mbrowley

A most excellent use of the Regans', I have to admit, and I always have the ingredients around. This is going into heavy rotation. Quick question: drinking two 3.5 oz PC cocktails in reasonably slow succession qualifies one as an aficionado, not a lush, yes? ← I don't recall saying anything about slow succession, reasonable or otherwise. Drinking five in slow succession hardly qualifies one as a lush, in fact, as long as one is tending a barbecue pit or is otherwise hard at work. One ought never, however, don a hardhat with plastic mugs of Pegu clubs attached and sip them through Krazy Straws, no matter how tempting the taste of orange bitters. Save that for white Russians and participatory viewings of "The Big Lebowski." Matthew

Noah ~ First off, home distilling is not a particularly expensive hobby; one can build a copper pot still or retrofit a water-heater reflux still for under $250, less than some of the fancier homebrew set-ups. Unless, of course, you get caught. Then, it can be very expensive, depending on who's busted you. Some - mostly local - law enforcement agencies just can't be bothered and may, at most, write a citation and issue a fine. Others take such off-books distilling very seriously and will come down on you with all the weight they muster. That being said, David's right; there are a few microdistilleries popping up here and there, but nowhere near the number of brewpubs and microbreweries. A few years back Bart Stupak (D-Michigan) presented a bill before the 107th Congress (H.R. 3249) that would have decriminalized home distilling. The bill, not surprisingly, failed. The congressman was a little ahead of his time; Federal, state and local laws and regulations continue to make microdistilleries an expensive and time-consuming proposal. But some folks are doing it - Dogfish Head in Rehoboth Beach, DE is distilling some very interesting things these days; a vodka, for instance, rum and distiller Mike Gerhart's about to roll out a new iteration of their gin. Clear Creek Distillery puts out some sublime brandies and Chuck Miller's Virginia Lightning from Belmont Farms is sheer corn whiskey moonshine in everything but name. Get a hold of some of Anchor's whiskeys while you're at it. I'm eagerly anticipating the day when good American microdistilleries are as common as good microbreweries. There is an enormous groundswell of interest in spirits, licit and illicit and it goes hand-in-glove with a renewed interest people have in knowing where their food comes from and what it’s made of (vide the success of artisanal cheeses and breads, heirloom produce, organic meats, etc.). The impression I've gotten over the last two years traveling around the US is that off-the-radar distilling (whether you call it home-, folk-, artisan or small batch distilling) is so prevalent that there's not a single patch of settled land in the US and Canada that's not home to clandestine distillers, whether you measure the output in just a few liters a year or by the vanload. Home distilling is much more prevalent now than thirty years ago when most writers were prematurely keening over the death of local whiskeys and mountain moonshine. Unlike the rotgut makers of old who sold their makings and who may have added mule chop, mill refuse, granulated sugar, antifreeze, chicken excrement (the nitrogen’s good for a mash), carbide and lye to a batch of “pure corn likker,” this new crowd of distillers care very much what goes into the pot because they are the ones drinking it. The new twist is that almost none of those I interviewed is selling their wares. These distillers are hobbyists and take a BIG cue from the homebrew mindset; openness, sharing, comparing notes, trading information and trying continually to make a better product and to eke out a little more efficiency from their stills. A vastly different mindset from the moonshiners you'd find even ten years ago. Selling is beside the point with this crowd. A lot of them seem to have gotten into distilling from some earlier interest in brewing and winemaking. It seems to me that small batch distilling is following a roughly parallel path to that blazed by microbreweries in the 1980's and 90's. Yes, beer is a gateway beverage. Hobbyists are beginning to share more information, some laws are loosening under the lobbying efforts of small (would-be) distillers. Just as big brewing conglomerates weren't thrilled with upstart small brewing companies such as Weeping Radish and Boulevard Brewing Co., the major distilleries don't have much reason to welcome would-be competitors. Any licensed distillers out there care to comment? There are procedures in place for applying for commercial permits to distill (unlike beer and wine, not one drop of distilled alcohol is legal without permits in the US). It takes time and money, but if you are interested in the procedures, I'd first contact Bill Owens (there's that whiff of hops again) at the American Distilling institute (www.distilling.com) and then, if you're serious about continuing with a commercial distillery, your local BATT office. And, once all that’s said and done, you be sure to track me down. I am a friend to distillers everywhere and an absolute sucker for a borrel of good genever. Matthew Matthew B. Rowley

