling Hard Cider on tap. Dog friendly. EVERY Wednesday- Acorn Brewing 2105 Meridian Ave E, Edgewood, WA 98371. 5 pm to 8 pm. OUTDOOR SEATING, Beer, Cockrell Hard Cider, wine, seltzer made on site, root beer made on site, and our permanent WEDNESDAY home. Family and dog friendly. Every Thursday- Cockrell Hard Cider. 6613 114th Ave Ct E, Puyallup. 4 pm to 7 pm. A 7 acre Apple orchard with LIVE MUSIC every Thursday and OUTDOOR SEATING/covered seating areas, and a fire pit. Our permanent THURSDAY home is 21 and up only. 18 months and under is allowed. No pets. Saturday, October 9th- A private product release party for a local distillery featuring their amazing libations as an ingredient on our wood fired pizza, appetizers, and desserts. Get your tickets now because this is going to be obscenely foodie. https://westlanddistillery.com/garryana-tasting Want us to come to your company event? https://www.siriuswoodfiredpizza.com/bringing-sirius-to-your-business (at Westland Distillery) https://www.instagram.com/p/CUu8iPPpZkk/?utm_medium=tumblr

[travelonlinetipsofficial]

These are the best craft spirits, mixers and distilleries of 2021

New Post has been published on https://www.travelonlinetips.com/these-are-the-best-craft-spirits-mixers-and-distilleries-of-2021/

These are the best craft spirits, mixers and distilleries of 2021

According to the Craft Spirits Data Project, active craft distilleries in the United States increased by almost 11% in 2020. That means consumers continue to have plenty of options when it comes to selecting premium, American-made spirits.

We wanted to find the best craft and small-batch spirits producers – family-owned distilleries, grain-to-glass operations and distillers using only the best local ingredients in their products. We invited a panel of industry experts, as well as food and drink writers, to help us nominate 20 companies in each category. Then we invited you to vote for your favorites.

The results are in.

Click on each category below to see the full winners list:

Best Canned Cocktail: Bravazzi Hard Italian Soda

Bravazzi Hard Italian Soda brings a taste of Italy home with you — Photo courtesy of Bravazzi Hard Italian Soda

Visit Italy from home with a sip of Bravazzi, a line of hard Italian sodas in clementine, blood orange, lemon and grapefruit flavors. These hard sodas are naturally gluten-free and contain no artificial ingredients.

Full list of winners: Best Canned Cocktail »

Best Craft Brandy Distillery: Huber’s Starlight Distillery in Starlight, Indiana

Huber’s Starlight Distillery uses estate-bottled wines to produce artisan European-style brandies and ports — Photo courtesy of Huber’s Starlight Distillery

Located at Huber’s Orchard, Winery & Vineyards, Huber’s Starlight Distillery uses estate-bottled wines to produce artisan European-style brandies and ports. Fresh blueberry juice is distilled into a wonderful blueberry liqueur that gets aged in red wine barrels for five to ten years, while a small-batch peach brandy is distilled from home-grown peaches.

Full list of winners: Best Craft Brandy Distillery »

Best Craft Gin Distillery: Revivalist Botanical Gins in Elverson, Pennsylvania

The Revivalists are shaking things up with their award-winning gin — Photo courtesy of Revivalist Botanical Gins

Housed in what they affectionately have nicknamed the “Hippie Barn,” the Revivalists are shaking things up with their award-winning gin. The philosophy behind their dry, juniper-forward gins is “is rooted in radical curiosity, bold experimentation, and love for one-of-a-kind experiences.”

Full list of winners: Best Craft Gin Distillery »

Best Craft Mixer Brand: Strongwater

This award-winning craft mixer finds inspiration in the apothecaries of the 16th century — Photo courtesy of Strongwater

Inspired by the apothecaries of the 16th century, Strongwater adds a dash of botanical integrity to cocktails through their line of herb and hemp bitters, shrubs and cocktail syrups.

Full list of winners: Best Craft Mixer Brand »

Best Craft Rum Distillery: LYON RUM in St. Michaels, Maryland

Rum lovers have numerous options to choose from at this award-winning distillery — Photo courtesy of LYON RUM

LYON RUM is the flagship spirit of Windon Distilling Company – a micro distillery on the Chesapeake Bay dedicated to distilling American rum from 100-percent Louisiana sugarcane using traditional pot stills. Rum lovers have numerous options to choose from: White Rum, Dark Rum and barrel-rested Sailors Reserve Rum, plus Curaçao, Coffee Rum, Rock&Rum and seasonal specialties like Toasted Coconut Rum, Overproof Pineapple Rum and Blackberry Harvest Rum.

Full list of winners: Best Craft Rum Distillery »

Best Craft Specialty Spirits Distillery: Cardinal Spirits in Bloomington, Indiana

Cardinal Spirits wows with their specialty spirits — Photo courtesy of Cardinal Spirits

Indiana’s Cardinal Spirits provide their American version of an Italian liqueur with its one-of-a-kind spicy and naturally sweet La Boite Amaro. Fifteen culinary spices are blended to complement distilled red wine. The distillery also offers a Valencia Spanish Orange Liqueur, a Songbird Coffee Liqueur with added bourbon vanilla beans and cane sugar, and a Floral Liqueur infused with raspberries and jasmine, elderflower and hibiscus.

