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Gotcha. Might try a Booners SF sometime for the fun of it.

I plan to come to the BBQ, I am back from my trip to SE Alaska and ready to join you all.
Now to find out where & when...
Bear you will be getting a PM.

I will be bringing a couple bags of Panela.
If no one shows up who asked for a bag and nobody else wants one I'll keep 'em - I don't mind!

I'm sitting here getting spooled up for the BBQ.
Got my brandies ready to go, got my special tasting glass sitting here although I know a lot of you got Glencairn glasses last night and it will seem very out of place but it is the glass I use for blending. I'm gonna be leaving here in a little bit and looking forward to seeing you guys.

nerdybrewer wrote:I plan to come to the BBQ, I am back from my trip to SE Alaska and ready to join you all.
Now to find out where & when...
Bear you will be getting a PM.

I will be bringing a couple bags of Panela.
If no one shows up who asked for a bag and nobody else wants one I'll keep 'em - I don't mind!

Not going to make it down for the BBQ but if you have an extra bag I will buy another one from you. I will be back working at my mother-in-laws house in Seattle Wednesday and Thursday.

Bushman wrote:

nerdybrewer wrote:I plan to come to the BBQ, I am back from my trip to SE Alaska and ready to join you all.
Now to find out where & when...
Bear you will be getting a PM.

I will be bringing a couple bags of Panela.
If no one shows up who asked for a bag and nobody else wants one I'll keep 'em - I don't mind!

Not going to make it down for the BBQ but if you have an extra bag I will buy another one from you. I will be back working at my mother-in-laws house in Seattle Wednesday and Thursday.

Either they get to someone at the BBQ, I make more rum or you get a bag - it all works for me!

Here at bears with cranky, about to put ribs on. Tried to take picture but don't have resizer on my phone.

Oldvine Zin's salmon is killer, and cranky is the fruit God!!

Your making me wish I had drove down today! You guys enjoy yourself and I will try to be there next year.

We are still here! Cranky left, Rastus is leaving pretty soon. Nerdybrewer is getting ready. But the party is still on! By the way, all the spirits here are way way above that stuff we tried last night. Nerdybrewer made some scotch that is excellent.

I am currently sipping some Walnut Brandy I was planning on bringing down to the BBQ and feeling a bit sad I wasn't there. I was also going to bring some Rye Whiskey I shared with T-Pee and LWTCS at the ADI conference in San Diego. I've got to get back making some more Rye after I get through all this panella.

Back at my hotel stuffed with food and spirits! Great time! Thanks to bearriver and family for their hospitality! Spirits where all excellent! Highlights in my mind where crankys apple brandy, neardybrewers scotch and oldvine zins wheat. All excellent. Oldvine zin also brought a smoked salmon that he used his panela rum on, it to was exceptional. Thanks again everybody! Was a great day!

I enjoyed the BBQ very much. Just like last time Bigbobs ribs were outstanding, so was the other food and there was plenty of it. It seems like I leave these things early but in my defense I get up at 4:30 in the morning or earlier every day so 4PM feels pretty late to me I actually had to take a nap after that before I could post. I'm pretty sure I tasted everything that was brought and must say this is one talented bunch I have nothing bad to say about any of it. I can't remember who brought what but it was all excellent. The scotch rivaled anything I've ever tasted and is very memorable. Unfortunately I cant think of much else, that's one of the problems with these things, it is so much stuff in one place it is hard to keep everything straight.

Bigbob's sweetfeed was very good, as many others have said, it's amazing he can do that on such a small still. His apple was still just a tiny bit headsy which is expected in one that's young but still a very good drink and I'm sure it will come around in time.

I think it was Nerdybrewer that brought a bunch of stuff, white rum, oaked rum, Booners, and many others that were all great drinks.

I'm sure I'm missing somebody but once again it is all very overwhelming.

My own meager contributions were a one year old apple brandy that has been on some 3rd use applewood for some months now and a grape brandy that has been on apple wood the same time. Everybody was very kind about the apple and I appreciate that of course it is for me so as long as I like it that's all that matters. I hardly think of myself as a fruit god, just trying to do the best I can.

