Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

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The Booze Pipe
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Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by The Booze Pipe »

I've been thinking about getting a club together outside of the online forums. There is endless information to learn on these forums, but for me, it only does so much.

I figured it would be a ton of fun to get together in person to BS about stilling, maybe even make up some ferments, do some runs, help each other out that way. Especially if a handful of us are located close to each other. I know this would help me advance in the craft of home distilling quite a bit as everyone has their strong points that others can learn from.

Discretion is of course important, but I am not a paranoid person. I am not figuring on a big group at any one time, but rather a smaller group that can get together at private locations. I would be happy to host a few of us at my place for a day, or afternoon. Feel free to post your interest, thoughts, and concerns. We can use private messages to discuss locations or finalize any plans.
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OtisT
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by OtisT »

I'm in. Thanks for putting this out there. Otis :-)
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by Truckinbutch »

It's worked well for several of us in my area . Our combined knowledge has enhanced the entire group . You got to enter in with extreme caution on the getgo . Meet offsite and make character assessments over a cup of Mickey D's coffee instead of a badge flashed over top of your still .
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by Bushman »

Truckinbutch wrote:It's worked well for several of us in my area . Our combined knowledge has enhanced the entire group . You got to enter in with extreme caution on the getgo . Meet offsite and make character assessments over a cup of Mickey D's coffee instead of a badge flashed over top of your still .
Good advice. The first member I met was Mash Rookie and that was in the San Juan Islands as we both shared a love for boating and fishing. We both had talents in different areas and able to help each other out. I will admit that he had better tools and a more creative mind thus I probably got more out of our partnership. I had a hard time the first time I met a large group of members at Proof because some of the members at the time were new to the site.
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by Euphoria »

Sounds interesting, but I agree that you really need to know who you'd be inviting in just to be safe. We wouldn't want to bring in a "wolf in sheep's clothing." You can't be too careful about doing something inherently illegal and then potentially flaunting it in the face of what could easily be one of the "wrong people."

I too have personally met several members of the forum whom I know and trust. I've had beers with T-Pee, I've had Bushman and his wife over to the house, met with several "locals" at the Panella Cane Sugar buy-in in Auburn, (thanks NerdyBrewer,) and I have met several more at "Proof" in Seattle, (which I missed this year due to being out-of-state.) But, you still need to get a good vibe about someone before bring them into the fold, so to speak. Just my 2 cents.
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by The Booze Pipe »

Thanks for the advice guys. If you're interested in the club, send me a message. We can discuss general areas and good first-time meet-up spots. Any more thoughts and ideas please post in thread. thanks
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Oldvine Zin
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by Oldvine Zin »

Not sure if I'm up (or down) for a "club" but maybe a casual get together BBQ or a night at a pub a few times a year?

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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by Desvio »

Not going to happen...

But I'd be open to a meeting of bbq, homemade beer and theoretical talk about spirits.
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by The Booze Pipe »

Getting some barbecues put together throughout the year sounds pretty awesome. Although, for me personally its difficult to get out of town for such a thing, especially in the late Summer and Fall. Other times of the year would be easier.
So what I was trying to get set up as a club was a few of us that lived in or near the same town that could get together easily (of course anyone from anywhere is welcome to join) a day, an afternoon, or even a few hours in the evening.
Please feel free to get some other gatherings organized, I would love to join when possible. I ask that you start a new thread though, but not a problem to link it to this one "Pacific Northwest Distillers club?" Thank you.
Last edited by The Booze Pipe on Tue Aug 29, 2017 7:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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HDNB
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by HDNB »

I can't say i'd be really paranoid about meets here in Canada with the research i've done on enforcement and such i think the worst that may happen would be some illegal conveyance tickets or something if you were driving around with mason jars...

in the USA exercise due diligence though, i've read enough busts i'd be leery there. and trying to suss out an undercover is all but impossible...i had a customer for years who i thought was a regular rough and tumble biker dude that after about 3 years told me his real job was UC popo...i was stunned...never woulda guessed.

gettin' busted for possession of illicit booze is no biggy, be careful of the actual stillin' gear though.

maybe a legal distiller in your area would step up with a legal place to meet, sample, learn....he would get some free labour and tasting palates to test booze on, so it seems like a win /win for the right kind of distiller...
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by Truckinbutch »

I like the way you think , HDNB . Here misdemeanor possession of untaxed spirits is a relatively benign misdemeanor bust if the cops even want to mess with it (which usually they don't if you are not driving) .
Manufacture or possession of distilling equipment , on the other hand , can lead to felonies at State AND Federal levels whether sales are involved or not .
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by Oldvine Zin »

The Booze Pipe wrote:Getting some barbecues put together throughout the year sounds pretty awesome. Although, for me personally its difficult to get out of town for such a thing, especially in the late Summer and Fall. Other times of the year would be easier.
So what I was trying to get set up as a club was a few of us that lived in or near the same town that could get together easily for a day, an afternoon, or even a few hours in the evening.
Please feel free to get some other gatherings organized, I would love to join when possible. I ask that you start a new thread though, but not a problem to link it to this one "Pacific Northwest Distillers club?" Thank you.
This is getting to problematic - How about a simple in my case - living in Seattle, who wants to meet at a pub to discuss BBQ and spirits ? let's meet and who knows were that will lead ?

