Visited a Micro-distillery...awesome!

[baron4406]

Me and my better half were on vacation down in Virginia (we love the place) staying in a cabin in Front Royal. Was hot so we didn't do our usual dose of self abuse by hiking in the Shenandoah National Park, so we hit some local wineries. They were awesome as usual and at one of them called the Desert Rose I got into a chat with a guy there who was also a moonshiner, he told me I HAD to go see the Copper Fox distillery down in Sperryville. Talked my wife into it and WOW what an experience. First off its a very small non-commercial place. Friendly as heck (everyone is down there) and we took a tour as me and the owner "talked shop". Basically they pot still some damn fine hootch. The setup in a 500gallon "mash still" which they strip a 500 gallon batch, then take the distillate from that and run it thru a smaller 100 gallon copper alembic still. They malt their own barley and rye and have a room where they actually smoke the malted grain. They age in charred oak barrels with charred apple wood added. What's cool is they sell the aged whiskey and also the "white dog" version unaged. They sell kits where you can age your own hootch. I got some rye whiskey which was 25% barley and tasted unreal, my wife got me some unaged single malt barley whiskey which they sell with a vanilla bean to age with, I added a charred oak stick. The guy said they have way more orders than they can fill, and most of it goes overseas to England. Their brand is called Wasmunds. I'd strongly encourage anyone passing thru to check the place out. They guy loved having another hootch maker to chant with and gave me alot of really great tips. Took alot of pics too.

[heartcut]

That sounds fine. Love the idea of selling aging kits.

[mensdomain]

Here is their site http://www.copperfox.biz/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow Last year I talked to this Rick about trying to import this into NZ. Was really impressed with what he was doing shame my business venture fell through.

[baron4406]

Thanks in my long winded post I totally forgot to post their website. BTW forgot a little anecdote he told me, this fine little company seals their bottles with a wax seal. When he was demonstrating how it was done he smirked and said "We MUST remember to keep the bottle on its side when its drying or ELSE" Come to find out a while back an employee was a little careless with the wax seal and it ran down the bottle a little vertically. Well soon a letter from attorney's representing Makers Mark sent a "cease and desist" letter saying the vertical wax dripping was a Makers Mark trademark. So they actually built a roller fixture to spin the bottles as they dry on their side. Shows you how petty the big boys are, worry about what's IN your bottle not the packaging.

[Bushman]

Sounds great, I am at a hotel using my iPad and could not get the link to work nor could I google it. I wished I had found it before leaving Virginia, sounds like they are the only ones in North America doing that aging processes. Can you post some of your pictures?

[NcHooch]

Any of yall read that review on the website for the Wasmund’s Single Malt Whisky ?

"Gold Medal — 93 Points
“Exceptional”

Tasting notes: Bright copper color. Bold aromas of new suede, saddle soap, crème brulee and toasted banana nut bread follow through on a supple, smooth entry to a dryish medium-full body with orange marmalade, dried apricot and sweet brown spices. Finishes with a very long, slowly evolving, mossy river stone, Peat, cocoa, cereal, and pepper fade. A powerfully delicious and intriguing domestic single malt whisky. Impressive. (Tasted Jan. 29, 2009.) "

who knew there were so many different tastes in a glass of whiskey?
...almost sounds like he couldn't make up his mind
Might hafta swing up there one of these days ...thanks Baron

[blind drunk]

...almost sounds like he couldn't make up his mind

OMG that's hilarious. Made me laugh.

[baron4406]

as you wish, here are a couple.

[baron4406]

couple more, check out the tiny little alembic. He said they use it for 'experiments" <wink> <wink>

[blind drunk]

Cool. Thanks for the pictures. Amazing how little is required to make a go of it. Wonder if they're making money.

[baron4406]

The owner says they are doing great, they can't even begin to fulfill most of their orders. When we were visiting they were running a custom order with an all corn run (they do that too -custom orders). Thought it interesting that most of their stuff goes overseas. BTW there was alot more than my pics showed. There was a room where they malted their barley and rye- also a large room where they smoked their grain. I'd highly recommend a visit, alot of good wineries in the area and the park is just up the mountain.

[Bushman]

Looks like a small operation but I like their concept, hope they do well!

[King Of Hearts]

NIce pics. I don't think they would allow a distillery on a wooden floor in my state tho. I tried the Rye aged with apple wood, didn't care too much for it, maybe the single malt is better.

[Prairiepiss]

Nice pics. Sounds like a good time. Thanks for sharing.

Now I need to know something. Is this a flavor. And how do you come to know it as a flavor?

mossy river stone

I don't make it a habit to sit on the bank of the river chewing on stones?

[baron4406]

BTW guys one thing I also forgot to tell you, after they malt their own grain they grind it into flour, yes I even saw a sample. Then they mash it. I thought that was kinda odd but the results speak for themselves.

[King Of Hearts]

BTW guys one thing I also forgot to tell you, after they malt their own grain they grind it into flour, yes I even saw a sample. Then they mash it. I thought that was kinda odd but the results speak for themselves.

I know of one by me that buys different grain flour thats organic from a place in Kansas. They just keep it stirring the whole mash till converted by adding enzymes.

[blind drunk]

There are a few here that also flour the grain. That's the plan for my next bourbon mashes. Gonna run my cornmeal and malts through my mill.

[Marshwalker]

Really cool post!! good inspiration for those interested