boone Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 This is a picture of our (Heaven Hill) booth during the 2000 Kentucky Bourbon Festival. Take note the chicken feathers everywhere...Geeezzzzzzzzz...Nearly the entire grounds (in front of Spalding Hall) were covered with feathers... I bought a goose down feather pillow cut it open and let it rip ...The wind whipped up...and everybody was advertising my theme, "Chicken Coop" (Fighting Cock)...The sides of the booth were lined with chicken wire...The clothes and items were held up with clothes pins...straw, feathers...Just like a real chicken coop...Without the smell I think this one (booth) attracted the most attention... I just love looking at pictures ...I included lots of pictures that I took at the bottling house Hey...how many people do you know, spray paint their staw metalic gold, use gold metalic fabric for accents, in a chicken coop? ...Works for me My husband, Pat, just looked at me when I told him I was gonna do that Looked great..Rivers of gold...with our Bourbon Bottles in the stream ... Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillman Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Bettye Jo, in that Japanese miniature bottle site I just mentioned there are some neat pictures of filled Heaven Hill bottles. They seem to date from early 1940's to the 1960's or a bit later. Two state that the whiskey was "charcoal filtered". Nice rich colours on all of them except the oldest looking one which may date from not long after the distillery started up and probably was not long-aged (there is an age statement on the left side of the label but I can't decipher it).There are neat pics of many whiskeys sometimes talked about here, e.g. the original Geo. T. Stagg, Old Fitzgeralds from the 40's-60's, Old Grandads, etc. The colours look great here too. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 You know I don't see why this booth didn't beat the Wild Turkey Saloon , if it was there that year. I like Wild Turkey as much as anyone, but for them to keep winning with that same booth, doesn't do much for me. I know who I'd vote for, but Four Roses and Maker's Marks' Tent is better in my opinion than the saloon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbutler Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 That was a great layout Bettye Jo, wished I'd been there!Does HH always have that same piece of real estate during the Festival? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted March 16, 2004 Author Share Posted March 16, 2004 Hmmm Second again... No big deal ...That was the best booth we have done. Generated a lot of flow, talked to a lot of folks and most of all it's one of the most "memorable" times I have had doing the festival... Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 That was the best booth we have done I don't know about that. I am really fond of last years booth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted March 16, 2004 Author Share Posted March 16, 2004 The last couple of years we have been stuck on the "back side" in the very same spot! . Some folks have actually told me that it took awhile just to find us I mentioned to the organizers of the festival that I was extremely unhappy with my "real estate" position on the grounds and asked how do they decide where everybody goes? I suggested a "Pill Draw" like the do for the gala...It's only fair. I would also "hope" that all the "Distilleries" are front and center lining the walk way of Spalding Hall. The early years, that's the way it was. Now, the entire "left" side is the spirit garden with arts and crafts. On the "right", lining the side walk, Wild Turkey, Jim Beam, Four Roses, and Independent Stave...The rest of us were on the back side...along with arts and crafts, radio stations etc... Just my suggestions...I hope they pan out... Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted March 16, 2004 Author Share Posted March 16, 2004 Thanks Jeff, That one is pretty good too ...We are going to keep the "Warehouse theme" for awhile and just add to it every year Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paradox Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 We've spoken about this already Bettye Jo, but I feel it is BS how they keeping awarding 1st to Wild Turkey every year when all they do is put up the same ol' saloon. Oh yeah, exciting how year after year it's the same setup. At least you guys change a bit of something from year to year. Anyway, you know you'll always be 1st in our books Bettye Jo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitzg Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Has the best people in it, too. And guaranteed the ones with the best jokes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesbassdad Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Hey, Bettye Jo! Ya wanna tweak some noses and torque some jaws? How about putting a "Vote for Your Favorite Booth" ballot box in this year's booth and then tallying and posting the results? Naaah, your bosses would never go for it, and they're probably right. The only thing worse than getting screwed is appearing to be a sore loser. Yours truly, Dave Morefield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted March 17, 2004 Author Share Posted March 17, 2004 Thanks (all of you) for the kinds words, they mean alot I have had a great time doing the booth all these years. I have met folks from