Sampling Virginia moonshine at its source

Miss Kelsey, the 30 gallon still in best replica bags the back of the Appalachian Mountain Spirits Mercantile and Stillhouse Store in Marion, Va. (Jim Barnes/for The Washington Post)

Replica Handbags By Jim Barnes March 19, 2015 Replica Handbags

Designer Replica Bags In one block on Main Street replica designer bags in Marion, Va., you can enjoy first rate barbecue at Wolfe’s, watch live bluegrass performances at the historic and rest your head at the equally venerable General Francis Marion Hotel. Designer Replica Bags

aaa replica designer handbags But what drew replica bags china me here was the opportunity to sample some Virginia moonshine at its source. aaa replica designer handbags

Fake Handbags Over the past few years, I had noticed moonshine products on the shelves of liquor stores in Virginia and heard that some of them were even hosting moonshine tastings. Fake Handbags

Designer Fake Bags But despite having lived half my life in Kentucky and Virginia two states rich luxury replica bags in the liquor’s lore I had never tried the stuff. So I persuaded my wife, Juli, cheap designer bags replica to join me on a weekend drive to have best replica designer bags our first tastes of moonshine in a place high end replica bags where it is made, in the back of a store on Marion’s Main Street. Designer Fake Bags

Replica Bags Marion is a picturesque town of about 6,000 situated alongside Interstate 81 about 100 miles southwest of Roanoke. One of its landmarks is the art deco Mayan Revival style, built in 1929 as a cinema and renovated and repurposed in recent years as a performing arts venue. It is home to the PBS bluegrass music series “Song of the Mountains.” Replica Bags

Replica Designer Handbags Just a few steps away is the General Francis Marion Hotel, which was touted as one of the finest hotels in the South when it opened in replica bags from china 1927. Renovated in 2006, it now houses the aaa replica bags Black Rooster restaurant and bar. Replica Designer Handbags

replica handbags online When Juli and I rolled into town about noon on a Saturday, we stopped for some tasty barbecue at Wolfe’s before buy replica bags online strolling down to the Appalachian Mountain Spirits Mercantile and replica designer backpacks Stillhouse Store to inquire about a tour of the Virginia Sweetwater Distillery, which is housed in the back. replica handbags online

high quality replica handbags We were greeted by co owners Scott and Dana Schumaker, as well as high replica bags three flame point Siamese cats, which had the run of the place. The Schumakers sell gifts, crafts and books in the front; the back area is licensed as a Virginia ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control Department) store, where they mostly sell their own brands. Scott informed us that his distiller, Matt DeHart, had already fired up the still in the back room and that he would be happy to give us a demonstration. high quality replica handbags

Replica Bags Wholesale Matt introduced us to Miss Kelsey, one 7a replica bags wholesale of the operation’s two stills. Named after the couple’s daughter, Miss Kelsey is the smaller of the two, holding 30 gallons. The other still, Miss websites Dana, stays on the couple’s property on the side of a mountain about two miles from downtown Marion. With high quality replica bags a 200 gallon capacity, Miss Dana produces 95 percent replica bags online of the distillery’s output. Replica Bags Wholesale

replica Purse Matt gave a quick rundown on what moonshine is and how the still works. It’s simply corn liquor that hasn’t been aged, he said. When aged in barrels, it takes on colors and flavors from the barrels and thus becomes whiskey. replica Purse

Fake Designer Bags He pointed to a replica bags gauge that showed the alcohol content of the liquor. As he opened a spigot to release a jet of clear moonshine into a bucket, the gauge read 90 percent, or 180 proof. Water would be used to dilute the moonshine until it attained the desired level 85 proof for the standard Virginia Sweetwater Moonshine, and 101 proof for the stronger Shiners’ Gold, which https://www.ladyclip.com is currently available only replica designer bags wholesale at the buy replica bags stillhouse store in Marion. Fake Designer Bags

Handbags Replica We decided it was too early in the day to begin our $7.50 tasting, so we returned early in the evening, as most of Marion’s visitors were converging on the to see a high quality designer replica live performance of “Song of the Mountains.” Handbags Replica

cheap replica handbags Matt, stationed behind the bar, explained that Virginia law limits tasters to three half bag replica high quality ounce shots of their products the regular moonshine, Shiners’ Gold or the distillery’s War Horse Whisky (Scott uses the Scottish spelling), winner of a gold medal at the Great American Distillers Festival for the past two years. We could also choose small shots of the moonshine flavored with peach, blackberry or apple pie “mixin’s.” cheap replica handbags

Wholesale Replica Bags Juli and I started with the regular moonshine, which was smooth and warming, leaving no aftertaste. I good quality replica bags preferred the Shiners’ Gold, which had more bite and flavor, and the smoke tinged whiskey. Juli tried the moonshine flavored with peach, which she liked best, and apple pie, which she found a little too sweet. Wholesale Replica Bags

purse replica handbags We took our time, sipping from our shot glasses, listening to bluegrass gospel music and letting the experience wash over us as best replica designer more people came in for tastings. After a while, Scott relieved Matt at the bar, opened a bottle and let us have a taste of a new product he is developing a whiskey flavored with the sweet smoke of red oak from his mountain property. He replica bags buy online called it Revelations. purse replica handbags

KnockOff Handbags It had a rich, smoky flavor, and at 120 proof, it was a little strong for Juli’s taste. But I thought it was well, a revelation. Scott plans to have a 91 proof version on the market by summer, and I promised him I would be a customer. KnockOff Handbags

wholesale replica designer handbags The four small samples of moonshine and whiskey added up to designer replica luggage the equivalent of slightly more than one mixed drink but even so, Juli and I were pleasantly glowing from our experience. There was no need to drive anywhere. Right across the street, our dinner and best replica bags online room at the General Francis awaited us wholesale replica designer handbags.