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My Memories of Kinsey Distilling


dave ziegler

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Here is a picture of the Last one of the Old Dsp-pa-12 Distillery Buildings the Old Grain Process Building. On the right still side was the tunnel room we sat in at breaks in the yard gang and the bathroom was in the Grain building. There is an old set of Lockers sitting where the roof was sitting outside now that the still is torn down.

The Old Grain Process building after the DSP-PA-12 Distiller was my Second favorite Old building with its coupalo on the top built in around 1892 it and whats left of Warehouse A is all that is left of that time and place.

I put it here in Celabration of Christmas Past working at Kinsey in a much simpler times and a time where People wanted to work and earn their Living. And Of The Famous RittenHouse Rye Made at Kinsey till spring 1951.

Also in memory of Old Hickory Straight Bourbon!

Merry Christmas to All

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest people Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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The roof is always the weak spot in such buildings. The old brick walls will stand quite awhile after the roof collapses in.

Nature can take over in a hurry with all of the trees and bramble growing around it. One day it will essentially be swallowed and knocked down

by trees growing out of the interior once the roof is gone. There is some grace in that rather than being knocked over or burned down.

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Yes Jono the weeds and nature are taking Kinsey away, but it is better then it being knocked down like what happened to the Publicker sight. Here are a couple of Pictures of lamps made from kinsey parts and a Lamp that used to sit on my friends desk at the Publicker / Continental Distilling World Headquarters on 1429 Walnut Street in Phila.

Except for the Philadelphia Blended lamp that my friend gave me from the headquarters I created the other 3 here plus a couple more, They have modern energy saving blubs in them so I enjoy them every night. I just created the Kinsey Silver whiskey one today on my day off from work!

1. My newly created Kinsey table lamp.

2. The Old made in the late 1940's Philadelphia Blended Lamp given me by my friend who ran Continental Distilling Marketing.

3. My Kinsey Lamp and my Exposion proof Lamp made from parts from Warehouse K and the Old Kinsey Bottle House light fixture inverted upward.

4. My Goose Neck Lamp made with the early 1900's Exposion proof Fixture from the old Grain process building, the only one that was left there. Mounted on a goose Neck conduit from the Plant with a switch from warehouse I , and a exposion proof Pilot light from warehouse I and a old guard key check box from Warehouse C. And little Rub Alcohol wood sign from the 1966 bottling house. I created these lamps and had great fun doing it and had professional electrians wired the big lamps and I myself rewired the Old Philadelphia Blended one and put together the Kinsey one with the help of a wire Kit.

A merry Kinsey Blended Christmas to all!

Dave Z

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Kinsey The Unbhurried Whiskey For Unhurried Moments

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Edited by dave ziegler
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  • 1 month later...

Well If the weather permits I will be walking around Kinsey on Sunday! Been weeks since I have been there and it draws me Like a moth to a flame. I plan on taking my Best Camera this time for some shots of what is left.

Two days ago I found the American League Baseball Gus Niarhos gave back in the day. It Has the Pres of The American League back then on it Joseph E Cronin. Sadly I never thought to Get Gus who was a cather with the New York Yankees when He was young to sign it. Gus is credited with creating the modern day Cather's mitt but never got a dime for his idea! Every Winter instead of managing in the South American Leagues he came and worked at Kinsey as a Company Man. He at that time in during the baseball seasons managed the NewPort News Minor league team!

Gus was a very cool Guy and he would always have a mouth full of Chew! When he went out on Fridays to get a Beer I loved going with cause if you were late he would say it was all his fault. I said one time to him Gus you did not get many at bats he said when Yogie and Elston Howard are on the team you will get alot of Blisters sitting on the bench.

Dave Z

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Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey For Unhurried Moments

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Dave, if you don't mind me asking, how much actual stock do you have left to drink?

Are those Cafe Lolita bottle unopened?

I know your Old Hickory was down to just a bit left at one point.

What about Inver House or some of their other bourbons, ryes?

In other words, are those bottles mostly empties?

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Dave- I would join you, but we're already booked this weekend. Once the weather turns warmer, we'll have to make another trek into Kinsey!

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Jono sadly I only have 1/2 a bottle of Caffe Lolita, and 1/2 a bottle of original Rittenhouse Rye. A 1/4 bottle of Inverhouse Scotch. I do have a few bottles of Peanut Lolita which is our rarest product as No one made it but us! Ethan give me a call in a couple of weeks before spring when the weeds return.!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Dave, you might be interested in the 3 whisky series that Ralfy is doing...it echoes Kinsey...especially the Brora review. The distillery closed about the same

time...1984....and has not produced since. However, Diageo kept the property up and it is still "mothbolled" so to speak...unlike your Kinsey. He remarks that

one thing Diageo has done right is the upkeep of old properties vs letting them decay.

http://www.whiskyreviews.blogspot.com/

Sunday, 3 February 2013

whisky review 337 - Introducing Three Dead Distilleries

1. Wednesday, 6 February 2013

whisky review 338 - Rosebank 14yo Signatory

2. Sunday, 10 February 2013

whisky review 339 - Brora 23 yo Signatory 46%

3. Pending....

Edited by Jono
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  • 1 month later...

