Lazy Guy Distillery - Kennesaw GA

[maybeling]

After watching things get interesting in the 13th Colony rye thread I was curious about other GA distilleries. I came across the site for Lazy Guy Distillery in Kennesaw. Anybody know anything about them or tried any of their products? I don't believe I've ever noticed any of their bottles in the Atlanta area.

Here is their lineup:

Kennesaw Lightning - 100 Proof Corn Whiskey

Threesome Whiskey - 80 Proof Whiskey (Corn, Wheat, and (guessing malted) Barley) aged less than 1 year in oak barrels

Cold Heart - 120 Proof Corn Whiskey aged less than 1 month in oak barrels

The General - 150 Proof Corn Whiskey

Side Track Bourbon - 90 Proof, coming in Spring 2015

[ramblinman]

just chiming in as another Atlantan, haven't seen it anywhere so they must have little to no distribution.

[bjbronwyn]

Appropriate name if they wont age their whiskey!

[squire]

150 proof corn sounds like a marketing concept.

[tanstaafl2]

I haven't seen it but then again I haven't really looked for it. Don't get down to the corn whiskey/"moonshine" aisle that often. Don't see anything in that list that makes me want to start looking either I have to admit.

[TunnelTiger]

Me either. I've bought one bottle of Mellow Corn and one bottle of Tim Smiths moonshine for Mrs TT because she likes the TV show

[maybeling]

Another one: http://www.georgiadistilling.com/

Anybody ever tried this any of their products? Again, I don't think I've ever noticed it on shelves. Curious if the Doc Holliday rye is any good and if it's actually their own distillate... Their web site seems fairly light on facts.

[GaryT]

Looking at their web-site, they just started distribution this month. Can't say any of the product strike my fancy, but the notion of a distillery so close definitely feels like a GBS roadtrip opportunity

[BigRich]

Looking at their web-site, they just started distribution this month. Can't say any of the product strike my fancy, but the notion of a distillery so close definitely feels like a GBS roadtrip opportunity

Mr Chairman, I'd like to second the motion on the floor and also nominate member Country as the coordinating body.

[ramblinman]

Me either. I've bought one bottle of Mellow Corn

Can't put Mellow Corn in the same bucket as the legal shiners, at least they put some age into it and some quality control in the distilling. Not really my preference either, but its miles above the 30 day old for $50/bottle swill that so many little guys are pushing.

[squire]

Another one: http://www.georgiadistilling.com/... Their web site seems fairly light on facts.

Light on facts means lack of facts.

[GaryT]

Mr Chairman, I'd like to second the motion on the floor and also nominate member Country as the coordinating body.

I'm happy to coordinate, and for the East Cobb contingent, should be fairly simple. I'll reach out to see if they do tours regularly, or how much notice they need.

[GaryT]

Lazy Guy Distillery Tour Notes (GBS Contingent) - August 23^rd, 2014

Mark Allen is the owner/distiller who provided the tasting and tour. Below are notes from the tasting (which we did prior to the tour).

Members who added were Bill, Bruce, Rich, Joel and myself.

Kennesaw Lightning – 100 proof

Mashbill: 80% corn, 20% barley

Fairly typical corn whiskey. Mark explained that the barley he uses is NOT malted.

Threesome Whiskey – 80 proof

Mashbill: 60% corn, 30% wheat, 10% barley

Bourbon mashbill/distillate, but aged in used barrels. They also use toasted staves to add more flavor since the barrels are being reused. Toasted barrels rather than charred barrels to impart more of a smoky/floral flavor compared to coconut/vanilla. Done in 25 gallon barrels. Won’t go to a 53 gallon barrel with this whiskey as it would take too long to age it to the profile he is seeking, and it isn't cost effective to buy a toasted 53 gallon barrel just to have to wait 3 additional months for it to age (he didn’t specify how long it ages, the label states less than a year).

Bruce remarked that this could be a corn whiskey, but Mark pointed out that the mashbill has to be 80% corn (Bill asked that the minutes record that Bruce was wrong about “somethingâ€, so duly noted - a first for everything!)

