tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22814353654999619132024-03-12T21:59:53.815-07:00Making George Washington's WhiskeyGeorge Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-79206369630895083652012-03-30T12:22:00.002-07:002012-03-30T12:31:36.722-07:00Unaged Rye Whiskey Release, April 14, 2012The next offering of unaged rye whiskey will take place on April 14, 2012, beginning at 10:00AM. The 600 bottles (375ml at $95 each) will be available for sale only at the Shops at the Mount Vernon Inn Complex and at the Gristmill Shop. As in the past, the bottles are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and we cannot ship.George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-54255539679425395642012-03-30T11:40:00.003-07:002012-03-30T11:46:26.708-07:00Topping Off<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZrRPYrt4jo5qsu1eWGqogKjTdx9g3NXgacwKjKVEqrAy7pAo6VTSVovHGJEgPgAzJa94cB9W_EjtCdmX7_u21_YdIrYVe0wqKZUztLyC00up0PQhYKTpTLoCznB3TPHCpXQ18lPe2x8/s1600/Malt+Whiskey+barrel+filling+009.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725762058849949922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZrRPYrt4jo5qsu1eWGqogKjTdx9g3NXgacwKjKVEqrAy7pAo6VTSVovHGJEgPgAzJa94cB9W_EjtCdmX7_u21_YdIrYVe0wqKZUztLyC00up0PQhYKTpTLoCznB3TPHCpXQ18lPe2x8/s320/Malt+Whiskey+barrel+filling+009.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>Andy Cant, master distiller for Cardhu Distillery, pounds in the bung, while GWD's master distiller, Dave Pickerell, and George Washington's plantation manager, "James Anderson," look on. In the background are Gavin Hewitt and John Campbell.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>After three years in wood (the first two in reused bourbon barrels, and the third in a recycled Madeira container) the whisky should be ready to bottle. Current plans call for auctioning off the whisky to support a range of chariable organizations.</div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-23208914201683890662012-03-30T11:18:00.003-07:002012-03-30T11:39:41.007-07:00Men in Kilts, Whoo-hoo!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPLvQBzW_oNgU7gIg5rQAHkvL87cfD132UjFi-WEkw5jKa0Msav3KG1CznpK4e2ll0reZfrczLZXtAxcw8LJNN_Q7YOlSwq7bdZspaL-vF3GHZv8R2haETgZnkW7j1SQfdYS6ht8j_Jo/s1600/Men+in+Kilts.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725757008765320626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPLvQBzW_oNgU7gIg5rQAHkvL87cfD132UjFi-WEkw5jKa0Msav3KG1CznpK4e2ll0reZfrczLZXtAxcw8LJNN_Q7YOlSwq7bdZspaL-vF3GHZv8R2haETgZnkW7j1SQfdYS6ht8j_Jo/s320/Men+in+Kilts.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>These three fine looking Scots -- decked out in their finest national regalia -- posed with Lisa Hawkins of the Distilled Spirits Council of the US after the barrel filling ceremony held at the George Washington Distillery on Wednesday. John Cambell, Andy Cant, and Bill Lumsden (pictured here, left to right) were joined by Robin Naysmith, Scottish Government Counsellor for North America, Gavin Hewitt, Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, and Mount Vernon and DISCUS staff and others, to top off the second barrel of malt whiskey that had been distilled over the previous two days.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Two @10-gallon barrels of the spirit were produced. One of the barrels was filled with the "director's cut" whisky, with a proof of 102, that was judged to be so good after the first round of distillation that a second run through the stills was not necessary. The spirit in the second barrel is the product of two distillations and is at 125 proof, the level at which Scotch distillers generally hope to barrel. A portion of the spirit in the second barrel set a new record for the GWD, reaching 165 proof! We wound up with only 20 gallons of spirit even though the yield from the first distallation was sufficent to provide more, because the Scottish distillers wanted to ensure that the finished product would be of the highest quality possible, and thus they elected not to redistill the lesser quality spirit. </div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-73612148307115853642012-03-26T15:28:00.006-07:002012-03-30T12:22:45.104-07:00Round I<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiA_Fw0DK7jm88YMmoE3Ns383qoEvEP8TWxXyxSHNULtIDdy-_cSTHlvIlAlKY_je5aBZo0vyehwEQQz1JdRRmSltB8NLDp56xCYmqKOFPKmqY65_-drkY8oat04BXs3hjvz25SYSMdc/s1600/Malt+Whiskey+001.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724337955233187490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiA_Fw0DK7jm88YMmoE3Ns383qoEvEP8TWxXyxSHNULtIDdy-_cSTHlvIlAlKY_je5aBZo0vyehwEQQz1JdRRmSltB8NLDp56xCYmqKOFPKmqY65_-drkY8oat04BXs3hjvz25SYSMdc/s320/Malt+Whiskey+001.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6trwv5wx-Ui72tF_MAiN6I-7aFSmKyS2uUDNEwRZZYkgrl41tGyPxzqR2qdImlK0_fMubF0Pl10Dnj0lFN23WXhGTC_sHezhZFouodEnm9gfk1-So6r-TO8kV9XGtpgUopi5so2INX4/s1600/Malt+Whiskey+004.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724336635564898594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6trwv5wx-Ui72tF_MAiN6I-7aFSmKyS2uUDNEwRZZYkgrl41tGyPxzqR2qdImlK0_fMubF0Pl10Dnj0lFN23WXhGTC_sHezhZFouodEnm9gfk1-So6r-TO8kV9XGtpgUopi5so2INX4/s200/Malt+Whiskey+004.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>At left, distillers, journalists and hangers-on mill around the stills at the end of the first day's run. Roughly 80 gallons of distillate were produced, with about five gallons considered to be such good product (110 proof and clean as a whistle!) that it is being barreled as a separate "director's cut" and will not need to be distilled a second time. At right, Dave Pickerell and Bill Lumsden confer over the proofing results. Tomorrow we continue the second run on the remainder of the batch.<br /></div><br /><div>Comments from the Scots:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Bill Lumsden, "It's quite a thrill to be doing everything by hand."</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>John Campbell, "It's almost like stepping back in time to produce whisky the way it was done 300 years ago."