The Alembic http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog News from the Ridge Distillery Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:05:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Ridge Distillery Extrait d’Absinthe Verte http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=168 http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=168#comments Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:05:30 +0000 joe@ridgeherbs.com http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=168 Last Friday, we received the formula approval for both the verte and blanche absinthes. So what am I doing this Labor Day weekend? Trying to fill the first tank with Ridge Verte, of course!

Anyone that knows me and my affection for absinthe knows that I prefer a thick louche with a creamy mouth-feel. It is an herbal bomb and even at this young age, I think it will remain smooth and balanced.

Time for me to get back to work in the Distillery!
Santé

]]> http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=168 3 Sunday http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=165 http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=165#comments Sun, 29 Aug 2010 19:06:38 +0000 joe@ridgeherbs.com http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=165 2 more visitors!

Today’s news is all press:

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/business_and_finance/local_montana/article_7100adea-b302-11df-88b3-001cc4c03286.html

and

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/business_and_finance/local_montana/article_2c24c5f2-b303-11df-8ffe-001cc4c03286.html

and

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20100829/BUSINESS/8290305/A-spirited-endeavor-Microdistilleries-flourishing-in-Montana

How the hell do I post links? Frig.

Time to do a little work in the distillery.

]]> http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=165 2 Saturday, August 28 http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=163 http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=163#comments Sun, 29 Aug 2010 02:48:45 +0000 joe@ridgeherbs.com http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=163 Our day started with pleasantly cool temperatures and hot coffee. We were off to an early start with a lot of “must do” for the morning. Before the second cup of coffee was half finished, we had visitors.

Soon, they were on their way and so were we. Some fast shopping, quick cooking and lunch with KJ, Rich, Kristy and Riley. Our lunch friends came over to help us strip pound after pound of Artemisia pontica which will eventually be used for coloring absinthe. We bottled up a couple of cases of gin and finally had a drink around the fire ring to wash down the leftovers from lunch.

After our friends left, the rain came. It’s a nice way to end a day filled with a good bit of work and pleasant company. Santé.

]]> http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=163 4 Postcards…from HELL! http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=161 http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=161#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:07:09 +0000 joe@ridgeherbs.com http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=161 Just kidding about the hell part. Ahem.
ridge 5.5×8.5 card

Kudos to my brother for the photography and building the whole damn thing. Thanks, Gunter.

]]> http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=161 2 A pleasant surprise http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=158 http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=158#comments Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:56:49 +0000 joe@ridgeherbs.com http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=158 A surprise contact and visit to Ridge Distillery from Montana State Representative Brady Wiseman and his wife Cindy made this day particularly enjoyable. The Congressman was instrumental in supporting and passing the legislation which made micro-distilling possible. More importantly, they are sincerely nice people that would be welcome back anytime.

Rep. Brady Wiseman, Jules and Cindy.

]]> http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=158 4 How long have we been waiting for this? http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=154 http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=154#comments Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:53:50 +0000 joe@ridgeherbs.com http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=154

I think we’ve been waiting for about 18 months, give or take a little. It is very exciting but there are still challenges ahead and no time to sit back and relish the moment. (OK, we’ll do a little relishing tonight)

Now, we have to get the word out across Montana and keep a steady supply of Silvertip gin in our storage area. While the gin is doing its thing, we’re still anxiously waiting for a govt. thumbs-up on the absinthe formula. We haven’t lost sight of that as our primary goal. We have dozens of people to thank but today’s Kudos go to the store owners willing to risk some cold hard cash on Silvertip Gin:
Montana Liquor & Wine (that’s where the photo was shot) south of Kalispell.
BYOB Liquor Store in downtown Kalispell.
Crosscut Casino at 812 W 9th St, Libby, MT
and we believe
The Evergreen Liquor Store on HWY 2, east Kalispell.
If you stop by (buy?), be sure to thank the folks for supporting local spirit artisans. Without their help, we’d be dead in the water.
We’ve heard rumors of it hitting Bozeman, too but we don’t have anything concrete on that.

We should have fliers prepared for liquor store owners very soon. If you have a favorite, let us know and we’ll be sure to get them a little Ridge publicity.
Santé!

ADDENDUM: Montana just ordered 10 more cases of Silvertip Gin!

]]> http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=154 7 Ad copy http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=146 http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=146#comments Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:26:47 +0000 joe@ridgeherbs.com http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=146

]]> http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=146 3 Production! http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=135 http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=135#comments Mon, 09 Aug 2010 23:52:11 +0000 joe@ridgeherbs.com http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=135 We have launched into production with a passion.   8 cases of  Silvertip gin yesterday and 5 more today are headed into their prospective boxes, waiting for the courier to deliver them to the state liquor warehouse in Helena on Thursday (or Friday).  Then we wait until liquor stores ask for their share to be delivered…that’s the way it works here.  If anyone in Montana visits their favorite package store, tell them Ridge Distillery’s Silvertip Gin will be available next week.  Now, how cool is that?

Julie Joe & Josh doing the bottling thing.

Julie & Mike getting in gear.

Father & Son workin’ the bottler.

A thing of beauty!

Final step? Add the label and it's good to go.

The last step: apply the labels and send them on their way!  Who’s ready for a Martini?  An Obituary?  A Monkey Gland?  What’s your favorite gin cocktail?

]]> http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=135 6 The New BeGINning http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=134 http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=134#comments Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:42:54 +0000 joe@ridgeherbs.com http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=134 It has been a big week at Ridge Distillery. First, we passed the county health inspection with flying colors and a county license. Then, the Great State of Montana awarded us our State License culminated with the beautiful words, “I have attached your letter of approval. The original letter and license were sent out in the mail yesterday… HAPPY DISTILLING!” I love this state!

Top it all off with the arrival of Mike, Kristin & Jamie (photos to follow) and it would be hard to have a more perfect week.

We still have a ton of work to do (the absinthe formula is still working its way through the Federal regs) and some serious distilling but I’m pretty excited. At long last, I can say, “Stop by and try a sample or two. If you like what you taste, you can purchase a bottle of RIDGE SILVERTIP AMERICAN DRY GIN (for only $25.15)! W00t!

]]> http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=134 14 A bit of progress http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=132 http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=132#comments Tue, 08 Jun 2010 18:19:57 +0000 joe@ridgeherbs.com http://www.ridgedistillery.com/blog/?p=132 Everything is moving as it should even though the speed seems a little slow at times. We are making our way through the county’s requirements and they have been very helpful. More on that soon.

The BIG news of the day is our first label approval by the TTB. This is very exciting for me. Big thanks to our graphic artist, Gwydion. I love it!

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