dave ziegler Posted December 21, 2008 Author Share Posted December 21, 2008 Here are four shots of Unused cases of bottles in Warehouse J I took on Saturday before taking all the many shots I posted on the 1966 Bottle House Thread this morning over 20 on there of the Outside tankage area and a few inside the 1966 Bottle house so after you see this check them out got some good ones. It was bitter cold and my camera's lens steamed a couple of times but they turned out ok. Picture one and two Inver Red Plaid Picture 3 Inver Red Plaid, Dixie Bell Gin & 4 Universal Lolita boxes for Peanut, Caffe or Amaretta and some Old Hickory boxes and the blue ones in 3 were Dixie bell Gin. I will keep trying to get shots to save for the Sake of History, when the 1966 bottling house opened is the reason I got my job there as allot of people went in there to work as higher paying jobs! It was so dam big that about 450 to 500 people worked in there for two shifts every day Monday through Friday! We had so much capacity that no weekend or overtime was needed. The 11 Lines ran from one end to the other 2 footbsll fields long it was a powerhouse for bottling Whiskey! When I got there I saw Kids had opened the Big Roll door on the Warehouse so I somehow pulled on the chain enough to close it and protect it from more ruin by Kids who do not know any better I try to close anything I see just to save things as long as possible from being destroyed. Having Worked there as my first job and loving the Place so Much I try to do all I can to keep it alive for History and for the Buildings sakes! It is very Hard for me to see and believe it has fallen into such a destroyed state as it has. From the Worlds Largest Whiskey Bottling house to total ruin how sad a thing. Dave Z --------------------------------------------------------------- It Seems All The Nicest people Drink Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon --------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 At this time of year I always think about Christmas 1969 at the Plant. Everyone was drinking Whiskey and taking it easy and the Boss's were letting it go as long as people behaved themselves. Even the Goverment Men were enjoying some Bourbon and partying. It was sad seeing parts of their Old Artificial Christmas tree laying upstairs as if saying why am I not up and where Has everyone gone? They have all passed on and only a few old workers left and it is up to me to talk about those good old days of Long ago.That Christmas Eve in 1969 I only had a couple of Sips as wanted to watch People doing their thing and they were downing that whiskey from the Barrel and some bottles from the Bottle House and eating stuff and working but at a reduced rate as we were not dumping much that day as the stock had gone out for the Holidays and now just a little more for New Years and things would go back to normal.The Push had been on for 3 Months cranking out so many bottles on those 11 Lines I could not even guess how much. Gins,Scotches, Bourbons, Blended's and of course the Little Kinsey Bottle House was cranking out Lots of Peanut Lolita,Amaretta Lolita and Caffe Lolita plus stuff for Jacquins and others. 1969 had been a very good year for Publicker and none of us could have ever dreamed that 17 yrs later the Place would be abandon and that 10 years later they would walk away from what had made them great to do just Chemicials.So from a Power House of a bottling House the Worlds Largest in 1966 it now sits in ruin, when I was in the other day it was kind of weird the moaning sounds of the wind whistling through creaking and things banging.Water leaking in everywhere and chairs sitting where jobs were once done ladders standing againest tanks that were empty and no Light anywhere but my Flashlight in total darkness Yet I loved walking through for old times sake and do it whenever I can with my trusty Cell Phone I can and I never can believe that this State of The Art Bottle House is in total ruin.When it closed in 1986 Fall everything was in good shape the roofs had all been fixed even on the House by the river. The Boilers were fine and redone and everything was still sprinkeled. Then when Publicker went under the Man who still owns it instead of keeping it going for storage as that was why He Bought it just shut the Boilers and water down and walked away leaving it to be preyed on by Kids who have destroyed it. And others who got an option to buy claimed they were going to fix it up only to steal all the Copper and metal from the still and tear it down and just steal anything metal they could before they said we changed our Mind and also walked away and HE Still Owns It and lets it go into Ruin which Kills me.But I shall remember it in its glory Days ran by the Worlds Most Prolihic Distiller Publicker IND / Continental Distilling. And These are my Memories Of Kinesy Distilling.