</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Andy Cant, "It's like you've got to unlearn everything you've learned; it's a complete unknown, but I think that's half the fun of it."</div><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div></div></div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-36945839286312140792012-03-26T14:59:00.004-07:002012-03-26T15:12:59.103-07:00Our Team, Part II: Scottish Invasion, Plus One<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1oDqSSBPB0OQDYSPlRbR9kMgc3oGIjLZDrphbCgNxmldFe9szTpCpUq9wUwZGMYsulBAAnUNUWsYZcJgVPseRLlM1uFLCoc84UaItg1n-Gq0QfJSm0XUn137CQcbET0dCu-qURZfgWg/s1600/Malt+Whiskey+002.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724329010431335650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1oDqSSBPB0OQDYSPlRbR9kMgc3oGIjLZDrphbCgNxmldFe9szTpCpUq9wUwZGMYsulBAAnUNUWsYZcJgVPseRLlM1uFLCoc84UaItg1n-Gq0QfJSm0XUn137CQcbET0dCu-qURZfgWg/s320/Malt+Whiskey+002.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Our Scottish colleagues arrived on American shores Sunday afternoon, and bright and early this morning they began distilling the barley mash that Dave Pickerell and the Mount Vernon team had prepared in advance. The dapper gentlemen dressed in black (a Scottish tradition, or just a slimming color?) are, from left, Bill Lumsden, global brands ambassador and master distiller, Glenmorangie Distillery; Andy Cant, master distiller, Cardhu Distillery; and John Campbell, distillery manager, Laphroaig Distillery. Our fourth musketeer is Nick Morgan (a wayward Brit), Scotch knowledge and heritage director, DIAGEO.</div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-64813651455147197862012-03-22T12:49:00.004-07:002012-03-22T12:56:59.776-07:00Our Team: Part I<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvj0Ye_cIv3IlfX7XfnN3QMZtlqghLvCAnVXDlveR_iMwDSez0O3Jp9OUThUUFY_SrdmB6kD7pVAP_t2r5cpcY8Cs_ob1tbknqoWTJqx05KithtQsEDflC6H5UfRbvNnwxrxHYkD7c8M/s1600/More+screening.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722811378746501746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvj0Ye_cIv3IlfX7XfnN3QMZtlqghLvCAnVXDlveR_iMwDSez0O3Jp9OUThUUFY_SrdmB6kD7pVAP_t2r5cpcY8Cs_ob1tbknqoWTJqx05KithtQsEDflC6H5UfRbvNnwxrxHYkD7c8M/s320/More+screening.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Mount Vernon's master distiller, and whiskey consultant extraordinaire, Dave Pickerell, is overseeing the mashing process and coordinating the overall single malt distilling effort. Members of the Mount Vernon team assisting Dave are: Steve Bashore, Pete Curtis (above), Joel Nichols, Daniel Purkey, Tim Larner, Randolph Bragg, Eric Barton, Justin Filipowski, Amanda Allard (above), Jordan Smith, and Tom Plott (above, aka James Anderson).</div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-66657098637819669822012-03-22T12:03:00.008-07:002012-08-02T09:22:49.597-07:00Doing the Malt-ster Mash<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNVbHaYsRHW0TvWjEEdTtPsOlo0nSCou8LhUKzb03vaB7DMHCtpeS3tcPXMn2IPy2Lf75M5YxnM6cwsoLQICule_HgIn-degazdAtq98659orot5cnWmDYr633IHAlIu92_rjYH2P3dw/s1600/Completed+mash+%25231.JPG"></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div>In addition to the special grain, the mashing process for Scotch-style whisky entails some unusual extra procedures. Unlike our normal practice for mashing rye whiskey, the Scots don't like to keep the liquid and the solids (the spent meal that ultimately settles to the bottom of the mash tubs) together. They have found that separating the two well before distilling has another significant effect on the finished product. For us, this meant going through an additional series of extremely labor intensive steps.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722803701368855586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eIC5_pRpkqT_ySvaA_7nT2K8kubvuSZC43yMjp1FzoyjIWPp64sklJTh46OXBS1jAvQPZUxqwzwDHIvnIMWzws5hIuREI9LsTob-6i5AK0XWYVLPbqJm6Q8AltL9Zl3xmmHVn7UuN1c/s320/Mashing+in+%25231.JPG" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>The process begins by combining 80 gallons of water heated to a temperature of 168 degrees with 280 pounds of barley meal in a 120-gallon hogshead, "rowing in" the meal as the water is added. After this concoction is allowed to site for about 45 minutes, the temperature drops about 20 degrees, and the liquid is bucketed out of the hogshead by hand and strained though metal mesh into a second hogshead, with the solids deposited into a third barrel. More hot water (about 32 gallons at 195 degrees) is added to the hogshead containing the strained solids, which produces additional sugar. The liquid in that barrel then is strained as before, with the solids discarded. The liquid is combined with the liquid from the first straining episode, and when the mixture drops to about 90 degrees in temperature, yeast is added to begin the fermentation. As with all whiskey, fermentation -- when the sugars are converted into alcohol -- should take three or more days to complete.</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNVbHaYsRHW0TvWjEEdTtPsOlo0nSCou8LhUKzb03vaB7DMHCtpeS3tcPXMn2IPy2Lf75M5YxnM6cwsoLQICule_HgIn-degazdAtq98659orot5cnWmDYr633IHAlIu92_rjYH2P3dw/s1600/Completed+mash+%25231.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722808439745709746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNVbHaYsRHW0TvWjEEdTtPsOlo0nSCou8LhUKzb03vaB7DMHCtpeS3tcPXMn2IPy2Lf75M5YxnM6cwsoLQICule_HgIn-degazdAtq98659orot5cnWmDYr633IHAlIu92_rjYH2P3dw/s320/Completed+mash+%25231.JPG" /></a><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 288px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 198px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722804138022222690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNvzsof2XH8Y9omfdwyjjevNwCyTjU5LUrebabyyoQ3vZMOZZpfnXBI-_wzmck1FK4aFHeb0Fc0N0r8FG-lf6bcFM7qlhUw6qHzAQD5I59BDsJXGp3KqVuuvu0W1o1bcXQLr_YFInOjk/s320/Screening+mash.JPG" /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5tf0VZzJZALiT5tidSQKv1HFDDv8smBK9KjU9ps-uN3UJih-S7yn_ao0j9-Fo-Qg_j0_nXO6zFtfZSlkJZbDnXCMaH_uBCpG8FX133xETDjfx-JzwhTWN6Cw3OJnPkP425WjQQTyEJs/s1600/Bucketing+last+of+mash.