Full list of winners: Best Craft Specialty Spirits Distillery »

Best Craft Vodka Distillery: South Fork Vodka in Grass Valley, California

South Fork Vodka is one of the most awarded vodkas in Northern California — Photo courtesy of South Fork Vodka

South Fork Vodka is a six-time distilled spirit that is 100-percent gluten-free and non-GMO. It has already become one of the most awarded vodkas in Northern California.

Full list of winners: Best Craft Vodka Distillery »

Best Craft Whiskey Distillery: Ironroot Republic in Denison, Texas

Ironroot Republic offers a true grain-to-glass experience — Photo courtesy of Ironroot Republic

Ironroot Republic mashes, ferments, distills, ages and bottles all their spirits in Denison, Texas for a true grain-to-glass experience. The lineup includes three whiskeys – two straight bourbons and a limited release straight corn whiskey.

Full list of winners: Best Craft Whiskey Distillery »

Best New Craft Distillery: City Gate Spirits in St. Augustine, Florida

These are the best new distilleries — Photo courtesy of City Gate Spirits

This new distillery offers moonshine, whiskey, rum and vodka, only steps from St. Augustine’s iconic city gate. Visit their tasting room to compare their Smoked Maple, Cinnamon and Peanut Butter whiskey options. Or, take the time to contrast their Pineapple, Coconut, Spiced Orange or Tropical rums.

If you prefer moonshine, they have White Lightning, Apple Pie and Orange N’ Cream flavors. Don’t forget their Grapefruit, Limoncello and Sweet Tea vodkas. You can also take home their Ancient City Spice or Passion Fruit Sour mixers as souvenirs of your trip to St. Augustine.

Full list of winners: Best New Craft Distillery »

Congratulations to all these Readers’ Choice Award winners! Remember to visit 10Best.com daily to vote in our other contests.

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[nwbeerguide]

In cooperation with distillery Pursuit Distilling, Crux Fermentation Project releases Batch No. 1 Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Press Release

Since the very beginning, Crux has always defined itself as a fermentation project, as their name suggests. Venturing beyond beer has always been in their DNA. And with this first whiskey offering, Crux is fulfilling a dream that’s been there from the start.

This straight bourbon whiskey is the latest chapter in their quest of fermented perfection. In partnership with Pursuit Distilling Co., they’ve crafted a unique whiskey, inspired by the best bourbons, ryes, and single malts from around the world.

It begins with a meticulously crafted wash – customized by Master Brewer Larry Sidor to capture all of the very best flavors, textures, and aromas possible for a truly unique whiskey. Pursuit Distilling took the wash and distilled it with innovative precision before aging it over two years in charred new American oak barrels.

 “It has been a dream collaboration to work with Larry and the Crux Team in creating and developing a unique mash bill that truly will pave the way for the future of spirit innovation. It’s collaborations like this that keeps things exciting and fresh for us at Pursuit.”  - Sam Agnew and Tyler Teeple, Pursuit Distilling Co. Co-Founders

The result is layered and distinct, featuring black cherry and vanilla aromas with chocolate and orange spice on the palette. This 100 proof, straight bourbon whiskey defies convention and delivers undeniable depth and complexity. In other words, this is the whiskey both Crux and Pursuit always dreamt of enjoying. 

“This collaboration has been nothing short of inspirational.  Sam and Tyler have embraced the concept from the start to develop a whiskey that defies the norm with layers and layers of intrigue.” – Larry Sidor, Crux Fermentation Project Master Brewer & Co-Founder

Like beer, whiskey is full of possibilities. So, join them in raising a glass and enjoying this inaugural moment, knowing another batch is already in the works. 

Bottles of this “Very Small Batch” whiskey will be available at Pursuit Distilling Co.’s tasting room in Enumclaw, Washington and a few select liquor stores in Bend, Oregon. Crux will be serving it neat and on the rocks at their tasting room starting Friday, February 18th.

…

ABOUT CRUX FERMENTATION PROJECT Crux Fermentation Project is a brewer-owned and operated community of craft beer lovers, committed to delivering beer, wine, and cider of uncompromising quality. And best of all, after nearly ten years we’re still just getting started. We invite you to join us in our wild pursuit of perfection wherever our creations are found. Or, come visit our Tasting Room located in the heart of Bend, Oregon – where amazing views of the Cascade Mountains and family-friendly vibes are paired with pizza, street tacos, and 25 of the best beers in town. CruxFermentation.com ABOUT PURSUIT DISTILLING COMPANY Pursuit Distilling Co. is a family-owned craft spirits distillery located in Enumclaw, WA. We produce several types of spirits including award-winning Flavored Whiskeys, American Single Malt Whiskeys, Vodka, Gin and other delicious spirits. We are committed to creating high quality, grain-to-glass products utilizing local Pacific Northwest resources and sustainable options whenever possible. It all started with a dream to create a Company that brings people together in celebration of good times and those to come.  www.pursuitdistilling.com 

from Northwest Beer Guide - News - The Northwest Beer Guide https://bit.ly/3rWXE9a