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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by OtisT »

FYI. I just started a separate thread for an informal Portland gathering Sept 16th. No club; just meetin, drinkin, and talkin. Check it out.
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by greenacarina »

Hey all.
I am pretty new here and filling my head with a ton of great info from this site (thanks everyone!)
I am in the great PNW and would love to meet up with some of you local guys and fill in some knowledge gaps.
I am a beer brewer learning the basics about distilling. Live in Snohomish county.

Thanks
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by BaxtersDad »

A little stale, since it is now December - i have been on an epic boat cruise for a year, and thus not paying attention here. A "club" seems a little iffy. I had a nice coffee with Bushman some time ago, and am usually up for that, BBQ, beer and conversation are great, but beyond that, color me a little paranoid.
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by OtisT »

BaxtersDad wrote:......am usually up for that, BBQ, beer and conversation are great, but beyond that, color me a little paranoid.
You and everyone else (paranoid.).

Welcome back. A few of us in the area have gotten together for drinks and such. When you get your land legs back, pick a date/time and a bar and we can have a few drinks together.

Also, ADA is meeting in Portland in March. I hope to organize or join an HD gathering when that time comes.

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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by jon1163 »

I'm in for BBQ and drinks. Near Everett here.
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by Ramen Tamer »

I'm living in Seattle and would be interested in getting beers and bbq or whatever.

I was thinking about this very idea a little while ago.
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by The Booze Pipe »

I happen to be down in Oregon. But there are quite a few of you in Washington. I hope you can get some thing going!
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by PNW »

Oregon here. Would be up for a flight at any of the local spots.
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by The Booze Pipe »

PNW wrote:Oregon here. Would be up for a flight at any of the local spots.
Send me a message and lets see if we can link up.
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by svodysseus »

Im in Seattle, interested in meeting others in the area as well. Beers & BBQ seem like a good go to to start meeting people and be able to feel them out if they are someone whom you would consider having spirits and bbq with at a later date or not. And for the paranoid, I am pretty sure I read a article recently where a woman was selling "Darrington Apple Pie Moonshine" on craigslist and the LCB and ATF got wind of it, turns out she was just selling vodka that she turned into apple pie, no charges were pressed and she got a stern warning. The important part of the article is that the ATF and LCB both said the last time they had a "moonshine" case come across their desk let alone pursued one was over 20 years ago, they said they have much more concerning problems to deal with then a guy making spirits for his own consumption... I highly doubt they will be sending under cover plain clothes agents in to a beer and bbq event to try to sniff out a guy making a few jugs here and there for his own use. Now if your making 100s of gallons and out there selling it, well then your playing with the government and their money and you may have a issue, but they are not gonna be looking for those guys at a bbq and beer get together, they are gonna find them the oldfashioned way with informants who were busted trying to profit off moonshine, which I dont see happening around these parts at all... Just my two cents.
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by Oldvine Zin »

Lots of us here in the Seattle area - drinks first at a local spot and maybe tastings at a later location??

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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by svodysseus »

Im close to Ballard and Fremont and have friends with bars all around town so location is not a issue.
Oldvine Zin wrote:Lots of us here in the Seattle area - drinks first at a local spot and maybe tastings at a later location??

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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by BaxtersDad »

I have been back from my epic boat cruise for a little less than a year now. Didn't get anything fired up until a few weeks ago, but now have a new batch in the old Mason jars ready to put down for awhile. Alas, we are about ready to head to Arizona until April, but when I get back, I am game for BBQ, beer and conversation anywhere between Tacoma and the Canadian border. I live in the Upper Left Corner of Washington State, not too far from Bushman. I will be looking at HD a couple of times a week now and you can always send me a PM! Looking forward to meeting a few folks in a casual setting, no go on big gathering with stills and illegal alcohol (imagine strains of "Thunder Road" here) where John Law could have a field day rounding everyone up!
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by Bushman »

BaxterDad, looking forward to it. Currently in Las Vegas but might be flying down to AZ soon as my brother lives there and was recently moved to assisted living as he has had Parkinson’s Disease for going on 20 years.
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by Coyote »

Would be more than willing to put something together in the upper right corner of Oregon

Tossin' it out there

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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by MM-Brew »

Good day to all. I'd be up for a meet up.I'm in the Tacoma area and willing too drive a little bit for a meet up and maybe a little tasting.
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by Big Stogie »

We had the Midwest get together recently, I took a leap of faith and had a few members here to my lake house without meeting them I will say it was an amazing time with great people and we learned a lot from each other those meetings are great for the hobby
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Re: Pacific Northwest Distillers club?

Post by The Booze Pipe »

Big Stogie wrote:We had the Midwest get together recently, I took a leap of faith and had a few members here to my lake house without meeting them I will say it was an amazing time with great people and we learned a lot from each other those meetings are great for the hobby
That's cool to hear!
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