------------------------------------------------------------Kinsey The Unhurried WhiskeyFor Unhurried MomentsKinsey The Genial GinJoin The Swing To Kinsey------------------------------------------------------------ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted December 27, 2008 Author Share Posted December 27, 2008 Christmas Morning and the next day I went and got some parts to make my Final switch and pilot light from the Plant. It is a set of Light and Switch of the Weatherproof type from the Old Kinsey Maintaince Barn which was built in 1892. The Switch is of the old Plunger Type You pull up for on and push down for off. This switch was in the part of the Barn where my old Long gone friend ( Shorty ) Harrison Tyson worked Shorty could fix just about anything and was a very good Person he was called Shorty because he was just barely 5 feet tall! I also took a Picture from half way up the stairs in the Old Kinsey Bottle House of the fallen second floor roof through a hole in the Wall! Pict 1 is my put together Switch and Pilot Light which I am going to ask my friend Jim to wire like he did the Explosion proof Ones these are of the weather Proof type that the Distillery used and the Switch Plate is from the turn of the Century! Shot through the wall of what is left of the Second floor of the old Kinsey Bottle House since the Roof has fallen. Fire Safety Shed in Kinsey #10 Rye Building Dsp-Pa-10 The Well at Warehouse H with weeds dead Back of O Building It was fun Looking for the parts to make up this switch & Light, the Light unit was laying brand new on the floor wraped I got the Plate for the light unit on the wall at O Building the Switch was on the wall and I was able to get its original box. And The inside switch was in it and of the Old Brass bobbin flip type. I also found the piece of threaded Tube and reducer to put the two different type Boxes together in there. So all I have to do now is get Jim wire it for me! Dave Z ---------------------------------------------------- It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory America's Most magnificent Bourbon --------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted December 29, 2008 Author Share Posted December 29, 2008 Here are most likely the Last Pictures I will ever take of the Old Jacob G Kinsey Bottling house which made all our Liqours till 1979. I took these pictures with my Old Digital camera as conditions were so that I did not want to take a chance on ruining my good new one. Pictures are 1. Piller with two Explosion proof switches and Label marking it the Line for Caffe Lolita which was our biggest selling Liqour. It was one of 3 Lines of Singer Bottle machines that ran toward the front room where they were cased and sent to the Next picture the second floor Trap door 2. Second floor Trap door where all supplies and bottles came down and all filled cases were lifted up to be shipped out the second floor double doors to fork lifts! 3. looking up through what was the first floor sealing where floor fell in 4. Another shot looking up to the second floor falling in 5. Looking from far end of the Bottle House to the back plant side 6. Sliding door that still opens and closes to back casing room 7. Side door you went in to bottle house from the plant 8. Sign at foot of the door that just bearly says Room H 9. & 10. Looking down through the Bottle House from the Plant side to the road side 11. & 12. front and back of Something Very special That I found in an old Building in a hole in the wall deep down covered by years of dirt but in great shape and most likely bottled back in the late 1960's or early 1970's and most tasty. I happened to look in a hole in a wooden wall with parical board insulation and there seemed to be something with a pile of dust on top of it and their they were two lovely Green 4/5 Pint Bottles of Coldstream Guard 86 Proof Blended Scotch They had to be in that wall for about 35 years bottled in Scotland I never knew our Cold Stream brand made Scotch I thought that Gin was all that used that name. No evaporation sealed so well that when I opened one the cap was still shiny inside and one of the Most Tasty Blended Scotchs I have ever drank had 4 shots so far out of the open one! Not real peaty and a very sweet and smooth taste with lots of Power but no burn going down it makes me wish it was still around, and it is in Scotland still made by Inver House but not shipped to the USA. The Question is, the New stuff as good as our version and I doubt it. But what a great Christmas present from a place I have always loved that is dear to my Heart. In closing I want again to thank Jim for making this wonderful Sight and Jeff for keeping it all in order, it means so much to me to be able to tell the Story of Kinsey on here and show pictures of the Place and tell stories it is a Great Blessing to me SO THANKS! Dave Z ------------------------------------------------------------ It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey For Unhurried Moments Inver House Soft As A kiss -------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Nice finds....I wonder how many hidden bottles still exist.http://www.inverhouse.com/portfolio-blended-scotch-whisky.phphttp://www.inverhouse.com/portfolio-coldstream.phpI only see Coldstream Gin as a current product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted December 29, 2008 Author Share