Thanks Jono I will check it out, been so busy at work have not had a chance to do anything here. Will be writting soon and posting some Pictures. I will go to that link.

Dave Z

It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most magnificent Bourbon

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here are 3 new Pictures I got from my friend Butch who worked for Publicker for 10 yrs in Phila.

1. Times Square at night, snow on the ground and Kinsey Blended whisky on the building the ball comes down on at New years!

2.Times Square another picture Of Kinsey Whisky on the times Square Building used each New years eve!

3. A very rare Ad for our Peanut Lolita Liquor! Which I am lucky to have a couple of cases of! It was of all things a favorite Of Billy Carter! I will post a picture of Him drinking it soon!

Kinsey as Far as I know is the only one of our Whiskys to ever make the Times Square Building! I hope to soon be posting many more Pictures I have been sick a bit and busy at work and need to write more here!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Edited by dave ziegler
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  • 2 weeks later...

Took a walk around Kinsey on Sunday mostly to check for open buildings. Pulled one of the roll doors in the 1966 bottle house down! I really have a hard time seeing what the paint spraying people do. Seeing all the weird stuff they do !

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

Amerikca's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here are some more Vintage Pictures from the Publicker Plant in Philadelphia!

1. The Docks at Publickers Bigler Street Plant looking toward NY City.

2. Another shot of the Abandoned Bigler Street Plant, The debris is what is left of the Guard House where Butch Clocked in.

3. The Synder Ave Distillery in 1936 At Swanson Street. This is where Butch started at Publicker in 1967!

Butch started there in 1967 and I started at Kinsey in 1966 sept. Small world. I never thought I would see the day both plants would be abandoned and gone. When I left Kinsey it was the Hub of lots of work. about 600 people. Publicker was the worlds bigest Maker of industrial and Drinking spirits. But in fall of 1986 the end came swiftly.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest people Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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  • 1 month later...

I most likely will not get back to Kinsey till cold weather as I have not seen so many Ticks as I have this year so far. I still love the place and always look to find things to save from there. It is destroyed and I am getting Old! I will be 66 in Sept and It is getting harder for me all the time. I am very glad I have saved the stuff I have, and shared stuff with others to keep the Kinsey Memory going. When I do go there I still in my mind can see my old friends there working. I can see Old Bonda driving his 1952 Plymouth directing traffic the whole time drinking again and again. It was a place I will never forget and a wonderful job for a 19 year old Kid out of High school. My Memories will go on as long as I can write. Dave Z -- Kinsey The Unhurried Whisky For Unhurried Moments

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  • 4 weeks later...

Here are some more Pictures I got from my friend Butch who worked at the publicker Plant in Phila for better then ten years.

1. A Dixie Belle Gin Tray

2. A picture of the Publicker Plant from 1972 with notes done by butch of what everything was in a chart.

3. An artical about Publickers Famous Chemist Dr Carl Haner who stated he could age whiskey in months instead of years!

I will always have alot of Pride in having worked for Publicker which to Me was the greatest Distiller for its size in History!

Dave Z

It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey For Unhurried Moments

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Hi Dave, that second picture triggered a memory ...

Wasn't there a fire somewhere around there that closed the WW bridge maybe 20 or 25 years ago? Did it occur on that sight?

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Dave,

Thank you for sharing your memories. This a really cool thread.

mbroo

Edited by mbroo5880i
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Yes Sutton there was a big fire in 1986 after the plant was abandoned. Started by the wrecking company that Publicker sold it to for next to nothing with a promise they would clean it up right enviromentaly.

Mbroo 5880i thanks for the kind words this is a work of love for my old employer!

Here are a couple more pictures gotten from my Friend Butch who worked at the Publicker Plant for 10 years.

1.The Publicker/ Continental Distilling Barrel Warehouses as seen in 1968 from Delaware Avenue and Dilworth Street. One warehouse says Old Hickory, the other says Hallers SRS Whiskey.

2. In this Picture you can see Publickers Continental Distillery at Snyder Avenue on the back side of the elevated I - 95 Highway in Phila, in 1968.

Thanks to Butch for these new shots I will continue to search for pictures of Publickers Plants, when I look at these Phila pictures I think about all the great People who worked for Publicker, Including our wonderful Engineer Joe Trish!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Edited by dave ziegler
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As always, great photos Dave. Keep 'em coming and best wishes to you this summer. I think Ballantine Ale will do the trick and get you through the dog days of August when they come. By the way, you often mention people you worked with when posting pictures, like engineer Joe Trish. Do you have pictures of those folks too? They would go nicely with your stories about Publicker/Continental/Kinsey.