I dote on Fee Bros orange and always have a few bottles knocking around, but Regan's Orange No. 6 is brilliant. My old copy of the Savoy Cocktail Book described a Pegu Club. Tried it a few years back and wasn't blown away. Dave Wondrich, though, gave the drink some new attention in Esquire Drinks and I fell in love once the proportions were tweaked and we broke out Regan's Here's what's been keeping the Rowley house toasty recently; Pegu Club Shake well with cracked ice: 4 oz London dry gin 1.5 oz orange curacao (I've been using Cointreau) 1.5 oz lime juice Big dash of Angostura bitters Big dash of orange bitters Strain into two cocktail glasses (or a single glass for you big lushes).

Right. Never mind - Harvey Nichols, F&M et all seem to carry it. I'll try tracking down a drop or two.

Ahhh -- Gin's lovely and I'm never without a bottle or three, but THAT's closer to what I had in mind. Love the little independant distilleries. A few have been popping up in the US and I can't give them enough praise. Afraid London is the only place I'll be while in England (Ireland's another story), so a visit to Somerset will have to wait for another day. Do you know of any London outlets for their cider brandy?

Bill ~ Thanks for the lead. Of course, it's not all poitin and moonshine for me and i'm inordinately fond of apple brandies (I've been enjoying a bottle of Laird's apple brandy lately - an aged 100% applejack from a New Jersey family, distinct from their more common apple/grain ETOH blend) and scare as hen's teeth. I will look for Temperley's en route to Books for Cooks...

Hey all ~ I'm looking for some help. From the beginning of February 2006, I’m splitting nearly two weeks between Ireland and England. It’s a working holiday, of sorts, to celebrate the completion of a book (the writing thereof, not the reading) on the resurgence of artisan home distilling in the US. I’ve spent the last two years canvassing the United States to research American moonshine and folk distilling traditions, interviewing clandestine distillers, alcohol tax enforcers and interested third parties. In a nutshell: there’s a moonshine renaissance informed by the same sensibilities that led Americans to rediscover artisan breads and cheeses, to turn to heirloom and organic produce, to resurrect obscure livestock breeds and, in particular, to cherish hand-crafted beers. Rotgut is out; artisanal is in. Well, mostly. Given this unexpected opportunity, I’d like to get a taste of the current status of illicit distilling arts and crafts art in Ireland and the UK. I know it’s all very last minute, but I’m hoping to talk to local distillers in or around London, Dublin and Belfast (and respective environs) about their craft/hobby/small business/pastime/obsession. In general, I’m interested in local illicit distilling traditions whether from the views of practitioners, law-enforcement officers or historians and enthusiasts. Pointers to historical collections, libraries, archives, photo collections, etc. are most welcome. Obviously, Americans have no liquor law-enforcement jurisdiction in Europe, so don’t be shy; Even if I were police (I’m not), I couldn’t do anything about any illicit distilling discussed. Oh, yes ~ casual drinkers feel compelled to tell me that moonshine has died out and that there are no distillers in [Manhattan, San Diego, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Kansas City, London, etc]. If you don’t know what to look and listen for, I’m sure that must seem the case. It’s there. And it’s probably a lot better than it used to be. Matthew

Hey all ~ I'm looking for some help. From the beginning of February 2006, I’m splitting nearly two weeks between Ireland and England. It’s a working holiday, of sorts, to celebrate the completion of a book (the writing thereof, not the reading) on the resurgence of artisan home distilling in the US. I’ve spent the last two years canvassing the United States to research American moonshine and folk distilling traditions, interviewing clandestine distillers, alcohol tax enforcers and interested third parties. In a nutshell: there’s a moonshine renaissance informed by the same sensibilities that led Americans to rediscover artisan breads and cheeses, to turn to heirloom and organic produce, to resurrect obscure livestock breeds and, in particular, to cherish hand-crafted beers. Rotgut is out; artisanal is in. Well, mostly. Given this unexpected opportunity, I’d like to get a taste of the current status of illicit distilling arts and crafts art in Ireland and the UK. I know it’s all very last minute, but I’m hoping to talk to local distillers in or around London, Dublin and Belfast (and respective environs) about their craft/hobby/small business/pastime/obsession. In general, I’m interested in local illicit distilling traditions whether from the views of practitioners, law-enforcement officers or historians and enthusiasts. Pointers to historical collections, libraries, archives, photo collections, etc. are most welcome. Obviously, Americans have no liquor law-enforcement jurisdiction in Europe, so don’t be shy; Even if I were police (I’m not), I couldn’t do anything about any illicit distilling discussed. Oh, yes ~ casual drinkers feel compelled to tell me that moonshine has died out and that there are no distillers in [Manhattan, San Diego, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Kansas City, London, etc]. If you don’t know what to look and listen for, I’m sure that must seem the case. It’s there. And it’s probably a lot better than it used to be. Matthew