Posted December 29, 2008 It is really Good Blended Scotch Jono so good I wish I had a case or two! It is the first time I ever found something that cool! If there is anymore it would be in places you would never expect to Find Whiskey as the warehouses have been searched so many times in 22 yrs and they really have no hideing places with the racks out but when I worked there guys would often hide Whiskey only to forget where they put it and It happens I knew the fellow who worked it this Old Building in this old wooden Room he was a friend of mine and he drank a little and I bet it was his Scotch his name Was Lou and He would be glad for me if he could have seen that. where it was it must have been there for a minimum of 35 years!Dave Z-------------------------------------------------It Seems All The Nicest people Drink Old HickoryAmerica's Most Magnificent Bourbon------------------------------------------------ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted December 30, 2008 Author Share Posted December 30, 2008 I think one of the hardest things is seeing all the Old Kinsey Buildings being shot because the place sits like this. Mr Neuman would have never let Kinsey get anything like it is now.Seeing the Old Bottle House falling down because people got in there and set it on fire and then all the rain and wind finaly bringing the second floor roof down. It had a shk Light to make it cheaper to light when Kinsey built it in around 1935. And if you look at the earler pictures I took you can see it laying on the floor where the fell down.To Think it ran doing bottling from 1936 till 1979 doing Liqour's most of its life of 43 yrs.The Old #10 Barn where some of the Best Pa Rye Whiskey came from sitting and rotting is so dam sad.I talked to Ludy the other day and he said if he could walk he would not want to see Kinsey the way it is. He wants to remember it the day he left in fall 1980 everything still in wonderful shape with all the buildings heated and with good roofs.It is sureal to me seeing it now and that is why I take so many pictures to keep it alive forever. It just does not seem right to walk in there and no one working no trucks and the old Buildings so bad off is very hard. Its days are now numbered so I am glad I took the pictures I have, most likely the wrecking ball will come soon and leave an empty space which no one new to the area will know what was there so I will continue looking for history things about Kinsey and remembering People like my old Friend Davy Rhoads who was born hunch backed and his face was a little out of shape and about 4.9 feet tall but he was a wonderful man who was very kind to me and I went out of my way in those days to defend him from anyone who would say rotten things to him. He was hardest working guy in the warehouses with all his troubles and not like people today that if they have some little trouble think they should stay home and live off the Government.I will remeber other Long gone Warehouse Friends like my Buddys Al Rhoads, Henry Rhoads and George Rhoads. Jack Raysor, Gus Niarohus Major League Baseball palyer and company man at Kinsey. My Old Friend George Dill whose Stetson Had I still have and wear. When He retired in 1969 He forgot it so I took it to him and he said because I was honest and brought it to him I should keep it. I had it boxed and cleaned back those days when you could get that done in Phila by Stetson and it is beautiful reminder of Kinsey for me.Then there was my Buddy John who always had two to many and I would have to help him out every day at the end of the day.There was my Buddy Warren Eachach whis Nick name was Eagle Beek and Heloved it and Old Clair Von Alt. And i will alway remember my Buddy Walt Harrington who kept the Kinsey Benifit Club going with tickets for stuff so there would be emergency money for any Union Guy that got Hurt!Most of them are gone and the rest will be soon but as Long as I live I will keep their names and the History of Kinsey going. During the time after WWII when People were starving in Russia Kinsey donated 3 box cars of grain to be taken in the air lift to save peoples lives. I have seen the Picture of the Guys with the loaded cars ready to leave Jack Raysor donated those Pictures to the Limerick Historic Society and they are really Neat. But that was the Kind of Company Publicker was they cared about people and they Loved America and were proud to be an American company!Dave Z-----------------------------------------------------It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old HickoryAmerica's Most Magnificent Bourbon----------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Any update on getting your information together in either an article or book? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 Hi Jono I have not talked to the Man since the week before Christmas I may give him a call this weekend he lives in Ca in the Winter and when I talked to him he said he will be coming to Pa in Spring and we will get together. He also told me that he has Hundreds of Photos of Kinsey, The Bigler Street and other Publicker operations and even some shots of our our Wood Operation that was down south where we got the wood for our Barrels all taken back when things were going good. He also wants to tell me about the building of the Warehouses at Kinsey in the 1940's. On another front I now have some more never used Explosion proof switches that where Kindly given me by the 2 Fellows who watch the place for the Owner. They let me pick some brand new ones out of one of the buildings that were never used and I have them all set up now I will just take them to work and get my friend Jim the electrify them. Then if I ever get to give a talk about the Distillery again in the Future I will be able to turn them on to show what it was like as far as the dangers of Explosion!I am very Lucky to have become friends with them, and do what I can to help them when in there to chase Kids breaking things out and they are glad for that! I can not stand seeing people destroying the Place and will stop it whenever I can.They know how Much I love the Old Place and I have told them how I am trying to save as much as I can for the History of Kinsey and Continental Distilling.I am hoping to be getting a solid Continental Distilling Barrel in the future they say there are about 50 yet in good shape and they are going to bring one out to their Home for me soon. If this works out I will put nail clips around the hoops so they do not fall off and get it finished and preserve it for History.I hope I can stay in good enough health to get these things done and write a book and will do all I can to get it done.Dave Z---------------------------------------------------------------It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory America's Most magnificent Bourbon-------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fricky Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Hi Dave, I am glad that you are on good terms with the caretakers at the Kinsey plant. Hopefully, they will help you collect and preserve distillery memorabilia.Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 Yes Fricky I am very Glad to be on Good terms with them and It will be a great thing for taking People to look at the Place and see what it was like back in the old days.It was such an amazing place to work and it was always so busy back then. The Bottle House had so much capacity it could do its daily amount and Seagrams Daily amount at the same time I was told this by My Friend who was involved in Running Publicker till the last few years when He left.I so hope I can somehow write this Book and if it happens will because of this Man and His help and Knowledge of the Company.I hope to save as much as I can for History and on Monday will be taking 3 different sets of switch boxes to be Electrifyied by my Friend at Work two sets of very Old Switches & Weather Proof boxes and Pilot Lights and 1 new old stock Explosion Proof Box & Pilot Light from the 1940's. Once They are all done I will post a picture of all five sets Lit. These will be used for giving talks about the Distillery and the types of things that had to be done to protect from Explosion due to Alcohol Fumes. When I gave the talk last Spring so Many people had asked about the Switch plates and wished they could see them work so I decided to do this project, and now with the parts they gave me I can complete this and get on to something else. Also these can be carried anywhere and set up pluged in to show what it was likeAlso I was able to get a Green Pilot light which was for go for lines & Pumps and things and convered one of the two sets of Lights he did for me with the Green Glass Pilot light, so will have 4 sets of Red and One green one when done. Having this many together gives the perfect example of how the Old walls looked when you walked into one of the old Warehouses as the walls were lined with these switches and when turned on the Pilot lights showing Power.And Each set is a different Type then the next.Had a shot of Magnificent Old Hickory New Years Eve!!I am very Happy to continue to work on the History Of Publicker / Continental / and Kinsey!Dave z------------------------------------------------------It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old HickoryAmerica's Most magnificent Bourbon------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Its Funny But never fails when It gets cold Out I always think about the one old Guy Who would always say to me when we would leave one warehouse to go to another one in winter "Dave don't Forget To Take your Flask with you to keep warm.And so it was there we would travel from one Warehouse to another and we always had our trusty 1/2 Pint Bottle as a half pint was so much easier to hide and the guys always had extras in case one would break.It was very cold in the warehouses in the winter so we were Dam glad for our Sub Zero Army Coats the company gave us and we worked fast to keep warm when it was real cold.I can not remember anyone complaining back then we were just dam glad to have good paying Full Time Jobs. We felt very fortunet for our Jobs and it did not even come to mind to be complaining.Most of The People that worked at Kinsey had been