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 244px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 303px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722807937233323666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5tf0VZzJZALiT5tidSQKv1HFDDv8smBK9KjU9ps-uN3UJih-S7yn_ao0j9-Fo-Qg_j0_nXO6zFtfZSlkJZbDnXCMaH_uBCpG8FX133xETDjfx-JzwhTWN6Cw3OJnPkP425WjQQTyEJs/s320/Bucketing+last+of+mash.JPG" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5tf0VZzJZALiT5tidSQKv1HFDDv8smBK9KjU9ps-uN3UJih-S7yn_ao0j9-Fo-Qg_j0_nXO6zFtfZSlkJZbDnXCMaH_uBCpG8FX133xETDjfx-JzwhTWN6Cw3OJnPkP425WjQQTyEJs/s1600/Bucketing+last+of+mash.JPG"></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5tf0VZzJZALiT5tidSQKv1HFDDv8smBK9KjU9ps-uN3UJih-S7yn_ao0j9-Fo-Qg_j0_nXO6zFtfZSlkJZbDnXCMaH_uBCpG8FX133xETDjfx-JzwhTWN6Cw3OJnPkP425WjQQTyEJs/s1600/Bucketing+last+of+mash.JPG"></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5tf0VZzJZALiT5tidSQKv1HFDDv8smBK9KjU9ps-uN3UJih-S7yn_ao0j9-Fo-Qg_j0_nXO6zFtfZSlkJZbDnXCMaH_uBCpG8FX133xETDjfx-JzwhTWN6Cw3OJnPkP425WjQQTyEJs/s1600/Bucketing+last+of+mash.JPG"></a></div></div></div></div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-66355391535743800812012-03-22T11:19:00.004-07:002012-03-22T12:01:44.451-07:00Malted Barley: The Scot's Best Friend<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiaA25BdGZh_YEMAWpyo2stguB_7iR2rh6I5e-8qqAz1AbusZ-1e3hh7XfePq5pY8tYFA0N7b-GYmCYXbRGkBrEs4E4cy7HDk50uStmwt7zyn_dtxC0piphXI6XCpgFtDDGcVH_V0SgM/s1600/Grinding+Malt.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 207px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722796368809897202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiaA25BdGZh_YEMAWpyo2stguB_7iR2rh6I5e-8qqAz1AbusZ-1e3hh7XfePq5pY8tYFA0N7b-GYmCYXbRGkBrEs4E4cy7HDk50uStmwt7zyn_dtxC0piphXI6XCpgFtDDGcVH_V0SgM/s320/Grinding+Malt.JPG" /></a> <br /><div>As all you Scottish-types know full well, Scotch Whisky (note the lack of an "e" -- they spell funny across the pond) is made from 100% malted barley. The type of grain is one of the main determinants of the final flavor of the spirit -- along with the method and duration of aging and the character of the barrels used to store the product -- but in the case of Scotch an important additional factor in the flavor is a result of the malting process. "Malting" means that the grain has been allowed to sprout, which produces a chemical transformation that helps to release the natural sugars in the grain. Before the grain can be ground the germination must be stopped by applying heat, however, which is where the additional flavoring comes in. Peat is a traditional Scottish fuel, which when burned gives off a strong, pungent aroma; when the fire used to halt the barley gemination is fueled by peat, the flavor of the smoke pervades the grain and thus the finsihed spirit. For our project, we wanted to use malted barley from Scotland, and we also wanted to ensure that the peat flavor was present in our whisky. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3LqhToY1TUsZqrEBPvsVEcYbAl8IV94QylwuzB_fswFgoMZANW7_hxLwFXqLzOloSZqeLFWHk_iB8PwLF_gqa10Sq9dxDnzv9WKJCur2gsVX1wf6rhS3PQ1UeINFCfUIxccA_JSWM3E/s1600/Close+up+of+ground+malt.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 202px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 209px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722796692797061506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3LqhToY1TUsZqrEBPvsVEcYbAl8IV94QylwuzB_fswFgoMZANW7_hxLwFXqLzOloSZqeLFWHk_iB8PwLF_gqa10Sq9dxDnzv9WKJCur2gsVX1wf6rhS3PQ1UeINFCfUIxccA_JSWM3E/s320/Close+up+of+ground+malt.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>Our Scottish partners came through by shipping over a couple of tons of malt barley, along with a couple of hundred pounds of specially peated malt to mix into the mash bill. The next step in the process was for our team of millers to grind the barley at our water powered gristmill. We were aiming for a fairly coarse level of "grind" in this instance, as it is optimal for releasing the sugar during mashing. We aimed at mashing four 120-gallon tubs, which at roughly 280 pounds per barrel totalled about 1120 pounds of meal. </div></div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-61100248854117635352012-03-22T10:57:00.003-07:002012-03-22T11:13:52.566-07:00And Now .. Single Malt Whisky<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuMIZg5wGeqJx3eJXpTvuSvZmb1EXpXph5Lv1GOvnkdaLuE6UAewIS8wccG8TfcFNA0SpriXQvv4UmAJ5lHmSbOQkk7EpAxKZkUI8sQ5GNp-_TOpX2Cn08GHRwiPz3jaxSR-KUSuW7zs/s1600/Drink75A_R1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722786090601707698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuMIZg5wGeqJx3eJXpTvuSvZmb1EXpXph5Lv1GOvnkdaLuE6UAewIS8wccG8TfcFNA0SpriXQvv4UmAJ5lHmSbOQkk7EpAxKZkUI8sQ5GNp-_TOpX2Cn08GHRwiPz3jaxSR-KUSuW7zs/s320/Drink75A_R1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>To celebrate the Scottish connection with Washington's distillery -- his manager, James Anderson, was a Scot -- we are partnering with the Distilled Spirits Council of the US and the Scotch Whisky Association (marking its 100th anniversary this year) to produce the first-ever Scottish-style malt whisky at the George Washington Distillery. Several well known master distillers representing some of the foremost Scotch Whisky brands (including Glenmorangie, Laphroaig, and Cardhu) will be traveling to Mount Vernon to mash and distill specially imported Scottish malted barley. Our plan is to produce up to 20 gallons of whisky, which then will be stored at Mount Vernon to age in recycled American oak barrels (two years) and then finish in barrels that previously held Madeira wine (one year). After aging, the whisky will be bottled and auctioned to benefit various charitable organizations. Mashing began on March 20th, and distilling will occur from March 26th-28th. The event is not open to the general public, but any followers of this blog who are interested are invited to drop by the site to observe and meet the distillers. Watch this space for more details over the course of the project.