[drinkerrs789]

Everything you need to know about moonshine

Hey Friends, it looks like you're a little lost in the jungle. It can hurt a person here. We'll direct you to the route again, but it's best to forget that you saw us and our little distilling - i.e. camping - operation. So what did you see that’s right: nothing? Here, this is a brick jar. At home. This is the mood when it comes to moonshine. Distilled, true moonshiners are operated as needed in backwaters, clearings and other hiding places. Cue the world band and finally get your hands on some of these forbidden spirit things. Moonshine is our catchy word for illegally created distilled spirits. Presumably, the stolen distillers set up at night, in moonlight, to avoid detection. It has different names around the world, but here in the US we landed on the moonshine, which we think is very solid.

What is Moonshine

Moonshine is high proof liquor. Moonshine is one of the best America’s greatest spirits, but it’s really hard to make exceptionally well because it’s unaged. It is difficult to make moonshine without the major oak properties we usually think of when drinking whiskey. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, moonshine is defined as whisky or other strong alcoholic drinks made and sold illegally. With that definition, it may be confusing to walk into liquor stores and find booze labeled as moonshine

History of Moonshine

Moonshine has a history that is as abundant as the style of the soul. Most people may be aware of the infamous side of his past, but this American spirit boasts the right attributes to be celebrated today. A many years ago, American farmers grew tons of barley, corn, and rye. These grains fed the nation, but the surplus made perfect candidates for fermentation and distillation of liquor. While farmers do this work at home, whatever equipment they can get, completely out of the books. Prior to stainless steel kegs and refrigeration, high-ABV spirits such as corn whiskey were more stable products than beer, which deteriorated relatively quickly. You may surprise why Moonshine is historically illegal. Unsurprisingly the production of distilled spirits quickly became illegal and the reason was - as always - money. The United States has been taxing spirits since the time of George Washington. Breaking ties with the British Empire was not cheap, and by the time we agreed to see other people, the United States had taken on some serious debt. The "whiskey tax" was intended to raise funds to pay off debts. You can imagine, many amateur distillers were very angry about the new taxes and refused to pay. The reaction came to be known as the “whiskey rebellion". The situation became very tense; Washington had to intervene, but never resorted to violence. Maybe they just said it over a drink. The message was clear to distillers who did not want to pay: either get out of the game or take your operation to the desert. It is here that the mythical idea of ??the backwoods and the mason jar of clear super-hooch with reality. The more remote you’re distilling operation, the better the chance to avoid the law. The embargo revived the moonshine on a large scale, and underground distilleries worked to keep alcohol flowing with organized crime. After the ban failed, the moonlight dimmed, but it didn’t really fade completely.

Is Moonshine is Illegal

Yes. The real moonshine was, is and will not always be illegal. Historically, moonshiners made their own liquor to avoid laws, taxes and regulations. To ensure safety and quality standards are met without any FDA inspectors. In other words, the moonshine label we see on spirits today is flexible. It serves as a holistic term for alcohol that does not fall within a specific defined category. This means that the moonshine you buy at your local liquor store is safe for legal and responsible use. The legal moonshine that you are buying from Drinkerrs captures the original backwoods spirit, but also the feeling of not paying the ATF a hefty fine. You can't make and sell alcohol the way you make lemonade. Alas, the world does not work that way. Legal distilleries will have to register with the Tax and Title Bureau and pay taxes and licensing fees.

Process of Moonshine

Historically the American Moonshine Whiskey recipe has a healthy mix of cereals, such as corn, malt barley, and perhaps some spicy rye. Moonshiner will create a sour mash using warm water, yeast and friendly bacteria that you will find in yogurt. Ingredients form fermentation, alcohol. The fermented mixture is then distilled by heat, condensing in another pot as a fierce alcoholic spirit. This is a shorthand process.

Can we make Moonshine at home

No. Please don’t try. Distilling is very dangerous, as pure alcohol is a volatile substance. Training is also required to be able to identify potable ethyl alcohol from toxic versions such as methanol. Not all stories of bad moonshine blinding and killing people have happened. Ohh, and remember that it’s illegal. The government imposes some fines for domestic distillation, so you can browse here by browsing safe, delicious moonshine and leave on the Drinkerrs work to professionals.

Moonshine vs. Whiskey

No barrel aging. Most backwoods distillers didn’t burn American oak barrels to extend the life of their moonshine, so they drank it as it was or chopped it up with other natural flavors. Bourbon and Scotch whiskey get their color from barrel aging, while unaged whiskey is obvious. We call it white whiskey. Straight Moonshine is the same, and while it’s not as complex or beautiful as Amber Bourbon or Scotch, it’s incredibly powerful and provides a neutral canvas for other flavors and killer cocktails.