there at least 10 yrs when I started there and many had 20 & 30 years there. Also it was a given that we bought our Products they were great and it helped our Jobs to last.Besides we had so many Products that no matter what you drank we made it. And if you cut yourself we made lots of Meidcal alcohol too!I will alway be glad I worked at Kinsey and I will always regret that I left when I did but I have so many good memories so it will always be a special time for me.Dave Z-------------------------------------------------------Kinsey The Unhurried WhiskeyFor Unhurried Moments------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Dave what were the "formal" rules re alcohol consumption at work vs the informal real work world practice? My guess is that the formal work rules said no consumption of product during work hours...but as you note, it appears the wink and not practice was not so strict if you were responsible. Of course today, that would all have changed. Gone like the 3 martini lunch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Jono The rule was NO Alcohol but as Long as You did not get crazy or seal it they would for the most part pretend they saw nothing! And the guys for the most part kept a low profile with their bottles. Old Bonda the traffic director could be seen at any given time reaching under the seat of his 1951 Pymouth to grab his bottle and take a swig. Government Law forbid it but they were not going to lock you up if you behaved and MOST OF ALL NO Taking of it out of the Plant as if you took it in a plain bottle by law that was stealing untaxed Alcohol, and if you took a bottle that had another states tax sticker on it that was the breaking of the Federal hyjacking law taking whiskey from the plant for use in a state that it was not taxed for!In the early 1970's they hired the Pinkertons as I said before because some of the women from Phila they bused up they thought might be stealing whisskey and the pinkertons had Female security guards. The one lady who always wore a sweater no matter the weather was found to have a special Vest under her blouse that held about 8 to 10 1/2 pints when they caught her and most likely she took a trip to jail plus lost her job & pesion which was very stupid. Especialy since the Company paid for the Bus to bring them up from Phila so they ccould keep their jobs after they closed the Bigler street Bottling house and opened the new on at Kinsey!So For The most Part I would say 98% of the People would have never stolen whiskey from the plant as most of them either did not drink or drank just for the pleasure of a shot of good whiskey and valued their jobs and not breaking the Law more then the thought of stealing and selling whiskey that could put them in jail. Sometimes during the Holidays the company would give tax Paid christmas bottles to employee's and that was Ok as Had the Pa Tax sticker.Dave Z-------------------------------------------------------------It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old HickoryAmerica's Most magnificent Bourbon---Philadelphia Blended The Heritage WhiskeyInver House Scotch- Soft As A KissKinsey The Unhurried Whiskey---------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted January 6, 2009 Author Share Posted January 6, 2009 It is cold Now and cold days make me think how cold the Warehouses always were but in winter they were real cold. That is why the company always gave us Sub Zero coats as allot of time it was colder in them then outside.It must have been really cold in that old home made bay between The dsp-pa-10 barn and old warehouse A where Dicky worked on all the old trucks. the floor was thin cement and the walls Flag stone. All he had was a old time Raditor Fan setup hanging from the wall at the back, but he kept all the cars and trucks running and crawled under them to change oil and he put motors in them from the local junkyard also.His Job was a hard one keeping all those Old Cars and Trucks going but He did somehow and they ran Good too!I can not tell you how many Flat Head V8's those Old 1941 Ford Trucks had but they had many! He would try to keep doors on them and wipers and windshields and the guys hamered them bad.When I walk there I can still hear the two old Red ones and the green one winding up going through the gears, if you have ever heard a Ford Flat Head V8 heavy Duty truck you know what I mean they had a sound of their Own and I loved those old trucks!We Had 1951 Pylmouths and Desota's and a Caddy made into a pickup by torch! the 1951 Ford 6 cylinder Pickup and the old 1952 green Dodge truck flat bed that Mike Zuno would use to take us up to the break room for Lunch and breaks. And Of crouse Charlies Hot Rod Buggy a Model A frame with a 100 Horse Power Ford Flat Head V8 just a seat bolted on the frame no fenders no windshield it was a site watching him drive it. He would just pouch gears and the wheels would spin.I loved driving the old 1941 Ford Flat trucks and hated the way they were pounded, when I drove them I tried to treat them well.Dave Z--------------------------------------------------------It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old