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-14924629582253364502011-10-26T12:33:00.000-07:002011-10-26T12:37:01.720-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7OqnjjAKbgRtg10xQDwZTeuHWW-a_2lNcnZlVwvXR10_hENoK9fdaunVBef4yY2na6gaIby5KcbobrWR68kt6SdozKsjWBwVNUgdAfpGGzMEdeUBRyHChlzydqvI45-wgeysD25VyRU/s1600/clip_image002.gif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 201px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667887101999882114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7OqnjjAKbgRtg10xQDwZTeuHWW-a_2lNcnZlVwvXR10_hENoK9fdaunVBef4yY2na6gaIby5KcbobrWR68kt6SdozKsjWBwVNUgdAfpGGzMEdeUBRyHChlzydqvI45-wgeysD25VyRU/s320/clip_image002.gif" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-4223493006028717872011-10-12T13:06:00.000-07:002011-10-12T13:34:15.093-07:00Success<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWv3GUJyLRqBw_GPxhL5UDmOsMEvUPzP_RKCDkjT7QvArbpl7-pHFAFWqEHDV-v9NoaWR64CNXfP24Sv64atPjgmL7ZltKrjrZMwK_KQok27tPYSjaQg6lZRC5qvmoB5P96Y_NSkBISk/s1600/Apple+Brandy+2011+002.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662700040898344098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWv3GUJyLRqBw_GPxhL5UDmOsMEvUPzP_RKCDkjT7QvArbpl7-pHFAFWqEHDV-v9NoaWR64CNXfP24Sv64atPjgmL7ZltKrjrZMwK_KQok27tPYSjaQg6lZRC5qvmoB5P96Y_NSkBISk/s200/Apple+Brandy+2011+002.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinF-paKbc9dQkBnGz6Vj5ByQqzmSMUNRjiChtjT4lZ9MGv_HIbSqcmQR8Xrx7AvPzJe39PVDI4PyUd-F4u4zifZoQ6ZqRNw_-hNCWxkoeNXjFMhAtUDOkmlaY4yCR1S7xUFADKI8JYljU/s1600/Apple+Brandy+2011+001.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662699912722532994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinF-paKbc9dQkBnGz6Vj5ByQqzmSMUNRjiChtjT4lZ9MGv_HIbSqcmQR8Xrx7AvPzJe39PVDI4PyUd-F4u4zifZoQ6ZqRNw_-hNCWxkoeNXjFMhAtUDOkmlaY4yCR1S7xUFADKI8JYljU/s200/Apple+Brandy+2011+001.jpg" /></a> After three days of distilling, we have generated almost 50 gallons of apple spirit, which has been put into two oak barrels to age. The cider that we received from Distillery Lane contained roughly 6.5% alcohol; after the first run through the still it had increased to upwards of 20% (40 proof); after the second and final run the potency increased again to roughly 60% allcohol (120 proof). Given our plan to age the spirit for two years, Dave Pickerell decided that cutting it with water to reduce it to 100 proof would be best. When the time comes to bottle it will be cut again, probably down to about 86 proof.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The new apple spirit has a predictably strong flavor as well as a lot of heat because of the high alcohol content. But the smell and flavor of the apples is still there and is really very pleasant. The trick will be for the flavors to mellow a bit and gain in complexity from being in contact with the wood, without losing the residual character of the apples.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>We also took this opportunity to taste some of the peach brandy we made last year, which has spent the last 12 months in oak barrels in our storage facility. Everyone pronounced it to be an excellent product, which should be even better after another year in wood, and we have every reason to expect that the apple brandy will turn out just as well. Our current plan is to bottle and sell the peach brandy in another year or so, with the apple brandy following one more year down the road.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-8061318883462973502011-10-10T13:11:00.000-07:002011-10-10T13:32:42.626-07:00Show Time<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrrSTmty1-Uty1DIpBEFNItieUyYv0b2WIcc5gKbTgIa94PYakfhz_LWjEItzi0a0jG3Zig2aIhZ9GoeuslRmesSJtFwy7Gjlnv0JWFR_6cNyH-XD3Am_XGi9aUFwEGbEWVHATKU5K5aQ/s1600/Apple+Brandy+2011+003.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661959102362237730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrrSTmty1-Uty1DIpBEFNItieUyYv0b2WIcc5gKbTgIa94PYakfhz_LWjEItzi0a0jG3Zig2aIhZ9GoeuslRmesSJtFwy7Gjlnv0JWFR_6cNyH-XD3Am_XGi9aUFwEGbEWVHATKU5K5aQ/s200/Apple+Brandy+2011+003.jpg" /></a> We picked up our barrels of fermented cider from Distillery Lane Cider Works on Thursday as planned. Ten barrels had achieved a level of about 6.5% alcohol -- our target number -- with another three barrels not quite there -- at 5%. We brought all 13 barrels back to Mount Vernon and filled one of our hogseahds with the immature cider in hopes that it might continue working. Even if it doesn't, the sight of the frothy liquid in our vintage 120-gallon oak hogshead makes a pretty picture and serves as a great demonstration piece for visitors while we distill this week.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CRzkXBwXbvPTvj3HZyS5rVTLdQ3GvC5DqzhlUfcupXmT9Z3Rjs474CGtubmVOadO-C5g1aS89ZPrtNBPm070ZQd58pi87BkKgBC1j_-RAjN2O3co_Npmenn1imqYhWplVFY-D6NaQF4/s1600/Apple+Brandy+2011+001.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661958987619072786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CRzkXBwXbvPTvj3HZyS5rVTLdQ3GvC5DqzhlUfcupXmT9Z3Rjs474CGtubmVOadO-C5g1aS89ZPrtNBPm070ZQd58pi87BkKgBC1j_-RAjN2O3co_Npmenn1imqYhWplVFY-D6NaQF4/s200/Apple+Brandy+2011+001.jpg" /></a><br />We filled all five of our stills this morning and by 12:30 we were beginning to see the first appearance of the crystal clear spirit. As of 4:00 most of the stills have just about completed their run and we are getting ready to close down for the night. Tomorrow we go at it again, and by the end of the day we should have all 500 gallons of cider run through and stored temporarily in the low-wine kegs. On Wednesday we will run that all through for the second distillation, and we hope to have up to 50 gallons of eau de vie ready to stow away in our toasted oak barrels to age.