How Do You Make Moonshine Taste like Whiskey

It depends on which whiskey, you are talking about, but American bourbon whiskey legally needs 51% corn minimum. The biggest flavor contributor is not the sour mash, but the barrels themselves, so unless you get fresh burnt oak barrels at home, your best bet is to buy some of the best Buffalo Trace White Dogs and compare them to their beautiful straight bourbon. The white dog is very strong but the corn is more neutral in taste with a touch of sweetness.

Moonshine Types and flavors

As we discussed about moonshine here is the some flavor. 1) Firefly Apple Moonshine. 2) Firefly caramel Moonshine 3) Firefly cherry Moonshine 4) Firefly Moonshine strawberry. 5) Steelhouse Moonshine Peach tea

Drinking Moonshine

The sweetness of moonshine whiskey blends smoothly with vodka, so you can submit it for vodka in almost any cocktail to get some American flavor. The American mule is a great example. Swap some shine in for vodka in our recipe. That’s fantastic. Humble and never rebellious, Moonshine really opposes clear classification and we are quiet about it. Drink it straight from the jar or mix it into your favorite cocktail. We’ve got all the tastes here at Drinkerrs, so order some forbidden fun with Drinkerrs tonight!

[aion-rsa]

Heist Review: Netflix Doc Appreciates That Crime Pays

https://ift.tt/3ACIR5Y

You can watch, but you may not want to try these at home. Heist, Netflix’s new crime-docuseries, makes it look very tempting to go for the big money grab. Whether it comes in paper or bottles, bushels or barrels, cash is king, and it is fun to be a kingpin. Living large on illicit funds is a blast. Pursuit is inevitable. Capture is probable. Jail is doable. Especially if there is some money stashed away.

The interesting thing is, of all of the cases investigated in the show, the only criminal who might not have something saved for retirement is the one who got away with the crime and turned herself in. Told by the people who pulled them off, Heist is a cautionary tale that throws caution to the wind. The docuseries was produced by Dirty Robber, it chronicles the events of three famous modern heists. Each case gets two episodes, the build-up and the downfall. But underneath it all is a running romance with crime.

In the first episode, “Sex Magick Money Murder, a 21-year-old woman steals millions in Vegas casino cash. She does it for love, gives it up for love, and hopes her lover enjoyed his enriched life. That is, if he’s still alive. In “The Money Plane,” a man swipes $6 million from an airport warehouse in Miami to adopt a child for the woman he loves. “The Bourbon King” siphons off enough liquid gold to get a whole county drunk and the whole country watching, but the team captain gave up local softball fame for his wife.

The dramatic reenactments of the heists are as enthusiastic as the crimes. Heist sticks to robberies where no deaths occurred during the crime. This makes it easier to like the people who pulled off the jobs. We root for them. For the most part, they’re not career criminals. They are normal working stiffs who were lucky enough to be presented with an opportunity which was too good to pass up. Anyone watching might do it. That’s the hook. Remember, these people did time for it.

Director Derek Doneen had me at the title with “Sex Magick Money Murder.” When Heather Tallchief starts talking about tantric sex magic, you can feel how the very promise of crime pays off. Tallchief had a rough childhood, her mother dumped her on a father who scared crackheads because he smoked pot laced with formaldehyde. She finds the perfect man, a paroled murderer, with the greatest pickup line: “Do you believe in the devil?” Roberto Solis shot and killed an armored car guard during a robbery attempt in 1969. He wrote books while in prison, and had a way with words. A conversation begun in San Francisco ends in Las Vegas when they make off with over $3 million in a heist on a Loomis Armored truck.

Read more

TV

Money Heist: What to Know About the International TV Phenomenon

By Gene Ching

Heather, who had just gotten her driver’s license, gets a job as a driver just to pull off the crime. Her co-workers thought she was cute, but had such a bad sense of direction when she was late picking them up, they were afraid to call it in and get her in trouble. An actress playing Tallchief captures the wild ride with a wide range, from the whirlwind romance to the jealousies that broke it up.

All of the episodes are paced similarly to feature heist films like Ocean’s Eleven and Catch Me If You Can, but Cuban immigrant Karls Monzon hadn’t seen the film Goodfellas when he scored the biggest airport take since 1978 Lufthansa heist at New York’s JFK airport. It’s probably the only background cinema he didn’t study. Monzon schooled himself by watching crime shows on TV. He was a fast learner. The haul in the Martin Scorsese film was $5.875 million. Monzon nearly got away with stealing $7.4 million. He’s done his time, and swears none of his share of the money is left. But audiences would be well within their rights to hope he’s stashed some extra bundles in that PVC pipe.

“The Money Plane” was directed by Martin Desmond Roe, and he presents it with heart. The love story between Monzon and Cinnamon is told with wit, warmth and street wisdom. He wants the perfect American life: wife, house and baby, but even after several expensive treatments at fertility clinics, it looks impossible to hit the trifecta. When Monzon puts his mind to it, he can do anything, he says. He gets word of the cash transfer from Onelio Diaz, who works as a guard for Brink’s Security. Monzon’s mind works in mysterious ways, and he comes across as a natural talent.