Knocked back a few Potrero's at Blackberry Farm in TN earlier this year in the company of the rest of the Southern Foodways Alliance board; smooth, delightful, just a little smokey (it's not actually smoked, just a feel). Seemed a shame at that price to add ice, so I did with just a splash of water. As for Sazerac - who could've guessed that it's another SFA connection? - Had it first a few years back smuggled onto the upper deck of a bright red bus ferrying us from Oxford to Taylor, MS. The top was open to the brisk autumn air and we were going about 40 mph. Frankly, I was so cold, I don't recall the taste, but I'm still smiling at the memories of the company and the foresight of my friend from Louisville to bring 750 ml of liquid warmth...

You might indeed. The home distillation book I've been working on for the better part of the last two years goes to press in January. Depending on who you talk to it's either "Wet Goods: A Moonshining Primer" (me) or "The Complete Book of Moonshine" (the publisher's marketing dept). Title's in the air, but the content isn't: a comprehensive beginners' book on small-batch distillation including detailed plans for a copper pot still and 30-40 recipes for corn whiskey, rums, modern thin mash/sugar whiskeys, sorghum skimmin's, cherry bounce, rye, peach brandies, applejacks, etc. A note on legality in the US: Distilling is not like beer brewing or wine making -- without permits, you cannot distill one drop of ethanol, not even for personal use. You may, however, apply for permits from federal and state authorities. This generally requires a separate building, keeping strict records and the expectation to be audited at any time. And, of course, paying taxes on the spirits produced... Smaller legal distilleries are cropping up, but permits aren't granted lightly or quickly. Matt Matthew B. Rowley

I'm around cheese every day, all day (even though you're more likely to find me slicing prosciutto and explaining the marvels of rauchfleish and pfefferwurst since my transfer from 9th St), but Rolf Beeler's Hoch Ybrig (Swiss, raw, cow, white wine wash) remains my absolute favorite cheese in the new store. Made a fondue with some last year for new year's eve. The next day, I smelled like a lockerroom, but, man, was I happy. I dread the upcoming move to San Diego if only because I won't have Herr Beeler's cheeses so readily at hand. Matt

I'm pleased to be sitting here in my back office with a five-ounce bottle of Regan's Orange Bitters No. 6 at my elbow. Gary, the good folks running distribution shot me a sample bottle that arrived today at the office. When I first began working for Di Bruno Bros. in Philadelphia, one of the popular house drinks once the hordes dispersed and the doors shut was a gin/tonic variant that substituted San Pelligrino's 'la rossa' (an italian blood-orange soda) for tonic and was always, always served with Tanqueray. I've tweaked it by substituting a filtered vodka (using the fantastic Grey Kangeroo personal liquor filter) and topping with a heavy dash of the orange bitters. The taste test of the bitters straight out of the bottle at the store among the drinkers came down heavy on the side of "ambrosial." We discussed its aroma, the color, the packaging, the uses, and the taste. Only the non-drinkers thought it was nasty. I suggested they float some on the top of their OJ and reevaluate. After coming home, I poured two Di Bruno specials; one for me with the No. 6 formula and one without for the little mister. After he sampled each, two "with" quickly graced the dry sink. Congratulations -- a delightful addition to the cocktailian's battery. Onliest suggestion? The taste testing was among seasoned culinary types, astute scholars of the table, and even hard-drinking ones asked "what do you do with it." Recipes -- on the label, online, in a press kit or promotional material, on a collar-tag -- might help folks understand just how great this stuff is and how to use it. Here's my contribution: Bloody, bitter orange vodka 1 part vodka (or 80-100 proof neutral spirits for all you home distillers) 1 part San Pellegrino "la rossa" blood orange soda 3-4 dashes of Regan's No. 6 orange bitters Over ice in a collins glass. Step up and shake hands with 'sublime.' Matthew

Tack on another 2,000. I've moved this damn library four times and there's another move in the works for 2006: Philadelphia to San Diego. I am seriously considering a yard sale. Well, ok, it's south Philly, so a stoop sale might be more appropriate since there are no yards here. I'm at the point where moving companies actually debate whether they will charge me library rates (there's more than cookbooks, but that's all we're talking about here). I started accumulating food books in undergraduate school and it wasn't until my mid-20's that I realized I had grown beyond "a few" or "some" into something that caused people to say, on first viewing, "My god, have you actually READ all these?" Of course not. What's the point of having rooms full of books you've already read? But I've read most of them and I know what's in all of them. They are in English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch and Italian (some Chinese and Hungarian, but I can't read those) and cover the gamut from proceedings of the Oxford Symposia and the Southern Foodways Alliance's publications to books on homemade beer and moonshine. One -- John Egerton's "Southern Food" -- is in the kitchen, but that's a reading copy. After the roof and possibly the shower, the kitchen is the worst possible place in most homes for long-term storage. The most real estate is taken up by books on fermented and preserved foods; charcuterie/sausage/scrapple, pickles, james, preserves, cheeses, beers, sugar-based things. There's a lot on European and American southern cooking. Latin cookery -- from Miami to Bogata -- holds a special interest. Two categories I've avoided - wine books (there are just too many) and cookery pamphlets; the category's unending. They are money holes. I used to think I had a lot of cookbooks until I met Fritz Blank, the chef at Deux Cheminees in Philadelphia. Blank lives above the restaurant and maintains a collection of about 10,000 cookbooks (but he's not an egullet member). Now I can point to my own collection and say "See? This is not pathological at all." In 2002, I curated an exhibit for the rare books and manuscripts dept at the university of Pennsylvania that used Blank's collection as an illustration of cooking influences on his life. It's been funkily edited in its online incarnation, but you can still check it out at: http://www.library.upenn.edu/exhibits/rbm/chef/index.html I've been a collector for a long time now and I've learned that book collectors are, by and large, territorial and secretive. Not the folks who have 20 or 60 books, but once we start talking hundreds, people begin to grow very protective of their collections. Blank is protective, but he allows anyone visiting his restaurant to visit the library, too. His openness as a congenial host inspired me a few years ago to open my library as well (I'd been hording these to myself). I don't let anyone borrow books, but local chefs have used the library to develop recipes, visiting writers have used it and even the staff of Philadelphia's Di Bruno Brothers cheese stores have plundered the shelves. I'm still protective (no pens, no borrowing, no big bags), but it feels good to know that I'm not the only one using this thing. It's also not uncommon for visitors to bring a book, especially if they've written it. That's a nice touch. I thank Blank for the inspiration and hope that more of my secret-horde-minded colleagues follow suit. Matthew

Robert ~ I'd be happy to discuss a distribution angle. When you speak to GR next, ask him to track me down. Matt

One of the advantages of living in Philadelphia is occasional ridiculously cheap airfare to Amsterdam. During off-months, a round trip trip nonstop ticket goes for under $250. When the price is right, I head over for a long weekend for books, great food and old friends. *If* you should get to Amsterdam, be certain to visit Joseph Noord's wijnhandel on Singel (right off the floating flower market). Noord contracts to have a selection of private-label alcohols available in his shop. A few gaggy examples are strictly for the tourist market, but his zeer oude genever is fantastically sublime; it comes in the traditional straight-sided brown ceramic bottle. Yes, it's an old man's drink, much like American bourbon, but likewise enjoying a renaissance. After about five weeks of aging, genever (also jenever) doesn't improve much and the oude ("old") refers to the pre-WWII style rather than the age of what's in the bottle. It's a heavier, more hay-like taste than the jonge style and is my personal favorite. I always bring it back with me and keep in my freezer until the supply runs dry. Never mix it; always drink chilled. Some folks prefer to pour carefully enough in a tulp -- a small, tulip-shaped glass -- so that surface tension allows the liquid to bulge over the edge without spilling. It would not be entirely improper to then lean over, sip until the level goes down enough to pick up the glass, and finish it off. Wijand Focking is also fantastic and worth seeking out (Don't be an ass and ask clerks for "focking gin" -- they've heard it before; it's not accurate and it's still not funny. Well...Maybe just a little.)

"Cocktail enthusiast." What a lovely notion. And so much more classy than "booze hound" or "knee-walking drunk." I've just wrapped up a book on moonshining in the US (with a few dozen recipes) and was struck by how many people I interviewed are reviving old distilling traditions and exploring the maceration/infusion front. More than a handful have launched legitimate corn whiskey distilleries modeled on family moonshine recipes. I can only hope that the kne...er...cocktail enthusiasts out there enamored of bitters as I am step up to the challenge of producing new retail products. Until then, it's Fee's Orange for my (re-filtered) vodka martinis and Peychaud's for water when the weather grows sultry...

Hey all ~ A tangent from an earlier discussion on bitters... I've got the great fortune to lead a team of folks deciding what products to stock at a new 6,000 square foot Di Bruno Bros. gourmet food store in center city Philadelphia (www.dibruno.com). We cannot carry beverage alcohol because of Pennsylvania's archaic liquor laws, but in the bar/beverage section I want to carry the best selection of cocktail bitters available. I've already got Peychaud's and Fee Brothers lined up as well as the ubiquitous Angostura. I'm hoping that the seasoned drinkers of eGullet may have suggestions on currently-produced bitters they'd love to see on the shelf -- and contact information for those companies. Beverage bitters such as Jagermeister, Cyan or Fernet Branca, Underberg, etc. are out, but those added in dashes, doses, dollops and spurts to other beverages are exactly what I want. If it's domestic or imported to the US (or available to be imported), please let me know. Alternately, if anyone you know is developing new bitters (ginger maybe?) or reviving old styles, please contact me. I'd love to follow up and grow this into an outstanding collection of artisan and regional cocktail bitters. Thanks in advance, Matthew Rowley mrowley@dibruno.com (please note that I am NOT looking for product recommendations for any other lines right now)

You bet: raw, unaged applejack made by the freezing method is harsh stuff indeed. This is the version that a lot of curious first-timers try (easy, neglible equipment costs, quick results), but it's so fiery that it's also the last they make. A shame ~ from my interviews, the type of person drawn to home distilling is invariably curious, almost obsessive, about tweaking their process to eke out more efficiency and better spirits. A run through activated carbon and some aging for that applejack might have brought those discouraged first-timers back into the fold. Matt

Robyn ~ Thanks. I've had a blast plowing through the old law cases as is. The"malum in se" and "malum prohibitum" distinction set out in State v. Horton, 139 N.C. 588, 51 S.E. 945, 946 (1905) was especially useful. The Atlanta federal pen, by the way, is where a lot of moonshiners served time. In the company of other moonshiners, of course. Where they talked shop and traded technique. Reformed? Not so much -- many went home armed with new knowledge for increased efficiency and better margins. Five years is a long stretch, though. If I were one to distill, that's powerfully strong discouragement to backsliding... Matt

The Foxfire books were my introduction to stilling. I recall lying on the floor in my parents' home by the fireplace one day when a freezing Missouri ice storm brought the town to a halt. I thought immediately of a Bugs Bunny cartoon in which he outwits two feudin' hillwilliams (the epitome of pop culture moonshiners) and fell asleep thinking that building a still would be a good project to take on with my father. What I am hunting for are the things that document moonshining and home distillation in the US. I love the stories (savvy Boston prohibition agents, for instance, gave my crows' feet a workout) and will always like to hear more, but what I especially lack right now is a broad-based collection of documents and material culture - original photos, posters, government propaganda/education/outreach, pop culture references to moonshining and distilling, etc. Matt

Hey Myers ~ Thanks for the smiles. A lot of this stuff seems to get made in the winter in the north when it's too damn cold to go out. One of the guys I interviewed for the book went to school in the Hudson Valley and lived among guys who made a LOT of cider. He also worked as a "corksoaker" at a winery where he got the idea to make what he calls "dumpster grappa" from the winery refuse. You are dead on right: Making whiskey isn't the least bit hard. Making a birdhouse is probably more difficult. Assembling a child's bike certainly is. Making *good* whiskey and brandy, though...now therein lies skill. Thanks for the links to the photos. Were you doing second runs?

