Hello from Central CA

[mradley]

Ive worn many hats in this life. My first exposure to distilling whiskey was in 1982 along the banks of the Kings River. I had been in trouble at school and my Dad had me spend a summer helping one of his hunting/ rooster fighting buddies around his place.  I was supposed to be feeding chickens, and helping with the dogs. Instead, I learned how to tend a still, and that continued into high school. Like most teenagers I had better things to do, and I stopped tending stills along the river, only helping occasionally to watch a run or deliver a load of whiskey in the central valley . Connie passed in the mid 90s and I forgot about distillation altogether, I was playing in various musical groups around the country, based out of Los Angeles and then Montgomery Al. Returning to Ca, I settled down, started a family and took a job working on oil rigs in Fresno County, eventually working Offshore here in CA and Internationally as a Driller and Tool Pusher.  in 2016 I developed post traumatic epilepsy and lost my job in Jan of 2017. All this free time has brought me full circle to the banks of the Kings River and what were some very happy memories of a rough childhood. The more I study fermentation and distillation as a science I realize how brilliant and observant that little old man from Arkansas really truly was. He was a farmer, a brilliant engineer, a skilled craftsman, a masterful distiller, and I had no idea. He was simply Mr. Crenshaw. My dads drinking buddy. He hunted raccoons, fought chickens, he was a bit of a raconteur, and a damned fine horse trader. Id like to honor the memory of the man and perhaps do something with the knowlege he gave me, although the more I explore distillation, whiskey and spirits the more I realize how much there is to learn, and just how sharp that little man from Arkansas really was

[Southernhighlander]

mradley,

 

Your youth sounds a lot like mine, except that I grew up in the Smokies of Eastern TN, up a holler near a little town called Townsend.   They broke the mold when they made men like your Mr. Crenshaw.  they are few and far between today. If you ever need any equipment, or if you just want to come up and look at some stills, just give me a holler.  I'm up here in the MO Ozarks.  417-778-6100  paul@distillery-equipment.com

Paul Hall

[mradley]

Thank you Paul, very much appreciated. I may be able to take you up on that, Im just now realizing the size of the my learning curve. This whole adventure is going to take a little looking for sure