all over the world. I live on the grounds (Spalding Hall) from Thursday until late Sunday night. When I close the booth I head over to the Gazebo to visit the Straightbourbon.com gang. There is a "Magic" in the air during that time of the year. I can't describe it any better than that. Just a butterfly, good feeling The "Best" part is getting meet some of the Straightbourbon.com members. Some of 'em I have squeezed so hard I have broken their glasses Ohhhhhhhhh Yeahhhhhhhh We are a tight community. There is a bond here One that I am proud to be a link in I Love All of Ya ... Can't wait until September Bettye Jo A very proud, Bourbonian of the Year 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted March 17, 2004 Author Share Posted March 17, 2004 Dave, Hmmmmmmmmmmm... I wonder ...If there was a box (in the open) where everyone could participate. I wonder? What the verdict would have been? Nahhhhhhhhh... It would get me in trouble just like you said Better behave ... Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted March 17, 2004 Author Share Posted March 17, 2004 Thanks Mark, A lot of people worked very, very hard on the booth last year. Izra Cornish, and Bobby Shain gave the most. Without them and many, many "others" those acutal rick's would not have been possible. It took 8 very strong men, to move just one rick and that was without barrels... Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Also in that Japanese Miniature Bottle site is a bottle of Juarez, from Mary Dowlings distillery that she moved there during prohibition, and BettyeJo's Grandfathers worked at. Very interesting to see the bottle. Juarez Whiskey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted March 18, 2004 Author Share Posted March 18, 2004 Bobby, Man you are with it Thanks Now that's a "real" find I know, you know, this story but I will write it for other's who don't. Yes, my grandfather, Harry Beam and great-grandfather Joseph L Beam dismantled a entire distillery (during prohibition) hauled it to Mexico and made bourbon there I wonder...if this is some of the product that they made? They did not stay there the entire prohibition period. He came back, ran for jailer, and won Served two terms. I posted a picture (in this forum) of my entire family of Beams standing in front of that Jail house, in Bardstown. Back then, the jailer lived in the jail house. Now, it's a bed and breakfast, Jailer's Inn Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 I wonder...if this is some of the product that they made? Well it says 1930s on the first one. Maybe they did distil it. At any rate it would not existed at all without their work. Something else to be proud of, they distilled during prohibition. Didn't they also distil for Stitzel on their distilling holidays to replenish Medicinal Whiskey Supplies? I also notice that the Juarez name is on a tequila by David Sherman, maybe they started an industry in that town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted March 21, 2004 Author Share Posted March 21, 2004 Hi Bobby, Ya know...One of the hardest things I am trying to "put in order" is who distilled where, when and what were they distilling There are 8 of them and each did alot in thier lifetime. There's hardly a distillery in Kentucky that Master Distillers, Joseph L. Beam and his "Seven Sons" did not give a life to In the early days of bourbon they distilled for several places when the crops came in Chuck Cowdery, told me that Papa Joe, distilled at Stitzel Weller in 1929. Shoot far...everyone of 'em worked for Julian VanWinkle's family. Here is a little look into some of my Aunt Jo's personal items. The man with the hat on is my great Uncle Will McGill. He was Master Distller for Stizel Weller His label beneath his picture. To the right is the very pretty Sally VanWinkle and of course my Aunt Jo is on the far right. That picture was taken at the Getz Museum. The 4 men, bottom right, are my family of Beam Distiller's. Otis, Wilmer, Desmond and my grandfather Harry Beam. This was the last picture taken of the 4 of them together. Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted March 21, 2004 Share Posted March 21, 2004 Wonderful BettyeJo, Also a favorite of the SB.com crowd when in Bardstown though not many met him, Walter "Toddy" Beam, Right behind Sally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted March 21, 2004 Author Share Posted March 21, 2004 I know you like to follow links in the line ... Toddy's Beam's daddy was Guy Beam... Guy Beam's daddy was Minor Case Beam... Minor Case Beam and my Great grandfather Joseph L. Beam were brothers Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted March 22, 2004 Author Share Posted March 22, 2004 This is Max Shapira President of Heaven Hill Distilleries. Our LEADER Max is almost always my first visitor at the booth. I always expect him a little after 4. Our booth is like a "Homecoming Place" for all the employee's at Heaven Hill. Everyone brings thier family members to "show off" what we do. That's the best part of all of this stuff. Seeing my Co-workers bring their family and they get to meet other co-workers family members...It's just a real good time ... Everybody knows they are welcome...They can grab a chair sit down and shoot the breeze, just as if you were at a private party, cept this one we share with everybody Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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