“The Bourbon King,” directed by Nick Frew, takes a deep swig from Gilbert “Toby” Curtsinger’s personal stash of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. “Pappygate” was a headline news darling in 2013, when more than 65 cases of Pappy Van Winkle and Wild Turkey bourbons and rye whiskeys were reported stolen by the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Curtsinger was a good ol’ boy, and wasn’t doing anything everyone else wasn’t doing. He was just doing it better. On the Kentucky softball team he plays on, he could drive a grounder into a pitcher’s nuts at whim.

Curtsinger worked at the distillery for 26 years, starting at the loading docks and working his way up. He cops display bottles, and takes and makes deliveries at the finest of gatherings. He gets popped for having five full barrels of stolen Wild Turkey 101 bourbon on his property. Even though they specifically say the scenario isn’t anything like Dukes of Hazzard, Curtsinger’s team peels out off the most unbeaten paths. A player named Dusty is the most fun of the crew. Once he finds out he’s being followed, he plays with the cops, seeing just how far they’ll go before he strands them in some backwoods area with no offramp. He sets a meeting with county deputies just across the line of their jurisdiction.

The high points are the details. Not only on how the crimes were committed, but why. The human stories that lead to legendary lawlessness. Also, most true crime documentaries, like Making a Murderer, still leave audiences with questions. Their function is to solve a case, and more often than not are cold cases. Heist presents closed cases. It is unique because people who committed the crimes get more airtime than the ones who solve it.

The stories are told from the perspective of people who know what it feels like to pull off an impossible crime. The criminals openly discuss the finer points, from a wise distance, but with fond memories. What does $7.4 million look like? It looks beautiful. We get how they select their targets, put together the crew, the meticulous planning, the emotional journey, the redemption, and the regret. But there is one more dividend. Each installment leaves some hint about unrecovered swag. Heist pays off, because the thrill of the theft is its own reward.

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Heist premieres July 14 on Netflix.

The post Heist Review: Netflix Doc Appreciates That Crime Pays appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[bourbonbaytalks31]

New Post and Possible A VIP tour tomorrow!!!

I just posted my new podcast about how whiskey and bourbon is made. I also discuss and taste one of my favorite bourbons Cavehill from Rabbit Hole Distillery. With a little help and information with some illustrations from the Stave and Thief Society and the Whiskey course we devil deep into the process of making whiskey which is a complex process. There are many decision from which grains should be used the "mash bill," how fine and what ratio's should the grains be milled down to. To fine and it can gum up the machinery to coarse and it can wear down the metal.

Then we go into the fermentation and distillation to the barreling and bottling. So go and check out my video at Bourbon Bay Talks on YouTube and if you like it give a comment and subscribe. Also give me some feedback on other topics you like me to discuss, if you like me to have a video where we even go into further detail about the distilling process? If you like to talk about the barreling or maturation process which is a sciences in its own right.

Tomorrow I will be having a private tour from Patrick Sullivan from Gambler Bay Distillery in Tampa. So tune in and check it out where we will get a visual of the distilling process and a inside look at a local craft distillery from my home town. So again come check out my podcast and thank you again for the support. #TampaBay #Bourbon #GamblerBay #BourbonBayTalks.

[dipulb3]

Opinion: The trade war is devastating whiskey distillers like me

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/opinion-the-trade-war-is-devastating-whiskey-distillers-like-me/

Opinion: The trade war is devastating whiskey distillers like me

The recent agreements between the United States, EU and United Kingdom to invoke a four-month suspension on certain tariffs — including on other distilled spirits from the United States as part of the World Trade Organization’s long-running aircraft subsidy dispute — is a positive sign that 2021 might bring an end to this nearly three-year tariff standoff. It’s critical the Biden administration acts to protect the US’s largest spirits export, American whiskey. The EU’s planned June 1 doubling of the tariff on American whiskey will create such a high barrier to entry into the European market that it will bring my export business to a screeching halt.

Since opening Houston’s first legal whiskey distillery in 2014, our little business has expanded beyond the borders of Texas and into Europe, where international consumers have gravitated toward the taste of American whiskey.

At our peak, we were shipping approximately 6,000 cases a year of our American whiskey to Spain and other European countries. This international success was not only benefitting our distillery and our employees, but our entire US supply chain from barrel makers to local farms.

Then, in June 2018, the tariffs hit. American whiskey products exported to the EU and UK were slapped with a 25% retaliatory tariff as part of trade disputes concerning steel and aluminum tariffs, which are completely unrelated to distilled spirits.

As a result, American whiskey distilleries are being crushed.

Last year, our shipments to the EU dropped to just 3,000 cases, and this year, we are projected to ship only 1,000. Our declining international business has created significant challenges. American whiskey takes time to age, and production plans are made years in advance. Not only am I now losing out on exponential international sales, but I also have nowhere to store the whiskey we had planned to ship to Europe. And, with the severe impact of the pandemic, flooding our domestic market is not a viable option.

At the start of Covid-19, our tasting room and tours were completely shut down for five months. We stayed busy by answering the call to produce hand sanitizer when our country was in need. Our distillery produced about 3,200 gallons of sanitizer for first responders, healthcare workers and our community. Since we reopened, we have kept a 50% occupancy for the safety of our staff and consumers.

In a normal year, we would be welcoming 6,000 to 10,000 visitors a year to our distillery. But last year, we had just 2,000 guests. Due to the decline in visitors and the subsequent loss in sales, we were forced to furlough 10 of our 17 distillery workers.

These tariffs are exacerbating an already devastating situation. As a result of the tariffs and the pandemic, we only realized about 35% of the sales we had projected for 2020, and now, we have had to put our plans to build a new distillery on hold.

President Biden’s chief trade negotiator Katherine Tai recently said before the Senate that the tariffs on American whiskey are “very much” on the administration’s minds and they are working with the EU on securing the removal of the tariff.

I am optimistic that the Biden administration will make it a priority to untangle this tariff mess and allow small distilleries like mine to begin to rebuild, recover and get back on the path to growth.

[bike42]

Kentucky Derby Weekend April 29 – May 2, 2021

Wednesday evening, we took Sox the cat downtown to Bailey’s condo, then came home to pack (the cat hates to see suitcases).  I can pack for a hiking trip with my eyes practically closed, but this kind of trip took some thinking!  I had to match shoes, purses and jewelry to all of my outfits, and then of course there was my hat.  Since we’d decided to drive the 6+ hours to Louisville, space wasn’t an issue and we were able to load our car with hat boxes, a large bag of snacks, yoga mat, pillows and suitcases!

 We were up at 6am on Thursday, anxious to get going, and we were on the road just after 7am.  As we were packing last night, Jeff wondered if our iPass was in the new Audi – I thought it was, but we didn’t check.  We had decided to travel straight down through Illinois and skip the Chicago madness so I was thinking tolls wouldn’t be an issue anyway. But as we got to Janesville, we recalled we still had the one toll near Rockford, so I checked the glove box – the iPass was not there.  It had been in our old Audi, so I thought it was odd that we’d have moved it to the other car – we haven’t travelled to Illinois since February 2020.  Then Jeff said he thought he remembered that our new Audi has a built-in toll pass?!  I got out the manual and sure enough!  It led me through the steps to get it activated, and I was able to get it set up just moments before we hit the Illinois border.

 We had rain through most of Illinois, but decent traffic and no major slowdowns even though there was a lot of road construction. We turned east at Bloomington toward Danville, IL which started us reminiscing about our 2013 cycling trip down the length of the state.

 The trees were more leafed out than ours and it seemed to get greener with every mile we traveled.  As we got south of Indianapolis, we saw our first Waffle House, so we stopped the Waffle House in Taylorsville for our favorite breakfast (regardless of the time of day) when we’re in the south (waffles, eggs over easy, split a side of bacon).

 We arrived in Louisville and checked into the downtown Hilton Garden Inn just before 3pm. That left us ample downtime for yoga, naps, catching up email from the day, and showers before our 7pm dinner reservation at Vincenzo’s.

 So many experiences already on the trip feel novel, packing last night, a six-hour road trip, and now checking into the nicest hotel we’ve stayed in since February 2020. Once upside to the pandemic and its quarantine is the pure appreciation I have for the ability to travel again!

 The restaurant was an easy walk from the hotel, and even though we’d checked the weather app before we headed down from our room, we were surprised to have sprinkles on our faces when we stepped out onto the sidewalk. No worries, Jeff had his rain coat and I had my beautiful poncho that I’d bought in Paris two years ago on a rainy April day.

 We had a great leisurely dinner, four courses and a bottle of wine.  It was nice to be dressed up and out together again.  The staff and service were amazing, and we tried to chat a bit with the gentleman we thought was the proprietor (Vincenzo?), but he seemed to have limited English (or hearing).  We’d heard on the local news before going out that that town of Louisville was so excited about this week-end – several hotels and restaurants were booked full – and that’s news!  

  After dinner, we walked through the Fourth street party area, which was fairly subdued at 6:30pm but we expected it’d be hopping later. There was a friendly guy on the street having a cigarette, he was a beer salesman named Scott from Appleton, WI.  He was excited to tell us all about what to expect at the derby, how crowded this area should be right now (in a normal year), all the famous people he’d previously partied with here, etc.  He’d have gone on all night, but his wife was calling him from a nearby table telling him his dinner was getting cold!

 We had a lazy Friday morning, then we were out on the street at 9am to walk to waterfront park. Our hotel was a great location, and we found it was a beautiful day. It wasn’t long before we were peeling off layers. We walked along the Ohio river, east to the converted railroad bridge called the Big Four Bridge, the headed back. The river itself is muddy and filled with debris, but the Waterfront Park was fabulous. All of the people we encountered were so friendly – many greeting us with “Happy Derby!”

