Orange blossom special

The long and storied history of distilled spirits.

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Tater
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Orange blossom special

Post by Tater »

My grandfather once told me a story about when he was young and helping his dad make likker .That his father couldn't get any new barrels and ended up buying some wooden barrels that had been used to store orange flavoring.Said that back then ya could bring your own container and buy whatever amount shine you could afford Or buy by the jug/ jar also by the drink..They lived fairly close to a campground that fokes traveling to town and back would camp at .Said there was some good music making and trading that went on at those camp sites and the wares of his trade went fast. Claimed the likker stored in the barrels had a good orange taste and sold fast.Said fokes asked about getting more of it for a good while. Grand pa told me that story when I was a teenager some 42 years ago .About 20 years ago I was on a service call way back in middle of nowhere in the NC mtns .Old timer there asked about who I was and who my people were as is custom here .I'm named after my grandfather and this came up in conversation.Old timer said he had met a fellow of same name when he was a boy.Told me a story about when he was a boy and his father deemed him old enough to go on trip to town .Was a 3 day trip by wagon so they would be staying at campsites on way there and back.Said they stopped at a campground and set up for the night .said his dad and him were walking around and met a likker seller who had a son with the same name as me.Grinning he told of how his dad and others got to drinking woopin and hollering and playing music by campfire and lantern lite till almost daylight.Said his dad slept almost all way home next day in back of wagon.But when reaching home unhooked one of the horses saddled it and told him to put up wagon and supply's. He was going back to campsite and get some more of that orange blossom special.
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BareKnuckles
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Re: Orange blossom special

Post by BareKnuckles »

Tater, that is a grande story! I just found out about 5 years ago that I come from a long line of shiners. My grandfather, great grandfather and my great, great grandfather made shine (as well as several uncles and cousins) and sold it a a little store that I remember going to when I was a boy...

I'm originally from the mountains of WV... I'm a little close to your neck of the woods now!
OlympicMtDoo
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Re: Orange blossom special

Post by OlympicMtDoo »

Yes, great story Tater.
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Re: Orange blossom special

Post by rbw65 »

If you are Scotch/Irish and your Heritage goes back to the Revolution, you have shine in your blood no doubt about it. :D
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Halfbaked
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Re: Orange blossom special

Post by Halfbaked »

Tater, I got the camp fire going and I am kicked back listenin. I'd love to here more. :clap:

My grandfather was a shiner when he was alive. He was (from what I hear) kind of a famous shiner. My sister works in the hospital. The kitchen/cafeteria staff are rude to all worker there. Her first day on the job she was actually warned about them. All of the kitchen staff bought from my grandfather. Some how they figured out who my sister was and pick her out of line and take her order and bring her food to. Not nice but super duper nice. She is the only person that they are nice to. She has been asked numerous times why they are nice to her. She says I talk to them nice and treat them with respect. She told me she about bursts out laughing every time she has to tell that.
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bearriver
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Re: Orange blossom special

Post by bearriver »

:clap: Small world. Cool piece of heritage, that is for sure.
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Mycotroph
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Re: Orange blossom special

Post by Mycotroph »

thats awesome Tater gotta love being from a small rural area where everybody knows everybody I love it and have to say probably wouldn't have heard many of the stories bout my granddad that i have if it wan't for strangers that knew him well before i came around
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S-Cackalacky
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Re: Orange blossom special

Post by S-Cackalacky »

Great story Tater! I have some kin around western NC - would bet you probably know some of them.
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Jimbo
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Re: Orange blossom special

Post by Jimbo »

Thats a great story, got me wanting to try crafting up some orange blossom special ;)
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Danespirit
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Re: Orange blossom special

Post by Danespirit »

Great story..Tater.
Bet that orange spirit got legendary around there..
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