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M38A1
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Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit the Garrison Brothers Distillery in Hye, Texas as part of a seminar Precision-Camera put together. The GM of Precision is also a rider and organized a day of activities to include a personal tour of the facility (21 of us) by the owner, a catered fried chicken lunch and free reign of the place to shoot whatever and wherever. I couldn't pass it up, so "Hye-ho, Hye-ho, it's off to shoot I go...." (couldn't resist)
Upon entering the place, you can't help but think this is going to be fun....
We all gathered at the front "Welcome Cabin" and were offered cool beverages to include water, beer or wine. The chairs made for a cozy "Welcome" indeed.
I had a feeling I was in the right place when I saw this too
The owner gave us the tour and explained how they make genuine bourbon. It all starts with these three hoppers full of grainy-goodness
They take the grains and pulverize them into dust and then cook it at various temperatures throughout the day. This guy does the cooking
And this is one of his kitchens
Once the mash is cooked, it ferments in 550gal tubs and turns into 26% alcohol beer. It's the yellow tubs and we were offered a taste. Just stick your finger in the vat and yep, it tastes sort of like beer.
Upon closer inspection, this is the 'beer'. It stays here for five days just simmering/fermenting.
After five days, it heads to the still where they basically frac the liquid to get the pure alcohol out. What comes out of here is 140 proof or 70% alcohol.
The 'mash' from the previous step is void of alcohol at this point and is trucked to local ranchers to use as a high-protein additive to supplement their feed. So their 'waste' has a market so to speak.
Here's the "Whitedog". That little itty-bitty sample was more than I could drink and that was even getting up a mouthful of saliva to mix with it upon their instruction.
From the frac process, the finished product goes to storage tanks. This was the ONLY place we were not allowed to use a flash due to the explosion/fire hazard.
When it's time to put the product in the barrels, each one is weighed and recorded with the barrel number, various dates, volumes and such. The Whitedog at this point has also been reduced to approximately 120 proof.
Filling the 30gallon barrels is via a food-grade garden hose and what looks like an old-tyme gasoline filler nozzle. Yep, that's clear alcohol going into that barrel.
A bit about the barrels. First off, bourbon can only be made under some strict criteria to include 51% or more corn, and must be in a new/unused oak barrel among other things. The barrels come from Louisville, Kentucky and are charred for 53 seconds on the interior with a pear-burner type gizmo where they put the barrel on a rack, insert the pear-burner and turn on pure oxygen. It's ignited and the pressure of the oxygen running up and around the sides (think toilet bowl and water) makes a vortex of fire. After 53 seconds, they cut the oxygen and put the top/bottom on to snuff the fire out.
When the barrel is full, it's time to put the bung in the hole
And when that's done, they just roll it out into a trailer below with a hay bale to stop the forward motion!
Once on the trailer (about four barrels per trip), they are hauled to a field where they are aged. Aging is done by placing the barrels in old shipping containers. They are stacked one on top of the other, about 200-215 per container.
There they will sit for at least 30 months. Everyday, they open and close the doors to the shipping containers. Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring. The purpose of this is by expansion and contraction due to temperature swings of the pressure, the fluid inside is forced into the charred sides of the barrel. Get hot, pressure increases and the liquid is forced into the wood through the char. Cools down, pressure decreases, the fluid comes back through the char. This process over and over every day. That's how the bourbon turns it's color and get's the smokey flavor profile they want.
After 30 months (or so depending on the age/flavor profile they want) they bang the bung out
And this is the end product
The guy behind it all
And one of their finished products ready for consumers
Overall, a wonderful experience not only to see and learn how 'stuff is made', but to get to shoot it as well. We didn't need models - all the employees were more than willing to pose as we asked. We all had a grand time and I highly recommend visiting their place for 'tasting tours'. I think it's like $10 weekdays/$20 on Saturday and you won't be disappointed.
.
Upon entering the place, you can't help but think this is going to be fun....
We all gathered at the front "Welcome Cabin" and were offered cool beverages to include water, beer or wine. The chairs made for a cozy "Welcome" indeed.
I had a feeling I was in the right place when I saw this too
The owner gave us the tour and explained how they make genuine bourbon. It all starts with these three hoppers full of grainy-goodness
They take the grains and pulverize them into dust and then cook it at various temperatures throughout the day. This guy does the cooking
And this is one of his kitchens
Once the mash is cooked, it ferments in 550gal tubs and turns into 26% alcohol beer. It's the yellow tubs and we were offered a taste. Just stick your finger in the vat and yep, it tastes sort of like beer.
Upon closer inspection, this is the 'beer'. It stays here for five days just simmering/fermenting.
After five days, it heads to the still where they basically frac the liquid to get the pure alcohol out. What comes out of here is 140 proof or 70% alcohol.
The 'mash' from the previous step is void of alcohol at this point and is trucked to local ranchers to use as a high-protein additive to supplement their feed. So their 'waste' has a market so to speak.
Here's the "Whitedog". That little itty-bitty sample was more than I could drink and that was even getting up a mouthful of saliva to mix with it upon their instruction.
From the frac process, the finished product goes to storage tanks. This was the ONLY place we were not allowed to use a flash due to the explosion/fire hazard.
When it's time to put the product in the barrels, each one is weighed and recorded with the barrel number, various dates, volumes and such. The Whitedog at this point has also been reduced to approximately 120 proof.
Filling the 30gallon barrels is via a food-grade garden hose and what looks like an old-tyme gasoline filler nozzle. Yep, that's clear alcohol going into that barrel.
A bit about the barrels. First off, bourbon can only be made under some strict criteria to include 51% or more corn, and must be in a new/unused oak barrel among other things. The barrels come from Louisville, Kentucky and are charred for 53 seconds on the interior with a pear-burner type gizmo where they put the barrel on a rack, insert the pear-burner and turn on pure oxygen. It's ignited and the pressure of the oxygen running up and around the sides (think toilet bowl and water) makes a vortex of fire. After 53 seconds, they cut the oxygen and put the top/bottom on to snuff the fire out.
When the barrel is full, it's time to put the bung in the hole
And when that's done, they just roll it out into a trailer below with a hay bale to stop the forward motion!
Once on the trailer (about four barrels per trip), they are hauled to a field where they are aged. Aging is done by placing the barrels in old shipping containers. They are stacked one on top of the other, about 200-215 per container.
There they will sit for at least 30 months. Everyday, they open and close the doors to the shipping containers. Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring. The purpose of this is by expansion and contraction due to temperature swings of the pressure, the fluid inside is forced into the charred sides of the barrel. Get hot, pressure increases and the liquid is forced into the wood through the char. Cools down, pressure decreases, the fluid comes back through the char. This process over and over every day. That's how the bourbon turns it's color and get's the smokey flavor profile they want.
After 30 months (or so depending on the age/flavor profile they want) they bang the bung out
And this is the end product
The guy behind it all
And one of their finished products ready for consumers
Overall, a wonderful experience not only to see and learn how 'stuff is made', but to get to shoot it as well. We didn't need models - all the employees were more than willing to pose as we asked. We all had a grand time and I highly recommend visiting their place for 'tasting tours'. I think it's like $10 weekdays/$20 on Saturday and you won't be disappointed.
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Oh well, that just means another trip I suppose!