<br /><br />Anyone interested in observing the process is welcome to come on down on Tuesday or Wednesday.George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-75968896379502186782011-10-07T07:34:00.001-07:002011-10-07T07:52:10.434-07:00Aged Rye Whiskey Available for Sale<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCaAqDrSEBdCacy6NxOnYv5bIfFKIhzGixYlsvZqWabOSsYhVJJqpBLo3q2ttM9yJsMchioD2jM0IS5NKl30G0UWrmKZLAcV4S3CnpcYY7O7CgASvBq9qGxnGI3X2FviB8_V4eAl5w7Q/s1600/Straight+Rye+Whiskey+Label.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 78px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660762993430305586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCaAqDrSEBdCacy6NxOnYv5bIfFKIhzGixYlsvZqWabOSsYhVJJqpBLo3q2ttM9yJsMchioD2jM0IS5NKl30G0UWrmKZLAcV4S3CnpcYY7O7CgASvBq9qGxnGI3X2FviB8_V4eAl5w7Q/s200/Straight+Rye+Whiskey+Label.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>At long last, we will be offering bottles of our aged rye whiskey for sale to the general public beginning on Saturday, October 22nd.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiharv7v1h42tMhXZfLuX628GzIzKFuOWraUCgf9uKCqHJwC9yS6FrfxFKC6kIfX5rbGuFStDBwHhF2DuPkb0OpsCxbqdAAOulL0JJUw4s-UMKZoZpBDPo5PHNz39lwKs9yezPCCipqghE/s1600/Straight+Rye+Whiskey+2011.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 133px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660758922406400898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiharv7v1h42tMhXZfLuX628GzIzKFuOWraUCgf9uKCqHJwC9yS6FrfxFKC6kIfX5rbGuFStDBwHhF2DuPkb0OpsCxbqdAAOulL0JJUw4s-UMKZoZpBDPo5PHNz39lwKs9yezPCCipqghE/s200/Straight+Rye+Whiskey+2011.JPG" /></a> The whiskey was distilled in the fall of 2009 at the reconstructed still house and has been aged for more than two years in charred oak barrels. Although George Washington did not purposely age his whiskey, we think that he would approve of the mellow flavor and pleasing appearance that this additional step has imparted to the traditional rye spirit.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Sales of the approximately 300 375ml bottles will start at 10:00 on a first-come first-serve basis and will continue while supplies last; the bottles retail for $185. The sales will occur at both the Gristmill Shop and the main Gift Shop at the Mount Vernon Inn Complex on the Mount Vernon estate.</div></div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-18253595515630696372011-10-05T08:20:00.000-07:002011-10-07T13:56:58.291-07:00Pressing Issues<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQzTVh9GMZQZrUyQY93YLospCOlXcb0jeAu0oiY97RYomLzA2otNSyHVWKqWV3I-2xwrnB2nq_pMMGat2EYK6pVFkOgqtYeWCoVJC4aH2Y9oZ4xVvL4mpZ9WqtSGUv79tYilF0bb-zpE/s1600/DSC_1733+1+6+meg.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 133px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660028627621574642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQzTVh9GMZQZrUyQY93YLospCOlXcb0jeAu0oiY97RYomLzA2otNSyHVWKqWV3I-2xwrnB2nq_pMMGat2EYK6pVFkOgqtYeWCoVJC4aH2Y9oZ4xVvL4mpZ9WqtSGUv79tYilF0bb-zpE/s200/DSC_1733+1+6+meg.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLlgkmoBkyT_j1Nb91diMybWAUBms7kvzqC2maxCSxA5Vyb6rRVf83QeT0KN_x6q-_HIgKrTz5Oc0iaq8McBwULnf2sCdR0lEjcQ-dpMzMvQnp5JZ3O9LGWnTiUtjmK3pJQHxkzytOwo/s1600/DSC_1729+1+3+meg.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660028478315771234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLlgkmoBkyT_j1Nb91diMybWAUBms7kvzqC2maxCSxA5Vyb6rRVf83QeT0KN_x6q-_HIgKrTz5Oc0iaq8McBwULnf2sCdR0lEjcQ-dpMzMvQnp5JZ3O9LGWnTiUtjmK3pJQHxkzytOwo/s200/DSC_1729+1+3+meg.JPG" /></a><br />Grinding the apples into pulp and then pressing it into juice are the two main steps in preparing for cider making. The folks at Distillery Lane Cider Works have adapted a bit of modern technology to assist them in this, with a motor driven conveyor and grater to speed up the grinding. The press also benefits from some labor saving features and modern materials, but it is essentially the same type of device that has been used for centuries. Known as a rack press, frames holding the apple pulp (or pomace) are stacked under the press plate, which then is hydraulically lowered to squeeze out the juice. The newly squeezed juice smells great, by the way, and it seems that wonderful aromas are one of the benefits of working in a cider mill. The juice then is transferred into barrels, yeast is introduced, and the fermentation takes place over a 7-10-day period. Rob thinks that our cider will be fermented and ready to be picked up on Thursday.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-52480163782098575632011-10-03T14:31:00.001-07:002011-10-05T08:40:34.463-07:00Founding SpiritsOn another topic, a book that tells the story of George Washington's distillery and the Mount Vernon distillery restoration project, and focuses on the early history of the American whiskey industry as well, is now widely available for sale.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAddWLYYUDAKZeOFkTld-uc53-3o9sVBliiHLRK8faWCR6YwBphkwpjeaa6wjyjpQDUeW8t7IoSk77jyK1AXVDYvtjsSEemBFPgK-zuZOnpjStADo8BXP333EO-t6sQoqmstBo_EDGm0/s1600/Founding+Spirits+cover+-+300dpi.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 134px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659381973401741746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAddWLYYUDAKZeOFkTld-uc53-3o9sVBliiHLRK8faWCR6YwBphkwpjeaa6wjyjpQDUeW8t7IoSk77jyK1AXVDYvtjsSEemBFPgK-zuZOnpjStADo8BXP333EO-t6sQoqmstBo_EDGm0/s200/Founding+Spirits+cover+-+300dpi.jpg" /></a> It can be purchased ($24.95) at the Mount Vernon shops or online at <a href="http://www.mountvernon.org/">http://www.mountvernon.org/</a>, or via Amazon and Barnes and Noble.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div><em>Founding Spirits:</em> <em>George Wasington and the Beginnings of the American Whiskey Industry,</em> by Dennis J. Pogue, Harbour Books (2011), hardcover, 304 pages.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>"How many of us knew that the young George Washington bought votes with free beer and rum punch? Or that the old, retired president's distillery pumped out 10,000 gallons of rye whiskey in a single year? Here's a toast to historian Dennis Pogue for excavating the intimate relationship between strong liquor and the strong man of Mount Vernon."