Old No. 7

Hey all...it has been a fun-filled couple of weeks since I last posted... Two weeks ago, Justin and I took a day off work and headed to Lynchberg, Tennessee, where the 20th annual Jack Daniels BBQ Competition was being held. Justin's parents are master BBQ judges and are highly respected in the BBQ world...thus, Maria, his mom, was asked to be a judge this year. Teams who have won major contests in countries all over the world gather in itty bitty Lynchberg for the world championship competition...boy is it interesting!!

While we were there, Justin and I toured the Jack Daniels distillery...now I have never loved Jack Daniels but it is Justin's favorite drink (with Coke) and it was really fascinating to learn the painstaking process by which Jack Daniel's is made.

The picture below is that of the charcoal mill...charcoal is one of the key ingredients in Jack Daniels...I mean that they filter the 140 proof alcohol through huge vats of charcoal before it is bottled. I would show you a pic of this process but since alcohol is highly flammable, they do not allow pics in this area of the tour.

Before the charcoal-filtering process, however, the mash is made from three key ingredients: barley, corn, and rye. They also add natural spring water from a spring located on the property.

Of course, like wine, the whiskey sits in oak barrels for a long period of time...the oak barrels are used only once, then sold for about $70 apiece. People make all sorts of things out of the barrels...many are used again to make things like wine and hot sauce.

Each barrel produces over 200 bottles of Jack Daniels whiskey...and for $9000-$12000 you can taste (with a master taster) and purchase your own barrel and the distillery will bottle it for you, put your name on a plaque on the wall of the distillery, and specially label your Jack for you. Small price to pay, huh? Here is Justin in front of the "single-barrel Jack"...errr...which he can only dream about...

After the tour, we hung out at the BBQ competition and met teams from all over the world: Britain, