Tuesday, February 05, 2013

February 2013 Activity -- Gin Distillery Tour and Tasting

                                                
Ready to make martinis. And sloe gin fizzes (sloes gin fizz?)
Gin Distillery Tour & Tasting
New Columbia Distillery
1832 Fenwick Street, NE (da hood)
Washington, DC 20002
3:30-4:30pm
COST: Zero for tasting/tour
$36 per bottle of gin








In the car on the way to this activity, the following conversation took place:

Dilettante Amanda: "So this is a gin activity. Is it gin rummy?"

Wannabe Dilettante Tim: "I think it has to do with a cotton gin."

Dilettante Kathleen: "And here I was thinking it was a tutorial on bathtub gin. I'm pretty sure I've been making it wrong. Also (and probably unrelated) my daughter seems kind of listless after her baths..."

Turns out, it was none of the above -- it was a tour and tasting. We met Dilettante Amy (and another Dilettante wannabe, Pete) at New Columbia distillery in the section of NE near all the dance clubs that we planned to patronize after getting all goofed up on craft gin.

This was initially going to be a tour and tasting in conjunction with the alumni group from Dilettante Amanda's alma mater, Johns Hopkins University. However, it turns out that the JHU web site continues to accept reservations even after events are fully booked, so we discovered about a week ago that we could not participate in this as part of the alumni function. (At least that's the story Amanda gave us. I'm willing to bet it had something to do with the state schools on our resumes...) Anyway, the distillery suggested that we just come earlier and do an independent tour and tasting. So we and every-single-hipster-in-DC did exactly that. (Craft distilleries are obviously big with the skinny jean set.)

We began by getting a small tasting of the gin. Straight. And it was really deliciously spicy. Gin is not everyone's "thing" but we certainly all appreciated how complex the layers of flavor were, how you could pretty much taste the artisanal process in each sip, and how badass this was gonna taste with some juice in a crunk chalice.

Our tour guide (and only New Columbia employee) Sol gave us a ton of great information about the distilling process, the history of the company, and informed us that New Columbia was the first distillery to open and operate in DC in 103 years. (And Marion Barry calls himself a former Mayor. Sheesh.)

The gin is already served in some local restaurants and they are working on getting it into MD and VA, and may also begin distilling seasonal gins and other types of spirits.

It was a very interesting tour and a great product -- they already cannot keep up with demand and they do no traditional advertising. (Thanks to social media...and hipster word of mouth.)

Dilettante Amanda bought one bottle of gin. Dilettante Amy bought two. And Dilettante Kathleen bought a fedora and looked disinterested.

Dinner at Ethiopic on H Street followed.



Some of the ingredients.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

top [url=http://www.c-online-casino.co.uk/]casino[/url] check the latest [url=http://www.casinolasvegass.com/]las vegas casino[/url] free no consign bonus at the leading [url=http://www.baywatchcasino.com/]online casinos
[/url].

Anonymous said...

top [url=http://finland-online-casino.com/]casino bonus[/url] brake the latest [url=http://www.casinolasvegass.com/]casino bonus[/url] free no deposit reward at the chief [url=http://www.baywatchcasino.com/]baywatchcasino.com
[/url].

Anonymous said...

Terrific article! That is the type of information
that are meant to be shared across the internet. Disgrace on the seek engines for no longer positioning this put up higher!
Come on over and talk over with my website .
Thanks =)

Also visit my web site my payday loan

Trout Almondine said...

I am not a Spambot. I am a human being! With feelings and emotions! Who wants some of that gin!

dilettante07 said...

No way--you drink like a fish!

Brutalism said...

TA - When are you guest Dilettanting (a verb)?

Dilettante07 - Is Dan not gin-worthy?

dilettante07 said...

Who is is this Dan person you speak of?

Brutalism said...

Tante - Gah! I'm terrible with the whole "fake names" thing. This is why the Scientologists are stalking us. And why Dan is now outed as an alkie...

dilettante07 said...

It's crazy, since you work for the Agency.

Gah! I wasn't supposed to tell anyone.

Brutalism said...

Tante - Great. There goes our waterboarding activity for March.

Anonymous said...

just stopping by to say hello

Anonymous said...

afterwards confirmative your given details that are exigency loan no teletrack guaranteed payday loans oblige the borrower alike in piteous situations like this. http://www.superpaydaloans.co.uk/ On that point are institutions that hold been blasted by many other guaranteed payday loans with bad course credit and affecting your credit entry cards, at least 6 months.

Anonymous said...

It's gruelling to happen legitimate guaranteed payday loans as provided by the date due two weeks. http://www.guaranteedpaydayloans1.co.uk/ ordinarily guaranteed payday loans are your responsibilities? It is truly very easygoing for anyone who can hold an respond or be sent support to a pretty impressive job. various states are as follows. Get Payday Loanword, guaranteed payday loans are immoral or extraordinary. They are mothers, who say it risks dragging ordinary multitude depressed if they simply don't ingredient this in. When it comes to pay off slenderly and comparatively colossal pace of pursuit, from its consumers.