</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Joel Achenbach, author of <em>The Grand Idea: George Washington's Potomac and the Race to the West </em></div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-39471518256806122842011-10-03T12:52:00.000-07:002011-10-07T07:34:09.908-07:00An Apple a Day ... or Actually, about a Thousand<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSUuYKciE6StudtsHALBSiOv2secIuEt8oRkFxGCqLsTu6sCmHt1ZnyRhHjXUSlfv9ZvY6IjqetE9ZPvkQk-WMOQbq1dsT0kblN9WkDf3-nUA0o7pxqaQd1ffJMsREnaafLrIN_xqbEo/s1600/DSC_1737+1+7+meg.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659367144293433810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSUuYKciE6StudtsHALBSiOv2secIuEt8oRkFxGCqLsTu6sCmHt1ZnyRhHjXUSlfv9ZvY6IjqetE9ZPvkQk-WMOQbq1dsT0kblN9WkDf3-nUA0o7pxqaQd1ffJMsREnaafLrIN_xqbEo/s200/DSC_1737+1+7+meg.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsZ92oIzFlTSL3lSZ4wZsBeoJKHSV6En-UP0hNBpyC-_lmd54XnK1zBiQ-OIaZnS3-e_S1cnbTkI-gGSN2fkxY7z7i5u0q5lYnNqlvkdFSTNwJ18BTEz2Ddas-WVExIrBdLbc80nC30c/s1600/IMG00067-20110930-1653.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659356701604858274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsZ92oIzFlTSL3lSZ4wZsBeoJKHSV6En-UP0hNBpyC-_lmd54XnK1zBiQ-OIaZnS3-e_S1cnbTkI-gGSN2fkxY7z7i5u0q5lYnNqlvkdFSTNwJ18BTEz2Ddas-WVExIrBdLbc80nC30c/s200/IMG00067-20110930-1653.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>We are back in the brandy making business. As I type, we are in the midst of preparations to distill a batch of brandy made from the same types of apples that George Washington used more than 200 years ago. This latest batch of spirit will go along with the peach brandy that we distilled last year about this time, and means that we will have made all three types of "spirituous liquors" that were produced at Washington's distillery. </div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>We know from the plantation records that several different varieties of apples were grown on the plantation, both to support cider and brandy making and for household consumption. Three of those varieties were particularly amenable to cidering: Hewes/Hughes/Virginia Crab, Newtown Pippin, and Russet (very likely the variety known as Roxbury). As it happens, growing heritage apples is making a major comeback in the region, with several orchards focusing on growing the classic varieties for producing their new/old boutique ciders. </div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Tom Burford, author of the indispensable reference book, <em>Apples: A Catalog of International Varieties</em>, former professional orchardist, and apple consultant to Monticello and other historic sites, agreed to help us with our plans for this latest experiment in replicating the product of Washington's distillery. Tom put us in touch with Rob Miller, who runs Distillery Lane Cider Works, located just west of Frederick, MD, where all three of those apple varieties are grown. </div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Working with our master distiller, Dave Pickerell, and with the input of old friend Ted Huber, President of Huber Starlight Distillery, in Indiana, we concluded that a mixture of Hewes, Newtown, and Roxbury juice would give us the sugar potency we needed, and that 500 gallons of fermented juice should yield as much as 50 gallons of brandy. As with the peach brandy we made last year, the idea is to put the new spirit away in oak barrels for up to a couple of years to age before offering it for sale to the public.</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Dave and some helpers are planning to come and spend three days working with Steve Bashore and the other members of our Historic Trades department in distilling the cider in the reconstructed Mount Vernon still house. Because fermenting apples in open-air containers can be dicey (lots of stuff floating around in the air that could complicate things!) we decided to let the folks at Distillery Lane ferment the juice for us. Once it is finished later this week, we will pick it up and transport it back to Mount Vernon for distilling next week (October 10-11-12). Stay tuned for updates on our progress.</div></div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-14662782074684225942010-10-07T12:08:00.000-07:002011-10-03T14:05:52.612-07:00Just Peachy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjq_m1CiVQ-ZXQ7glBlW_9FU_jb8yTSeGqib_HMldRDQlk5LGC1RoqUrACHXaav7UNToS_xSTAfdP4tnARbqtsvoJb-W_Lk0hlJNhw74DwwTYzX8eBQ3c7QCtrrGDwY9UvIfXzEbKQJw/s1600/Peach+Brandy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525385134618551202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjq_m1CiVQ-ZXQ7glBlW_9FU_jb8yTSeGqib_HMldRDQlk5LGC1RoqUrACHXaav7UNToS_xSTAfdP4tnARbqtsvoJb-W_Lk0hlJNhw74DwwTYzX8eBQ3c7QCtrrGDwY9UvIfXzEbKQJw/s200/Peach+Brandy.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>After two very productive days of work, our team has distilled about 50 gallons of premium peach brandy. And according to our gaggle of experts, it is a very tasty product, indeed. The spirit has gone into two toasted oak barrels for storage to await bottling. According to Ted Huber (here dressed in dark clothes, standing next to Thomas McKenzie of Fingerlakes Distillery) fruit brandies don't benefit from aging in wood to the degree that whiskey does, as the wood flavor can easily overpower the spirit. Since the barrels have only a light coating of char, the brandy shouldn't pick up much flavor from contact with the wood, which in this case is what we want. But since the barrels are not air-tight, the liquor will oxidize over time, and according to Ted that should have a positive effect on the flavor. We plan on keeping the brandy in the barrels for at least a year, then we will bottle it when we think the flavor is at its best. So once again, check back with us next year to find out the status.