 We had tickets to tour the Louisville Slugger factory and museum at 11am, so we walked back along the waterfront and found it in a funky part of old town (Main Street) – the area that had been known as Whiskey Row at the turn of the century.  We really enjoyed the tour.  Since I’d booked it last week, I had this song lyric with “Louisville Slugger” trying to work its was to the front of my brain.  I took to google when we were having lunch later and figured out its from Mary Chapin Carpenter’s song “The Bug.”  It goes:  “sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug … sometimes you’re the Louisville Slugger, baby, sometimes you the ball … “

 After lunch we wandered into the Evan Williams Experience, where we sampled Peach Mint Juleps – yum.  Back to the hotel, we had a nap, then showers – ready for our next event at 3:30pm.  This was an event booked by the group where we got our tickets:  Princeton Sports Group.  It was billed as “Derby Eve at Buffalo Trace,” but we weren’t sure what to expect.  We got to the lobby and found we were a busload of people, and we were headed to the Buffalo Trace Distillery, about an hour away in Frankfort!  Our guide and driver were great, they plied us with cocktails and information about bourbon and the trip went fast.  

 When we arrived at the distillery, there were three other packed busses, so we had a wait a bit to get through the temperature screening and get assigned to a guide.  The distillery had a policy that everyone wear masks (except when seated in the tasting room), even outside, and some in our group were pretty vocal about thinking that requirement was ridiculous (especially the group from Texas!).

 While I enjoyed the tour of the rickhouses (3-4 floor buildings where whiskey is aged after its barreled), and the room where the empty barrels were stored, I was disappointed that we didn’t get to tour the actual distillery – I wanted to see the chemistry!  None-the-less, we had an enthusiastic tour guide and it continued to be a beautiful day and we enjoyed the beauty and the history of the property while we waited our turn to enter the tasting room.  There we were socially distanced at spots with 5 shots laid out for each of us – a vodka (too strong for me just straight), and three bourbons with progressively better quality:  Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, and Blanton’s Single Barrel (we’d been introduced to that last month by our nephew Calvin, a far superior bourbon).  We thought the tasting finished with their Bourbon Cream (like a Bailey’s) which was yummy on its own, but they served it with a shot glass of root beer and when we combined the two – we found heaven! Since it was Derby time, they finished the tasting with a demonstration of making Mint Juleps, and we each were served a large portion of that!

 After the tasting, we had some time to shop, so we headed to the store and bought a bottle of their Bourbon Cream (they sell out of Blanton’s as soon as its bottled, or we’d have bought that too).  By then we were mildly buzzed and in need of food.

 Back on the bus, we travelled about 20 minutes before stopping at Jeptha Creek – an event center where we had dinner, more drinks, dancing to a bluegrass band and playing a little corn-hole in the yard. During dinner, we sat with two couples that had arrived on another bus – also their first Derby experience and we enjoyed trading stories with them.  

 On our bus back to Louisville, our guide decided it was time for bus Karaoke (using the music on his phone and holding it up to the microphone).  One guy, who didn’t seem particularly gregarious, got up to sing, and sang very well as the bus lurched along the interstate.  We sang all the way to the hotel, a fun night.

 We awoke Saturday morning to another beautiful day, and had a leisurely morning with a hotel room workout and breakfast. We had the local NBC affiliate that had full time coverage from Churchill Downs and we watched the first two races on TV before heading out. The gates opened at 10am, but that felt too early to go, yet there were plenty of partiers already there.

 We headed out of the hotel about noon. It was a bright sunny day and neither of us were prepared with sunscreen, so we walked around the corner to the CVS drugstore. As we walked down the street, we were greeted with shouts of “Happy Derby Day,” and nearly every vehicle driving by stopped as asked if we wanted a “shuttle” to the track. Our hotel offered a shuttle for $40 per person (which I thought was excessive), we could have driven our car and parked at the University lot and walked from there, but we’d decided we were going to take an Uber (I really want to think the best of people, but it seemed like a bad idea to jump into a car with someone who’s just taped a “Derby Shuttle” sign to his car for the day).

 As we walked into CVS, a confrontation broke out between a store employee and a young black man who was accused of having stashed something inside his coat. You could feel the tension in the store, and it put me on edge too. Other employees were suggesting the manager hold the guy until the police arrived. We grabbed a bottle of sunscreen and went to the checkout, where the clerk was almost too distracted to check us out.

 As we walked out the door, the managers had wrestled the man outside and the police had arrived. The scene quickly was surrounded by others that were taking videos on their cell phones. We moved around the corner, and didn’t see how it resolved, but it went quietly. Perhaps the manager was wrong?  

 Last month, we both got new iPhones, and are still struggling with having to sign into apps we haven’t used!? Ugh. We both really struggle trying to recall passwords that our phones have been so diligent about remembering, or allowing us to use face recognition. After a bit, Jeff succeeded in getting into his Uber app, but then his credit card had changed since we last used Uber, probably in NYC in 2019. My nerves were still on edge, and I was a bit panicked about standing here outside CVS with both of us focused on the phone, Jeff with his wallet in his hand and his credit card out. I pulled out my phone and was able to log into my Uber and my credit card was still active, so I said “I’ll order the Uber and you can work on your account another time!”