hickoryAmerica's Most Magnificent Bourbon----------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Are the Sub Zero coats the traditional Army green winter coats or the arctic type wear with the fur rimmed hood? When I was in H.S. mid-late 70s alot of kids wore the green winter army coat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted January 6, 2009 Author Share Posted January 6, 2009 Jono These were sort of Like the Late WI Early WWII ones they zipped up and they were a sort of Pale green heavy wool and cloth blend. They were allot warmer then the Green Heavy Army Coats most people see. These were called Sub Zero and may have been what they used in the war in the cold area's near Russia and other spots.They Got them from the Army Navy Supplier in Phila which if I can make a guess would have been- "I Goldberg" even back then as they had some of the Best Army Stuff you could get. They were not a soft cloth l but firm like a heavy wool but I am am sure were a blend so they would hold up. I would give Plenty to have one now. We would catch them on things and by years end they would tear and the Company would just get us a new one.I always liked them and wish I would have kept one but I saw an old torn one laying in the government Office next to the Old Christmas tree one of the Government men left it behind when the place closed but it was totally shot. If I get in there agian ever I will look at the label did not think about that. I Gold Berg websiteHere is their Web sight I just discovered they are still in bussinesswww.igoco.comDave Z--------------------------------------------------------It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old HickoryAmerica's Most Magnificent Bourbon-------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 With all the soaring Energy Prices Kinsey had one real good thing going for it back then. Box cars, tank cars any kind of rail car could come in to the Plant and go all the way back to the Last Warehouse #38 or the Scale weigh house back there. Every one of the 14 Explosion proof warehouses except O Building had rail access, and right till the end Box cars were offten used and tank cars came in all the time. It is such a shame to see the place gone down and the bridge gone as in todays world that ability would have been a great thing..The cars could come around the Big Bottle House behind the Black tanks and go to to all the Warehouses from J & K back and could come across to the right to do warehouses I,M L & P and R. During Holidays Like Thanksgiving & Christmas many Box car loads left for points out west!Sadly once the Bridge was taken out so were other uses of Kinsey. The Bridge was taken out after Publicker left and cut off a great way to ship large amounts. During Christmas time Box cars would be coming in every Morning and leaving every night. It is hard for me to believe it is just sitting there as when I left everything was fine and I never thought I would someday walk in there to find everything in total ruin.But just like People Cars and everything nothing is forever!Dave Z--------------------------------------------------------It Seems All the Nicest people Drink Old HickoryAmerica's Most Magnificent Bourbon--------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted January 11, 2009 Author Share Posted January 11, 2009 When I think of Kinsey / Continental Distilling I think of lots of different Products, as we Had so many Brands well over 115 + brands and everything from great Bourbons to super good Vodka's. Publicker was one of the most amazing distillers this world has ever seen and all of our products were Good. Even the cheapest stuff we made was a value for the money!We Made such good products that A&P stores gave us an exclusive contract to make all their Red Crown brands for them!We made Red Crown Bourbon,Blended, Scotch, Vodka, Gin, and even Rum and Canadian Whiskey!I am lucky to have a few of these rare bottles and every time I think I have found out all our brands I find there are more!Publicker was an amazing Company and I really have a hard time believing that they are gone.I can never remember us making anything but good stuff and to this day I still prefer our whiskeys to anything Else.I do not think there will ever be a company Like Publicker again as the cost to make the stuff we made back then would be so much more and companys today stick to fewer brands for cost savings.Even though those days are gone the memories are so good of those days and the fun it was working for them. I would be willing to bet that any of the Old Hickory Bourbons we made would be in the top 5 our 80,86,and 100 proof Old hickory would pass all the tests of time!The thing I do not understand is why no one ever brought the Old Hickory Bourbon name back it is a timeless Name and it was our Very BEST BOURBON!Dave Z----------------------------------------------------------------It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old hickoryAmerica's Most Magnificent Bourbon------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Dave, I wonder if the current owner of the property has all of