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>We also are moving forward with plans to distill more rye whiskey next month. Dave Pickerell will return to work with our folks to produce another batch of 100 to 150 gallons of General Washington's finest. Once again, we plan on putting some away for aging, but we'll also offer bottles of the unaged product for sale. IF all goes well next month, we hope to have more bottles available in time for Christmas. Plan your gift purchases accordingly!</div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-34270270916436450212010-10-05T15:05:00.000-07:002010-10-05T15:11:55.147-07:00The 2010 Brandy Team<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHXWyKN0fTQgSQd0rX2nJfkfRKOGXrX5O6nLqyxXDGeNf-Zf_HzhwGRvGddgD5n5n4aNPn-ScVOrFa6nH8wNBK_ggXRN0Uqjsv65qJ0ZMpOqnSdxIXFJ_PmIkEm16rwGYELPzQpRpp-0/s1600/Peach+Brandy+001.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524687821497732370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHXWyKN0fTQgSQd0rX2nJfkfRKOGXrX5O6nLqyxXDGeNf-Zf_HzhwGRvGddgD5n5n4aNPn-ScVOrFa6nH8wNBK_ggXRN0Uqjsv65qJ0ZMpOqnSdxIXFJ_PmIkEm16rwGYELPzQpRpp-0/s200/Peach+Brandy+001.jpg" /></a><br /><div>The ring leaders for this year's operation, left to right: Ted Huber from Huber Starlight Distillery, Brian McKenzie and Thomas McKenzie (no relation), both from Finger Lakes Distilling, Lance Winters from St. George Spirits, and Dave Pickerell, Oak View Consulting; missing in action (looking for a new rubber tube to fix the leaky discharge valve), Joe Dangler from Sazerac.</div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-22860657907839437212010-10-05T14:57:00.000-07:002010-10-05T15:05:38.453-07:00One Step Forward ...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtIm1HCKWILluPKX0ytK6PfGEGYUFGDcoOQjvrrm4n0VYqt30N5muudR8CrfpFG6Qafuz__6U1dWhMUxDGriCBIyTZCK39czyC589UzhKhuKOwAk298bb7TARpnsT1jIt1ax8Ydd5Jj0/s1600/Peach+Brandy+007.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524686123884131362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtIm1HCKWILluPKX0ytK6PfGEGYUFGDcoOQjvrrm4n0VYqt30N5muudR8CrfpFG6Qafuz__6U1dWhMUxDGriCBIyTZCK39czyC589UzhKhuKOwAk298bb7TARpnsT1jIt1ax8Ydd5Jj0/s200/Peach+Brandy+007.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic12iO7IZuq7bJ9IgV4NWbb85dkvcF2rVgvWWi5-4-YfDHu9vR3Vi2hna13xdgHwZsUIK7DAiSyFoS_w-hcH-DWdni8nHthVre7CPeKGCHfzkvtJFwTLyDP9PWjRgiQBkjSUV_R58woVM/s1600/Peach+Brandy+006.jpg"></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTH6vUTgygHYJ2EU75qy4cjDhsBzg4GwsvQ-K-JOBpT_nZhrbjfLwLqnQRkUcFr7G1KWKHF30TzbrWamgXaaJdXkvHOu18E5OWTE9B6zZFYEC5EqL84EoqY6bksGfwmi04-kTvb__NL0/s1600/Peach+Brandy+006.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><div>This morning we transferred the peach low wines to the distillery as planned, and charged two of the stills. Unfortunately, the rubber hose on the discharge valve on one of the stills almost immediately failed -- apparently the rubber had dried out and split -- and began to leak. After trying some quick fixes (yes, duct tape!), the team decided to abort this still until we could come up with a better solution. We emptied the still and transferred the liquid to one of our hogsheads. In the meantime, we continued distilling on the second still -- and were rewarded with distillate beginning to flow within about 45 minutes.</div></div></div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-29044033684647209472010-10-05T06:55:00.000-07:002010-10-05T07:15:54.246-07:00And Now: Making George Washington's ... Brandy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWBCyVgUZs73oOjBh8dJPBUHtrLl7be8jG4Zqws0xITGgXF8VB9POBCixgcbyoISJhWGjaCotUpWMj6VZflmuN2gX8WV8J6EgiqTDjDQlVxH-nyA-ywgkPBJeuO_gPsnqRy0pn3EbIaQ/s1600/Discus_sepia.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 61px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524564602908080962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWBCyVgUZs73oOjBh8dJPBUHtrLl7be8jG4Zqws0xITGgXF8VB9POBCixgcbyoISJhWGjaCotUpWMj6VZflmuN2gX8WV8J6EgiqTDjDQlVxH-nyA-ywgkPBJeuO_gPsnqRy0pn3EbIaQ/s200/Discus_sepia.jpg" /></a><br /><div>In addition to distilling more than 10,000 gallons of rye whiskey in 1799, Washington's distillery also produced much smaller quantities of apple and peach brandy. It appears that Washington may have been his own best customer when it came to the brandy, as the plantation accounts record that in October of that year, 67 gallons of the apple and 60 gallons of the peach brandy were transferred to the "Mount Vernon house," presumably for the enjoyment of the Washington household.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Distillers from Huber Starlight Distillery, in Indiana, and from Finger Lakes Distilling, in New York, are bringing about 150 gallons of fermented peach wine to distill in our pot stills; making this the first time brandy will have been made at the distllery in almost 200 years. Dave Pickerell and Joe Dangler, old hands who are experts by now in operating our unique wood-fired stills, have agreed to participate as well. The distilling will take place starting today and should wrap up some time tomorrow. If everything goes well, our plan is to barrel the brandy -- possibly up to 50 gallons -- and bottle it and offer it for sale at some point in the future. </div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-8234884458913967392010-07-02T08:39:00.000-07:002010-07-02T08:47:14.705-07:00Sold Out!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWmJrmnB-COoW4QezMSAb2lAJke43FVJJBfKNrMQjF65m1U-EhTI4SU0HRKeFb-og1k_lcomLz7f3mkD5frnB7MaXZe1YNIMJiK6JWz7C7AYGKvNZYUc9tJ7y36t6fU-qwDszQHgktV8/s1600/_DSC9389-B.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489335665454364130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWmJrmnB-COoW4QezMSAb2lAJke43FVJJBfKNrMQjF65m1U-EhTI4SU0HRKeFb-og1k_lcomLz7f3mkD5frnB7MaXZe1YNIMJiK6JWz7C7AYGKvNZYUc9tJ7y36t6fU-qwDszQHgktV8/s200/_DSC9389-B.JPG" /></a><br /><div>We knew from the many inquiries leading up to the event that there was a great deal of interest in tasting and buying our whiskey. But the level of response still was a surprise, as almost 300 people attended the dedication ceremony at the Distillery site, and another 200 came to our other gift shop in hopes of buying a bottle of General Washington's finest. Even though our cash registers failed at the Distillery (we were disconnected by our cable provider!), which meant that all of the transactions had to be carried out the old fashioned way, by hand, we sold every one of our 471 bottles by 5:00 yesterday. Given this remarkable turn of events, I don't think that there is any doubt that we will be planning on making more whiskey in the near future. Stay tuned for details.