Prohibition Tasting Event
Saturday night the Hennepin History Museum hosted an once-in-a-lifetime event where lucky patrons got to taste 100 year old gin, brandy, and whiskey. Silent and live auctions of valuable and rare (possibly the only in existence) bottles attracted the curious and the collectors. The aged bottles were donated by Mary Shanesy, whose contractors discovered the stash hidden in the walls as they remodeled her home.
As a volunteer, I tended the bar (OK let’s be honest, I stood behind the bar chatting and laughing with guests while Sarah poured most of the wine and all of the booze tastings). The crowd was a nice blend of older museum members, youthful hipsters, and a few local “celebrities” such Dean Phillips of Phillip’s Distillery, Gluek’s granddaughter (the Gluek’s family originally owned the house where the treasures were found and are believed to be the hoarders), and pastry chef and cookbook author Zoe Francois. The place was jumping! Jack’s from NE Minneapolis offered up appetizers based on Prohibition flavors, and Sarah and I took turns running to the catering table for nibbles.
We tasted a gin, a brandy, and a whiskey. I heard "I am not a gin drinker, but that was so good!" from at least a dozen guests. I am a gin drinker, I thought the vintage Tanager Dry Gin was amazingly complex. The Old Monastery (brandy) and Canadian Club (whiskey) were also complex, with a tinge of sweetness. The whiskey had evaporated to nearly half, and I nervously watched Sarah make the pours, sure there wouldn't be enough for the 100 eager tasters.
Am still having image import issues with blogger so to view some fun photos from the event, check out the Hennepin History Museum's facebook page.
As a volunteer, I tended the bar (OK let’s be honest, I stood behind the bar chatting and laughing with guests while Sarah poured most of the wine and all of the booze tastings). The crowd was a nice blend of older museum members, youthful hipsters, and a few local “celebrities” such Dean Phillips of Phillip’s Distillery, Gluek’s granddaughter (the Gluek’s family originally owned the house where the treasures were found and are believed to be the hoarders), and pastry chef and cookbook author Zoe Francois. The place was jumping! Jack’s from NE Minneapolis offered up appetizers based on Prohibition flavors, and Sarah and I took turns running to the catering table for nibbles.
We tasted a gin, a brandy, and a whiskey. I heard "I am not a gin drinker, but that was so good!" from at least a dozen guests. I am a gin drinker, I thought the vintage Tanager Dry Gin was amazingly complex. The Old Monastery (brandy) and Canadian Club (whiskey) were also complex, with a tinge of sweetness. The whiskey had evaporated to nearly half, and I nervously watched Sarah make the pours, sure there wouldn't be enough for the 100 eager tasters.
Am still having image import issues with blogger so to view some fun photos from the event, check out the Hennepin History Museum's facebook page.
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