Bruce inquired how long he would continue to use those 25 gallon barrels; if he would stop at some point. Mark explained that he will continue using them and supplementing them with toasted sticks until the barrel industry can meet demand. The initial plan was to use them 4 times and then sell them, but he can’t buy new barrels timely enough. When he gets 2 new barrels in, he will sell his 2 oldest barrels, and so forth (he expects this first swap will take place in 60-90 days).

Bruce asked if he has always used the toasted sticks, or only since he has had to keep reusing them. Mark explained that only since he has kept reusing them. He has yet to bottle the first run using the toasted fusion sticks (American oak), although that will happen shortly (within a week or two). Mark shared that the flavor profile is pretty close, but there is a subtle difference – the newer stuff with the toasted sticks has a bit of a spicy note to it.

Cold Heart Whiskey – 120 proof

Mashbill: 60% corn, 30% wheat, 10% barley

Basically white dog, but it passed through a barrel so he can legally call it whiskey (not aged in a barrel). In their tasting room, he has a small barrel (like a 2 liter barrel) with this being aged in it, as you could call it bourbon if you aged it in new oak. He passed around a sample of that to nose (not taste) just to show what 8 weeks of age had done to it (interesting). It is like a baby bourbon. For 120 proof, not a lot of burn. Mark pointed out that if you buy one of these small craft barrels to age something, make sure you don’t buy one that is painted or varnished (it doesn't allow the air to pass through and it doesn't age right).

Bill inquired as to what their target market is, as these products aren't bourbon but more moonshine. Mark explained that his market is someone who will spend 25-35 for a bottle without giving it a second thought, every month. Our group doesn't represent the typical customer, and we’re likely not his target. He explained that his suppliers aren’t always the same either, so his flavor profile won’t be identical - it will be similar, but not the same, as he isn't big enough to make enough quantity and mix batches.

The General – 151 Proof Corn Whiskey

Mashbill: 80% corn, 6% rye, 7% rye, 7% barley

Mark had to go with more corn in order to distill and bottle at that proof. To Mark’s knowledge, this is the only 4 grain, 151 proof corn whiskey on the market. For that proof, very smooth (several of us found this to be smoother than Cold Heart). The story on this was that his distributor was there one day when they were running the still and tried some right off the still at 180 proof and told him he needed to bottle that like it was. He couldn't bottle it at that proof and call it whiskey, so he put it at 151 and did some market analysis – and it got more traction than he expected. Mark sees this as a novelty product – not a once every few months purchase. Mark says it mixes really well with a BBQ if you’re doing steaks, or makes a nice boilermaker. This product hadn't been through mixology yet to determine some recipes it would be good in, but it will go into mixology in September.

Bill asked if this was a production or distribution problem, Mark advised that this is somewhat by design. He doesn't want to release his product to every store and every restaurant, as he wants it to be a coveted product. But at the moment, it is a little more coveted than he thought. Stores are buying split cases with 3 bottles or each product. By the time Mark updates his web-site with what store has it, they are sold out – and it takes them another 3-4 days to get another case. In his opinion, until the stores stock their shelves properly, it will be hard to come by. It isn't a distribution problem, as it is in stock with National, and he has 4 pallets out back – so it isn't production. The challenge is they are a new product, Georgia isn't known for making whiskey – so stores aren't going out of their way looking to carry it or buy it in quantity. He expects that in time the stores will realize that it is selling fast enough, and if they sell out of it in less than 2 weeks a few times – they’ll start ordering cases of each rather than split cases.

They have also been in discussions with some restaurants, but haven’t gotten orders written yet.

Next year, he expects to release some bourbon, as well as a white peach brandy. Bill asked why white peach over regular peaches. Mark explained that he likes white peach better; it has higher sugar content, but the problem is that it is more expensive than yellow peach – so it might be white peach/yellow peach mixed with at least 51% white peach so he can call it that. The orchards only allocate about 1% of their crop to white peach, so he is having to buy it from 8 or 9 different locations, and the problem is that it is nearly impossible to get it in at the same time from these different sources. He can’t store it (no refrigeration units), so it has to be in the mash tank within 24 hours of receipt. They’re getting in the raw stone fruit, so they are de-stemming and pitting them on-site and mixing with a cement mixer. He looked into puree but that is six times more expensive.

