Bob Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 This picture is from the Bourbon Festival. The original Michter's still was on display at the festival grounds, as opposed to its usual home opposite the General Nelson. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNbourbon Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Yeah, I got a pic, too -- it'll somehow be displayed with my accumulation of Michter's decanters/whiskeys. I note that the construction date (1976) on its tag was two years AFTER the Hirsch whiskey/bourbon would have been distilled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 This still and its companion made one barrel per day. The model distillery was installed in 1976 as a bicentennial thing. Michter's also had a conventional distilling operation. I have no information about how the output of this model distillery was used. It is possible they segregated it and sold it separately. It is equally likely that they mixed it with the output of the main still, either before barelling or after aging. I've certainly never seen anything identified as being from the model still. Everything from Michter's claims to have been "pot stilled," but the available evidence leads to the conclusion that they were making that claim based on using a "pot still" for their second distillation. Technically, at least, every American whiskey distillery uses a "pot still" (doubler or thumper) for their second distillation. It is possible the doubler at Michter's was unique in some way, more like a traditional pot still, but I happen to know that the doublers at Old Crow were traditional Scottish pot stills that looked very much like the ones at Woodford Reserve, so I'm not sure what could have made the ones at Michter's unique. Too bad there is nobody to ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markw Posted September 23, 2004 Share Posted September 23, 2004 This still and its companion made one barrel per day. The model distillery was installed in 1976 as a bicentennial thing. Michter's also had a conventional distilling operation. I have no information about how the output of this model distillery was used. It is possible they segregated it and sold it separately. It is equally likely that they mixed it with the output of the main still, either before barelling or after aging. I've certainly never seen anything identified as being from the model still. I recognize that still as being the same one shown in the drawing on the front of my bottle of Michter's Quarter Whiskey. Just below the picture of this still, it says "No more than just a barrel a day because its made the old fashioned way." Then, half way through the writing on the back, it says, "... Today we are again producing this one- barrel-a-day whiskey in the nations smallest legal distillery by the ancient 'Pot Still' method."It sure does sound like the Quarter Whiskey was at least part of the output of this still. Thanks for the picture.-Mark W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted September 23, 2004 Share Posted September 23, 2004 Sorry, I wasn't paying close enough attention when you posted this on Sept. 6. The Story of Quarter Whiskey"In Colonial Pennsylvania, Quarter Whiskey was served in the finest of homes, not only for the pleasure of its taste, but also as food and for other household purposes. Farmer-distillers converted surplus grains into whiskey in their pot stills, and, since there were no bonding requirements at that time, whiskeys as a rule were served fresh from the stills. This Colonial whiskey was usually consumed at 25 or "quarter" proof - hence the name "Quarter Whiskey". Today we are again producing this one-barrel-a-day whisky in the nations smallest legal distillery by the ancient "Pot Still" method. For bottling, we have chosen this beautiful glass decanter which is a hand blown reproduction of Early American glassware. Because of government regulations, this 20th Century Quarter Whiskey is bottled at 80 Proof rather than the 25 Proof of Colonial Days. Stored less than one month in reused cooperage." (Emphasis mine.)See the current issue of WHISKY Magazine for an article about the Beam-Michter's Distillery. (Except I didn't think to call it that. What do you think?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted September 23, 2004 Share Posted September 23, 2004 ...but also as food and for other household purposes. Wouldn't you like to know more about that?Okay, students, how much water should you add to an 80 proof spirit to produce a 25 proof spirit?So-called "quarter whiskey" has about the same amount of alcohol as wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted September 23, 2004 Share Posted September 23, 2004 I havta tell this one... I knew well in advance that Dominic Roskrow, editor of Whiskey Magazine, was going to be a guest at my party. Get this...Chuck pm's me with this great news and then tells me not to tell ...Yeah Right ...I immediately pmed Chuck and told him that, it's nearly impossible for me not to tell a soul. I asked permission to at least tell my family...He agreed I also know that he knows that my family is damn near all of Nelson County...Beam's and Boone's now that's alot of tellin' J/K The hardest thing that I had to do...was not to tell everybody...It was like being a kid in a candy store with no money The best part (I believe this was destiny)...Saturday afternoon, Me, Therese, Erica, Jim and Dave walked to Dagwood's for lunch...They were quite busy and we had to wait for a table. While waiting for a table I see Omar and Lloyd. I go to their table and we are shooting the breeze Gettin' sweet kisses and hugs...(Me and Therese got several ) Then...Low and behold...I look up and there is Dominic Roskrow...along with Gordon Dundas Ohhhhhhhhhh Yeahhhhhhhhh IT'S ON ...I immediately go over to greet them...That was great. They told me that they had a really good time at my party ... I see that he has "a magazine" in his hand...I flat out ask him...Whatcha got there? He shows me the magazine. It's the one where Chuck wrote about John Ed's family. Michter's Pot Still and my Uncle Everett... I flat out asked him, can I have it? He gave it to me . Now let me tell ya, that was a thrill Ohhhhhhhhhh Yeah I asked him to sign it and Gordon signed it too That's awsome. From a collector of historic memorabilia that was one "Big Fish" caught for me Wow! Later that night I got Chuck to sign it too. What a treasure of all treasures...It don't get any better than that! Now, I gotta look up John Ed and the rest of his family to sign it too Bettye Jo Here is a picture (on the deck) at my the party That's Omars hand at the bottom, you can see just a tad bit of his face, (clockwise) Lloyd, Emily, Dominic, Gordon and Dave (TheBigCheese )... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNbourbon Posted September 24, 2004 Share Posted September 24, 2004 Okay, students, how much water should you add to an 80 proof spirit to produce a 25 proof spirit?The dilution is 2.2:1 parts water:spirit. (I think.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted September 24, 2004 Share Posted September 24, 2004 Correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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