Bear was kind enough to have saved some of my pear brandy from last year. If it weren't for him I would not have been able to see how it is doing. This stuff has always been strange, it tastes and smells like a bunch of , as my wife puts it, little white flowers. It's a very strange thing and as Bear pointed out, begs to be used as a special mixer for something. He also brought out the bottle of apple brandy I gave him a few months ago which really showed the difference taking it off wood early can do. The bottle I gave him came from the same jar that I brought only the stuff I brought stayed on the wood a few months longer. He also had a bottle of blackberry brandy I made some years ago. I have had a love hate relationship with this brandy, I didn't like it when I first made it and put it in a cabinet and forgot about it for a year or more. When I rediscovered it I really liked it and put it on wood for a bit. Some months later I was planning on giving some to Bear and tried it again and didn't like it. Every time I try it it has changed and it has gone through several phases of like dislike. I didn't remember giving it to Bear because that last time I tried it I didn't like it but Bear produced it and it seemed OK this time It's funny how something can go through these phases.

That sure was fun!
I got to see several of you again and meet several for the first time.
Tasted many fine spirits, Oldvine Zin's Wheat, Panela rum & Molasses rum, Cranky's pear brandy, grape brandy brandy, apple brandy - all very tasty!
Some memorable spirits, some great ribs, brisket and potato salad.
Really a lot of fun, thanks Bear for hosting this - I'd like to do it again!
I only brought the scotch, 16 months old. I appreciate the kindness shown towards it - like Cranky said I made it for me but it's nice if others like it.

Bushman wrote:

nerdybrewer wrote:I plan to come to the BBQ, I am back from my trip to SE Alaska and ready to join you all.
Now to find out where & when...
Bear you will be getting a PM.

I will be bringing a couple bags of Panela.
If no one shows up who asked for a bag and nobody else wants one I'll keep 'em - I don't mind!

Not going to make it down for the BBQ but if you have an extra bag I will buy another one from you. I will be back working at my mother-in-laws house in Seattle Wednesday and Thursday.

Sorry, it all went home with others there at the BBQ.
Maybe we will do another group buy in the future - once everyone works through this bunch!

No problem it doesn't surprise me. Next time I will have a larger order but I do need to get back to my AG's just currently loving the smell of the ferments.

This was an enlightened weekend. First at proof I tasted and found that with the exception of a couple, most PNW distilleries produce crap!! Second was that every HD stiller I met were great people and serious about good spirits. Third after tasting Cranky's fruit brandies, I have a lot to learn. Forth Nerdy Brewer makes a killer scotch. Fifth Big Bob is a big guy who produces a fine drop from a tiny still (bigger is not always better), he also makes some mean ribs. And last but not least Bear River was awesome in hosting this get together!

It was great meeting you all and looking forward to next years meet.

Very envious of you guys, earlier this year I had actually hoped to maybe make out for this one, but maybe next year.
Fortunately, I can look forward to hearing all the stories from Bigbob out at TB's in a few weeks.
Thanks for sharing the experience.

Oldvine Zin wrote: Fifth Big Bob is a big guy who produces a fine drop

you noticed huh?

sorry i missed the hospitality too. had so much fun last year. damn real world just keeps bothering me, Glad to hear your BBQ was a huge success again Bearriver. pretty much all i thought about today.

I am so glad i made it although it was short... was great to meet some real humans who have the great passion that i can appreciate!

was amazing ... the food was awesome... good folk i am proud to call friends indeed. just a quick note as they are starting to board the flight .. 14 hours of confinement ugh! but on the other side i want to explore some wine and philippine coconut spirits i have heard about.

Cheers

and thank you Bear for hosting the get together..


regards

Rastus

Gave out a few of my business cards at Proof to some other HD members. I'm kinda disappointed that I never got an address, email, or even a call to get directions to the BBQ.