Yep, pruno's one of the names for jailhouse hooch. Sometimes, it's distilled: a recent bust in New Zealand revealed a still made of a discharged fire extinguisher hidden in a hole chipped into a concrete floor. Pruno is, by all accounts, vile. I haven't sampled that particular delight. It's made of anything fermentable in jails, but common ingredients include ketchup, canned fruit, sugar cubes or packets intended for coffee/tea, dinner rolls or biscuits, all mooshed together in a sealed plastic bag. One guy described it as "vomit-flavored wine coolers." (check out the poem "Recipe For Prison Pruno" by Jarvis Masters at http://www.moderndrunkardmagazine.com/issu...-jailhouse.htm). Last summer (2004), a botulism outbreak sparked by a bad, bad batch of pruno among connoiseurs in Ironwood State Prison (California) wiped out the southwest's entire antitode supply. Try some if you like, but I'm sticking to the clear stuff... Matt

Brooks, You're kind. Thank you for the offer: I love the photo. Catch me on the side and we can talk about originals. I got a nice visit the other day: A fruit vendor in Philadelphia's Italian Market has been making his own wine for years (winemaking is an entrenched Italian tradition here). With the must, he's been making grappa recently. He's curious, but had never tried distilling til this year. His yield on nearly 30 pounds of must? About 12 ounces of South Philly tangle-leg. We're discussing efficiency, heads and tails... Matt

Hey Audrey ~ The only raisinjack I've sampled was a low-alcohol (I'm guessing 4-6% abv) fermented raisin wine. Was ok, but nothing to rant about: I'd be curious to know about family recipes and traditions surrounding raisinjack. Now I HAVE had a prune (er....excuse me, "dried plum") brandy while looking over a different batch undergoing fermentation prior to distillation -- looked like a pail full of sizzling cow flops that made me question just what it was I was putting to my lips. All in the name of research... Matt

Hey all ~ I am looking for help, leads and suggestions. I am currently writing a book on home distillation for the utter novice, for the folks who have never even homebrewed so much as beer. Why? Because it’s become nearly cliché when writing about moonshining to say (1) it’s a dying or dead craft and (2) only clever, resourceful and proud mountain folks ever made it in the first place. Shine is alive and well in nearly every community in America and made by distillers who have never seen a mountain, much less the ould sod. Granted, some of that whiskey should go back in hiding, but occasionally some pretty good stuff comes out of stills from New Jersey to Oregon. Also, the few good distillation books on the market today are solid but intimidating for the beginner, so I’m leaving off where others pick up. The MS already has recipes (Beginner’s Corn Whiskey, Applejack - stilled and frozen varieties - and Baby Step Bourbon, for instance) and copper pot still plans. The hefty chapter underway now is on the history, status and future of home-distilled spirits in the US and includes interviews with home distillers and moonshiners. The historical/cultural angle of the book includes engravings, illustrations, photos, historical documents, manuscript recipes, lyrics about whiskey-making, etc. I hope that the eGullet folks can lend a hand in my hunt for additional distilling, moonshining and whiskey-making ephemera to illustrate the book. If you have, or know of sources for, materials such as photos (still raids, pour-outs, whiskey-making, etc.), news clippings, public health posters (“Moonshine Kills” - that sort of thing), cartoons, IRS publications, memoirs, scripts, penny arcade flickers, films, scrapbooks, substantial historical collections in museums, libraries or archives, sheriffs’ departments records, court cases involving illicit distillers, etc., please contact me at Mbrowley at aol.com What am I defining at moonshine? Any artisanal spirit – rum, brandy, whiskey, gin, applejack, etc – distilled without specific governmental permits. Aged texts – “The Acccomplisht Cook” or “Delightes for Ladies” for example – that discuss distillation are within scope as well. Matthew Rowley No matter what anyone tells you about the fine old drop of the mountain dew, it stands to sense that a few old men sitting up in the back of a haggard in the mountains with milk churns and all sorts of improvised apparatus cannot hope to make good spirits. ~ Irish author Brendan Behan (who should have known better)