Bill shared that he recently heard that if you take a peach pit and roast it for 30 minutes or so, you can crack it open and there is a nut inside – which you can roast and it is quite good. Mark shared that if you put that peach pit in a still and run it through you could produce trace amounts of cyanide. Some other visitors who were tasting at the same time jumped in and shared that peach pits are real high in cyanide, and 5 or 6 of those will kill you; or about 2.5 cups of apple seeds (both Rich and I were uncomfortable with the level of specific knowledge that these gentleman had and were sharing with regards to cyanide production).

Unfortunately the recording stopped before the tour of the distillery, but Mark was a very knowledgeable guy; and very sensible/practical in how he set things up and was running things. While their current product set doesn't get me too excited, I'll probably buy a bottle or two in support of them and look for what they make in the future.

Thanks to Bruce and Bill for asking great questions!

[gooneygoogoo]

Lazy Guy Distillery Tour Notes (GBS Contingent) - August 23^rd, 2014

Mark Allen is the owner/distiller who provided the tasting and tour. Below are notes from the tasting (which we did prior to the tour).

Thanks for the info! Well done

[Harry in WashDC]

Wonderful notes, Gary. That was a fun post to read.

[TunnelTiger]

Great notes Gary. One of my local dealers got a shipment of all of them and after reading your notes I think i'll pick up a bottle of the General for some mixing.

[smokinjoe]

Lazy Guy Distillery Tour Notes (GBS Contingent) - August 23^rd, 2014

They’re getting in the raw stone fruit, so they are de-stemming and pitting them on-site and mixing with a cement mixer...

[GaryT]

Ah, the romance of making whiskey...

Yeah, he takes a very practical/pragmatic approach to his craft, which as a process guy/geek I can relate to.

Picture the large, cypress fermentation tanks at Maker's Mark, where you can dip you fingers in during the tour to taste the mash . . .

Below are their fermentation "tanks". Not nearly as pretty, but quite effective (he made mention of his efficiency results and yields, which for such a small operation sounded impressive).

[squire]

I'm beginning to like this guys style.

[TunnelTiger]

After a couple Balcone Brimstone bloody marys having another with the General. Young corn is really overwhelming. To early to decide up or down yet.

[GaryT]

After a couple Balcone Brimstone bloody marys having another with the General. Young corn is really overwhelming. To early to decide up or down yet.

[TunnelTiger]

I believe it was $34.99.

4

[flahute]

TT, at first, I thought you were making a bloody mary with Compass Box, The General. My brief moment of being stunned was quickly rectified when I realized what you were actually using.

[maybeling]

Had a few minutes to spare this morning, so I hit up ye olde TTB database to search for anything new from GA (class 100-200, origin 08). Found a couple recently cleared labels from Georgia Distilling. Looks like they let their domain name registration lapse, so their web site isn't available anymore.

This just cleared 4 days ago 10/20/14:

Lowered Expectations Bourbon Whiskey - "good enough."

https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/viewColaDetails.do?action=publicFormDisplay&ttbid=14247001000136

This cleared on 09/27/14:

Hawkins Rye Whiskey - "Double Barreled"

https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/viewColaDetails.do?action=publicFormDisplay&ttbid=14230001000261

Neither of these give me a whole lot of confidence... Was curious about this Hawkins Rye which is "Guaranteed" by the Levaggi Company of San Francisco. Label says it is a "double barreled blend of Kentucky's finest Rye bourbon." So, um why is it labeled as a rye? And I'm guessing the usage of "double barreled" here doesn't refer to the same technique utilized by Prichard's and Bowman, etc.??? A quick google led me to this re: Levaggi Co.: http://pre-prowhiskeymen.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-levaggis-of-san-francisco-mixing.html

Edited October 24, 2014 by maybeling