</div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-16761661732259034302010-07-02T08:25:00.000-07:002010-07-02T08:38:20.416-07:00Huzzah!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtWassl3Mx8bG2WAx889LOW5dDUi2eoxuRbAwXEdC5-xQTFF9s4OnLde3h9VZen26pFuYEP2ON_MK8YFaONxGQPhWe83wNzt4wRi0XTP1d0GFJkY0iC2CKTU-ct8llnLYg-WpofTQw8g/s1600/_DSC9367-B.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 133px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489332569849518034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtWassl3Mx8bG2WAx889LOW5dDUi2eoxuRbAwXEdC5-xQTFF9s4OnLde3h9VZen26pFuYEP2ON_MK8YFaONxGQPhWe83wNzt4wRi0XTP1d0GFJkY0iC2CKTU-ct8llnLYg-WpofTQw8g/s200/_DSC9367-B.JPG" /></a><br /><div>The General, himself, honored us with his presence yesterday, and he took the first drink of the new George Washington Rye Whiskey. After pronouncing the spirit to be "fine," he offered a toast, "To all our friends," which was follwed by enthusiastic "huzzahs" of approval from the audience. Joining the General in making remarks on the historic nature of the event, were: Jim Rees, President of Mount Vernon, Peter Cressy, President of the Distilled Spirits Council of the US, Toddy Puller, Virginia State Senator, and Dennis Pogue, Vice President of Mount Vernon for Preservation. Immediately after the ceremony, 250 members of the public lined up for their free tastes and to purchase 375ml bottles of the whiskey (limit one to a customer).</div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-90503162587049124212010-06-24T14:06:00.001-07:002010-06-24T14:19:25.803-07:00Come and Get It!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEesEomv3sYbyfvmDHX7ymwZP0HmPZzbe6Dnt7XgUVThOiccJphqNDO7PdMXkB1ylE_4-fiTv3DLCHMlUEV3euae1ccABINcTD59afHa9WKV9c_xqlfOKDOmFODUcVWTN7jxA10A2K51A/s1600/labeling+005.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486452886610438706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEesEomv3sYbyfvmDHX7ymwZP0HmPZzbe6Dnt7XgUVThOiccJphqNDO7PdMXkB1ylE_4-fiTv3DLCHMlUEV3euae1ccABINcTD59afHa9WKV9c_xqlfOKDOmFODUcVWTN7jxA10A2K51A/s200/labeling+005.jpg" /></a><br /><div>We will offer our whiskey for sale to the public for the first time on July 1. The 375ml bottle will sell for $85 -- only one to a customer, while supplies last. Taking advantage of a new law passed by the Virginia General Assembly, we can offer free tastes of the product (one-quarter once per person) that day as well. We've set aside four bottles for the tasting, which will take place between 12 and 1:00 or until the supply is exhausted.</div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-77123554459957463572010-06-24T13:41:00.000-07:002010-06-24T14:05:53.731-07:00Voila!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZrNItay5Fg8yC5jIYSr27vPPIT48Gg7EVa3oD2Qe2CpqYpgyL1AEWXnUhVEWr04TbNWQxQeHxnayGoHOLPVYJWa-9zXiAmsUoriE6HoGMI6N8hZLIqcIYw5oZ230kWVgWBgQh2YGTeQ/s1600/labeling+005.jpg"></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfosAHE14nrCxw5X_D_rfBjO0TgJ0QQY7GAobw5RzjL7_sP8xnVAHGWRPVjH0Bbs2QtRzG5aOMcwpLLPu5hT1o2D6bA40rE9Skixg2VqoQGVoBGpFo0aZm8PiqDX30gO7bN14gZ_h1RA/s1600/labeling+004.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486443485922906610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfosAHE14nrCxw5X_D_rfBjO0TgJ0QQY7GAobw5RzjL7_sP8xnVAHGWRPVjH0Bbs2QtRzG5aOMcwpLLPu5hT1o2D6bA40rE9Skixg2VqoQGVoBGpFo0aZm8PiqDX30gO7bN14gZ_h1RA/s200/labeling+004.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>471 bottles of George Washington's Rye Whiskey, ready to go.</div></div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281435365499961913.post-19375875517912065122010-06-24T13:31:00.000-07:002010-06-24T13:40:59.719-07:00Labeling GW's Rye<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPJObya3oSJZQlMtpL3UTRUeqVkuHN7Qua-NrPEF4Z4hdpZjBQT2d5-0haJNKB7T3YVxUFx5pRTXWCNyxD_UYaRL2yWeeQlyhpAF09ECu2vquRgbxB53sUouzoAUMHmgsGheDbuPvbKw/s1600/labeling+001.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486442114214495810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPJObya3oSJZQlMtpL3UTRUeqVkuHN7Qua-NrPEF4Z4hdpZjBQT2d5-0haJNKB7T3YVxUFx5pRTXWCNyxD_UYaRL2yWeeQlyhpAF09ECu2vquRgbxB53sUouzoAUMHmgsGheDbuPvbKw/s200/labeling+001.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJghHe_HcBMDPJfYFG30tQctG_1RsgYp6CGObdwUELGtNY0xUs6-1spcez8t_9SitQfZ1KIkQMXyPf91cW-3L0ctg-917r4UQom5_KpqnbkfPxi5mwcC7hV6XHLGzEE2_TO0M-erc3aRg/s1600/labeling+003.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486441980666523202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJghHe_HcBMDPJfYFG30tQctG_1RsgYp6CGObdwUELGtNY0xUs6-1spcez8t_9SitQfZ1KIkQMXyPf91cW-3L0ctg-917r4UQom5_KpqnbkfPxi5mwcC7hV6XHLGzEE2_TO0M-erc3aRg/s200/labeling+003.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcE_y8aA2tSExioRJg1gZklpYsqGrSQ6kEGhS111lFfS99sIw6b4RGYLQn4GSlTKkV1gmbvBqkhUUphGzUVvgqNBcVn4PgXhvNWMa1BFYo0u6LrvOAKkttYkvGUprcu5uQ-9m14uN2Olk/s1600/labeling+006.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486441769308495346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcE_y8aA2tSExioRJg1gZklpYsqGrSQ6kEGhS111lFfS99sIw6b4RGYLQn4GSlTKkV1gmbvBqkhUUphGzUVvgqNBcVn4PgXhvNWMa1BFYo0u6LrvOAKkttYkvGUprcu5uQ-9m14uN2Olk/s200/labeling+006.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>With front and neck labels, corks, neck wrapper, and heat gun in hand, we are ready to label our whiskey. Julia Mosley, Mount Vernon's Director of Retail, oversees the operation, manned by several volunteers from the MV Shops. </div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>George Washington's Distillershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10855828333434194779noreply@blogger.com0