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Dave, thanks, your recall is amazing - and thanks for the pictures. They bring back some nice memories for me of Philly at that time.

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Here are two more Pictures from my Friend Butch

1. Another Continental Brand I never heard of from 1934 Pocono Straight Rye Whiskey we had Hundreds of brands and I seem to find more everyday

2. A Picture of an Old Publicker Industries Securtity Badge that Butch got one night when security in Phila was half loaded and asleep for memories.

It fits in with what I saw back on Christmas Eve 1969 when Nellie leaned out the security shack when I was leaving and smiled and said See you in sort of different voice then normal as the whole plant in Linfield including the Government Men were Loaded.

I saw Bob dancing and people were walking very funny as I pretented to drink and watched them for the History of seeing it from a sober point of view!

But as I always Say There was NO Better Place to work then For any division of Publicker. The Water Towers back then said Continental Distilling Linfield Plant a Division of Publicker Industries! PS I have posted Pictures on all 3 threads today. And thanks for the Kind words Unclebunk

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Edited by dave ziegler
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So the security guards were lit and Butch picked up a badge as a keep sake. Awesome! Sounds like Christmas Eve was a party day! Great memories, thanks for sharing!

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Just got two Old Ads for Continental Distilling Brands at a low price as Mr Neumen believed in, he always wanted his products to be afordable for the Common Man! Thanks To Butch for these!

Pictures are

1. From a Plattsburgh New York Dept Store named Scheier's 1 Full Pint of Envoy Club Whisky Price is a $1.00

Also Dixie Belle Gin full Quart Price $2.00.

2. An ad for Dixie Belle Gin, Dixie Belle Gin and the Dead Ducks.

I am fortuneate to have an old original empty Pint Bottle of Envoy ClubI bought many years ago. It is getting very hard to find our bottles and I still long to find an Old Linfield Straight Bourbon bottlee for my Collection while I am still here!

During these Hot days we are having here in Pa it was never like that in the warehouses they were always cool and you could escape from the heat in them. When I was on the yard gang it was very hot during the summer mowing the lawns and weeding the flower beds. We also did alot of sweeping in buildings and I would always volunter to sweep the old DSP-PA - 12 distller building! Thanks for your Note mbroo5880i

Dave Z

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The Best Old Fashioneds Are, You'll Find

The Mellow, Made with Kinsey Kind! ( Another Great old saying from Continental Distilling)

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Edited by dave ziegler
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Here two more rare Old Ad's from Continental Distilling

1. From the Nasuha Telegraph NH Mar 13 1936 Mild yet 90 Proof Coobs Creek

2. April 12 1934 Snug Harbor Blended Whisky

I wish I could have taste tested all our Products but I have at least tasted many of them. My Favorite of course is Old Hickory, followed by Hallers County Fair BIB. I still consider our whiskys to have been some of the best ever made!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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When Prohibition ended during the middle of 1933 / through 1934, The Continental Distilling Division of Publicker Industries was created and began picking names and creating profiles for Drinking Spirits. At that time Harry Publicker and His Son Inlaw Si S. Neuman sat down and had sessions picking names and creating brand types. Then with their Distllling Engineers they created Whiskey Profiles and the mash bills for the Products. I know alot about this from my Friend who ran the Sales part of the company.

Our 3 Big Time Bourbons where Old Hickory 80 6 yr 86 10 yr, Old Hickory BIB later, Hallers County Fair BIB after they bought The WA Hallers and Sons Distillery and Our Premium Charter Oak Bottled In Bond Bourbon! The Name Old Hickory was bought from its owner before Prohibion and Became the Most famous Bourbon of those Days!

On March 13,1934 Dr Marks and His Wife Miriam suggested to Publicker the Name Charter Oak. It was Issued to Continental Distilling at that time as a legal name. However Bernheim Distilling of KY claimed the name was to close to their Old Charter Name. They filed a suit which went on for many years I think it was finally resolved by May 1959 and Continental Distilling was able to contiue their Charter Oak brand of BIB Boubon Whisky.

1. Here is a Picture of an old Charter Oak Ad

2. Here is an Old Ad issued in Pa for Dixie Belle Gin.

Thanks again to Butch for these great old ads, and here for my being able to talk about the begining of Continental Distilling in History here. When Harry and Philip Publicker went into business they had different ideas. Harry wanted to do only Industrial stuff thinking something was going to happen with spirits. ( Of course Prohibition happened ) Philip Publicker decided He wanted to distill drinking spirits so he Founded American Distilling right down the road from Publicker Ind in Phila back then.

When Prohibition ended the end of 1933 Publicker decided now was the time to start distilling drinking spirits and they went at it big time!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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Join The Swing To Kinsey

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Kinsey The Unhurried Whisky For unhurried Moments

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Edited by dave ziegler
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