 We had a great Uber driver, Onfraus. He had a Green Bay Packer emblem on the front of his Jeep. His girlfriend is from Wausau and he knew a lot about Madison. He asked if State Street was still the place to be, and was shocked when we told him of the devastation after “protests” turned violent last year when windows were smashed and businesses looted after the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis. We all agreed it didn’t make sense - the wrong people in the wrong place, with a demonstration of anti-police effort. His calm wonderful manner helped calm my frayed nerves. A lifelong Louisville resident, he was helpful in explaining where he had to drop us, and how to walk to the track from where he dropped us, and also where to find the Uber pickup lot to get our ride back to the hotel after the Derby. It was just over three miles - $45 with tip (surge pricing).

 It was easy to figure out the way to the track, we followed the colorful crowd. Lots of young adults - many of them quite drunk already. I was surprised that many people had chairs, headed for the infield lawn which is where the party really happens, we’d heard. We followed the crowd to the gates, went through security, but our tickets wouldn’t read in the scanner - oh no. Our panic was relieved when a supervisor told us we had Clubhouse tickets, and we were at the infield gate, the wrong gate. They led us out and we worked our way against the crowd for a bit, and felt like was walked all the way around the outside of the track until we found our gate. I’d worn shoes for comfort and was glad to be walking before sitting for the next six hours or so.

 At the Clubhouse entrance, things were more civilized and the crowd was scarce. In fact, due to COVID, they’re operating at about 40% capacity - so for someone like me that likes my personal space, this was perfect!

 We found our seats - the first two seats in a box that was set up for just four, but could accommodate six. Every other box was blocked out with a tarp to maintain physical distance, so we had perfect sight lines to the finish like right in front of us. We were in the covered section, so no need for that sunscreen after all (but we saw quite a few people who could have used it).

 There was a race roughly every hour, so we fell into an easy pattern of watching a race, then exploring the grounds in between races. This year for the first time, all food and drink were included in the ticket price, so we grazed on food and I sampled most of the specialty cocktails: Mint Julep, Whiskey Spire (cranberry) and the Lily (vodka and grapefruit).

 For me, the neatest part about being onsite was standing at the edge of the paddock. Not only was the people watching amazing, but it gave us a close look at the horses. They’d be led around the circle, some seemed proud to be on display, some were fighting being led around, then they’d pull them into a cubicle where magically the tiny saddle would be strapped to the horse, then another lap or two, photos with the owners / VIP and one last parade past with the jockey onboard. How cool it was to see that up close. I’d never noticed their lightweight boots, and the small stirrups that seemed strung up too high. From the paddock, the procession would move under the grandstand and out onto the track where they’d parade by, before heading around the track to the starting gate (which was out of our view, but we could see it on the large video screen). The only downside to being there in person is the race happens so fast and with the crown noise and the garbled speakers, we couldn’t really tell how the horses we’d selected we’re doing!

 We were joined in our box by a dapper young man, Jackson and his girlfriend, Danni, from Miami. Jackson split his time growing up between Middleton WI with his dad (attended Edgewood High School), and Louisville with his mom. He’d been to the derby many times before, but this could have been his first time trying to impress a girl with his knowledge. They were cute.

 In the box kitty-corner to our front right, there were Louisville police officers. They primarily spent their time scrolling through their social media feeds on their phones. Later in the evening, two started smoking cigars and snapping photos of themselves. It seemed inappropriate and was noxious to be around, but the smell of cigar smoke was pervasive throughout the day regardless. As we were heading out to explore between races, we stopped to ask them if it’d be safe to walk the three miles back to our hotel after the race. They looked at us like we had two heads!

 The actual “Derby” the twelfth of fourteen races during the day. It was the only race we actually bet us, choosing Hot Road Charlie (Jeff pick which finished third), and my pick, Rock Your World, finished in seventeenth place. We’d added the favorite pick of the day, Essential Quality to our trifecta bet (it came in fourth). Almost, but that doesn’t count in horse racing, so we lost our $200 but had fun doing so!

 We hung around for a bit, enjoying some last-minute people watching, then joined the stream of people heading out of the main gate.  We turned right, towards the Uber lot, which meant we were once again walking against the crowd leaving the infield – many were now very drunk, most were sunburned, and some were being carried.  It seemed to be a zoo at the Uber lot, and the app showed our same driver, but it’d oscillate between 20-30 minutes away.  The crowd and the noise of the Jesus Freaks yelling at the crowd through bad speakers was making me crazy, so I lobbied to start walking.

 We walked with a smaller crowd, but many of them pealed off as we strolled through the U of L campus.  We walked past large house parties, still going strong.  After a mile, there were only a handful of us still walking towards downtown, but it felt good to move and the neighborhood felt ok. Several people that we’d pass would shout out friendly greetings, and we just kept moving, only slightly creeped out by the recommendation from the police that we don’t try to walk back to the hotel.

 It started getting dark as we got close, but by then, it felt like a normal evening stroll.  It felt great to get to the room though and jump into the shower to wash away the dirt and cigar smoke from the day!  We were probably both sleeping by 9pm!

 On Sunday, we were up before our alarm, so we got dressed and finished packing up and we were crossing the Ohio back into Indiana before 7am.  An uneventful drive, and great to be home in the early afternoon and still enjoy the day.