Spring Break 2013: A Lesson in Bourbon

 

While nearly 3 years has passed since touring the Wyoming Whiskey distillery in Kirby, Wyoming; some details remain clear: The crisp, Wyoming, spring air. The dull-glow of copper kettles. The bready-lively smell of the fermentation process. The intimacy of touring a facility as a group of four; long before the onset of tourist season. The balanced scent of oak barrels working their slow-sweet magic on Wyoming's first "legal" whiskey.

The tour and the facilities were truly an extraordinary and impressive experience. For Mike and Melissa, the tour was a perfect fit for their "Burlington-bar-purchase-focused-spring-break". Spring Break 2013 was the week in which Mike and Melissa took their finalized business plan to it's full fruition, looked over a ton of loan papers and made some kind of sense of what it would soon mean to own a small-town, Wyoming bar. Little did they know just how much Wyoming Whiskey would become an aspect of their liqour serving lives, the conversations that would rotate around this product which was so highly anticipated around the entire state.

Unfortunately, it has been painfully clear that Wyoming Whiskey has not won over the hearts of the people for whom Wyoming is home. Released before having had adequate time in a barrel, most Wyomingites first impression was that of paying too much for something too forceful and "green". Owning and more importantly, working a bar, the Harrington's have engaged in numerous conversations regarding this well labeled, poorly executed product. However, they've also had opportunites to try more recent batches and meet with members of the Wyoming Whiskey team - these have resulted in more positive experiences - a better tasting Whiskey (more time in a quality barrel is all it takes!) and down-to-earth sales reps that understand the value of ALL Wyoming beer, wine and liqour establishments.

Taking time to reflect back on this tour has provided a moment of grateful appreciation for the way the world works and the way things always come full circle, even the smallest of things.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Brewery Tour: Shadow's Pub and Grill of Cheyenne, Wyoming

Whenever the Harrington duo finds themselves heading out in any direction which may provide a micro-brewery pit stop, you can be sure the couple will stop in for a sampler at the least. (Two years in the land of watered-down-$&!@-beer will do that do a being).

Anyway, en route to a family weekend in Cheyenne, the couple, plus sister Katie, opted to stop in at one of Cheyenne's breweries to sample the fare and get a taste for what the state of Wyoming currently has on tap. Shadow's Pub and Grill of Cheyenne, Wyoming has been a host to a micro-brewery, a non-host and again a host. The Pub and Grill, which is housed in the old Train Depot, was also host to various guests of the Harrington Wedding Reception seeing as how the couple enjoyed their first dance as Man and Woman in the neighboring reception hall, also located at the Train Depot.

Alas, the beer. Within the sampler, the Harringtons enjoyed sipping on: Big Boy Amber, Big D's Pale Ale, Crow Creek Ale, possible Boxcar Stout (or another Stout) and another which currently cannot be remembered. True to form, Melissa was all about the dark beers and gladly waited for the other two sippers to take their taste and leave the rest for her to finish off. Both the Big Boy and Big D's sat well with the other two Harringtons and before long the sampler was finished and the trio was making their way to a youth basketball game and weekend filled with family fun and adventures!

Brewery Tour: Clear Creek Brewing of Buffalo Wyoming

It should go without saying that the Harringtons loved food and traveling in South Korea. Yet, as we recently stated here at THT, the couple is thrilled to be back in a land where going out to dinner sometimes includes incredible BBQ and Bread Pudding. Additionally, the amount of joy the couple has experienced in being able to track down fine craft beers...that joy is also quite immense.

Following their holiday celebrations in Worland, the couple hit the road and made their way through Ten Sleep Canyon en route to Deadwood, South Dakota where the next leg of their holiday celebrations would take place. However, having a desire to re-enter the world of craft brews and perhaps gain some insight to the business potential of such an operation, the couple was eager to get through the canyon and stop off at Wyoming's newest brewery, opened in September of 2012, Clear Creek Brewing Company in Buffalo, Wyoming.