Damn sorry to hear that Euphoria, I'm sure that you would of been welcome there. I only saw you in line but didn't see you inside, hope to see you at the BBQ next year.

Jeeez, sorry about that Eurphoria, thought you knew the particulars.

Tonight I tried a glass of a 12 year old (commercial) Scotch I used to enjoy.

You know that thing that happens when yours is so much better than the commercial stuff you try to drink?
It happened to me tonight.
I haven't had any of it for over a year, just been drinking my own.
Thought I'd have a taste just for comparison, now I'm sorry I did and at the same time feeling like I need to get busy with a new batch.

Nerdy, your scotch was exceptional! You know your doing it right when you can't drink commercial anymore!

Thanx so much to Bearriver and wife for hosting a great BBQ. Man alive you guys are great on the grill. Big Bobs ribs cooked to perfection and that brisket was so tender. My SOH is still talking about that smoked salmon that Oldvine zin brought.

I love this whole trip through Seattle from proof to the BBQ.

First of all, was proof, seeing so many small distillers in one place was interesting. Seeing the different approaches that they were taking. The thing that struck me funny was out of 40 distillers there wasn’t a lot that I liked, 2 to be exact. There was 2 that I couldn’t even drink.

I must say I'm a Dark Rum and Bourbon type of guy, but I think scotch should only be used to clean my tools. with scotch I have tried many of them over the years, it never one that I have liked. My SOH is a vodka/neutral lady.

Now with my relatively new hobby I had really not much to compare too.

Now there is the samples at the BBQ. There was about 20 to 25 samples. I didn’t care much for the apple whiskey, my SOH absolutely loved it. You guys are well on your way to making a kick ass drop. The 2 that rocked my socks was Big Bobs sweet feed, I would put that on my top shelf , I liked this the best. But the one that surprised me the most was the scotch that Nerdybrewer brought (as I mentioned before I DON’T LIKE SCOTCH) This was the first scotch that I enjoyed, actually loved , I even went back for second and fourths Nerdybrewer you have converted me. I would like to get that recipe.

The thing that I discovered is that I’m going in the right direction when it comes to my drop.
I feel bad that I couldn’t (not big enough balls ) to cross the border with anything. This is the first time I drove across the border. I have always flown before. Now I know what the scoop is. So next year yes.

I picked up a 50# sack of panella from Nerdybrewer thanx for bringing that for me.

Thanks so much for welcoming us. I had a blast meeting all of you. I wish there was more time to talk shop.
Until we meet again.I raise my glass to you guys, cheers

oh ya P.S.
I have to mention. all of the drinks were better at the BBQ, than the distillers at Proof, be proud.

Wow nice review, thanks for your compliments iwine! It was a pleasure meeting you!

iWine, you embarrass me!
That's high praise indeed, I'll endeavor to repeat the experiment this summer and get it aging!!
Unfortunately I brought my very last bottle of the "Scotch" I made.
I still have a little left in the bottle, I have discovered as I believe I've said before that it's ruined me for the commercial stuff.

iwine wrote:Thanx so much to Bearriver and wife for hosting a great BBQ. Man alive you guys are great on the grill. Big Bobs ribs cooked to perfection and that brisket was so tender. My SOH is still talking about that smoked salmon that Oldvine zin brought.

Thanks iwine hoping that next year people will like my booze over my cooking
OVZ

Thought I would post the one picture I took fairly early in the day. Unfortunately grabbing my camera isn't the first thing I think of. I guess that comes from growing up in an age when you had to pay for film, take it down to the store to have it developed, then wait a week or two and pay again and hope they came out. I would like to have gotten pictures of Bigbob cooking, the food, and of course all of the drink but this is all you get from me.

The two bottles on the left are my own humble offerings of grape brandy and apple brandy, Bear later produced one of my pear, a blackberry brandy, and a less aged bottle of the apple. The next 2 are BigBob's apple brandy and sweetfeed, The six to the right I think are OVZ's White panela, wheat, Buddhas hand, Oaked pear, I think oaked panela and I cant remember the last one.