Tom’s Foolery – Michter’s pot stills and a bottled in bond

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The Michter’s pot stills were original built in the 1970s as a semi-tourist attraction at the distillery in Schaefferstown, PA. This famous distillery was responsible for the original Michter’s Brand Sour Mash and several other exceptionally well regarded products like the A.H. Hirsch line. After success in the 50s and 60s, tourists had started showing up to see the distillery. Since production only occurred a few days out of the month, they’d often be disappointed to see absolutely nothing happening. A plan was devised to create a one barrel a day still that could be run continuously to provide some sort of experience for those who had made the trip. Known as the Michter’s Jug House, America’s first microdistillery was born. This was the first pot-stilled Bourbon distillery since the end of prohibition. In an era when the industry had completely industrialized and consolidation was rampant, this was a bit of a revolution. The big distillers had converted to stripping/doubler set up that’s common in KY today and the thought of building something less efficient than possible must have been shocking to many. But alas, whiskey would not stay cool nor would it be cool again for nearly three decades. When the distillery closed in 1990, the impressive stills and the corresponding tank/fermenters were sold to none other than David Beam, who stored them at a motel he owned in Bardstown, KY. Tom eventually connected with David and brought the old set up to his newly licensed home distillery. There he experimented with several mash-bills and with the help of industry luminaries like Willie Pratt and Fred Noe. Over the next several years, Tom built stocks of high quality pot stilled bourbon, rye, and apple jack. Last year, the new Michter’s Distillery made him an offer that he couldn’t refuse and the legendary stills were sold and reunited with their original namesake.

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