the brand rights as well. Maybe he would sell it to you! Ziegler Distilling Co., Royersford, PA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Jono when Publicker Quit Distilling spirits they sold most of the Brands if not all of them. For one Old Hickory went to Medley for a bit then He sold it and someone else sold it and when I talked to Charles Medley he said He thought that Luxco had that brand now sadly. Heaven hills has Rittenhouse Rye and some others, the guy who owns the place does not have a clue about much of anything about Whiskey.Publicker when they went into trying to be like P&G industrial only in 1980, they sold him the plant in 1982 to get more capital to buy more Equipment, after they sold him the Kinsey Plant they leased the Bottling House and all the Tankage and one or two Warehouses till to many loses and Him raising their lease Price made them go under and Then He just shut the whole Place down and walked away all these years except for going there maybe once a year or so and just looking around.I think that the Kinsey Name belongs to Inver House Distillers I may be wrong but I seem to recall them getting it, why I do not Know.And the guy who owns Kinsey pays the two fellows I am friends with to just keep locking buildings after they are broken in to. And cleaning up some when they have time.I wish someone would buy the Old Hickory Name and bring it back with the Original Mash Bill, it was a fine whiskey and the Old Hickory that Medley made was very good also.I still think if someone brought that Name back with a Fine High End Whiskey it would again be a big seller as there are still many people livng that loved it and those people would pass the word on!Dave Z-----------------------------------------------------It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old HickoryAmerica's Most magnificent Bourbon------------------------------------------------------ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Hmm, you never know...maybe some of our industry readers will take note and seek the rights and make it once again. Stranger things have happened.I was not familiar with Luxco....(I see they make Ezra Brooks and Rebel Yell):http://www.luxco.com/home.htmlThey sell a "Cafe Lolita"....was that an old Kinsey brand like the peanut?I have never seen some of their product...Wall Street, Dr. Nicholson 1843, Davies County, Bourbon Supreme, Yellowstone.I wonder...maybe the Old Hickory recipe is used in one of these?Dave, send them an email and ask about Old Hickory...you may get a response.http://www.luxco.com/public/contactLuxco.asp?stateid=38Or the big guy:Lux, DonnPresident and Chief Executive Officer 5050 Kemper AvenueSt. Louis, Missouri 63139 (314) 772-2626 Ext. 243d.lux@luxco.com Fax: (314) 772-7120 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoshani Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Luxco (formerly The David Sherman Company) doesn't make anything. They buy the whiskey for their brands in bulk (most likely from Heaven Hill) and bottle it themselves. I seriously doubt that they know anything at all about the mashbills of their products, nor do I imagine it would deviate much from the standard fare of whichever distiller is making their juice. Luxco owns Ezra Brooks, Bourbon Supreme, Rebel Yell (which, when I wrote to them to ask, is still made from a wheat recipe) and Yellowstone that I am aware of, maybe a couple of others. Yellowstone is difficult to find in Chicago anymore (unless I'm looking in the wrong places ), but their website shows an interesting variety of expressions, including a 7 year old that's just a shade over 90 proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Hmm, maybe they could still revive the Old Hickory Brand due to consumer interest....ok...SB interest! If they received the recipe as part of a legal transfer of assets and product they may have it in a dusty box somewhere.Heaven Hill or whoever makes the bourbon could recreate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ziegler Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Hey Jono thanks for the Info I wrote to the Big Guy a few minutes ago they do have their whiskey made for them But that does not mean that they could not have someone make them something close to what the Old Hickory mash bill was Mr Medley made Old Hickory for a bit after he used up what he bought from us and I have had the Medley made Old Hickory and it was Dam close to ours and very good! I would love to try that Caffe Lolita as I wonder how it compares to ours I have a bottle and a half of that too.So I wrote and I will write alot if I have to just to see the return of a truely Great Bourbon and My all time favorite Bourbon. Have you ever Had Old Hickory? If you did you know what I mean. This has made me decide to have a shot of what I have left. I have a some 86 Proof and a little 80 proof yet and then I will be hoping and looking again.Dave Z-----------------------------------------------------It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory America's Most Magnificent Bourbon----------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now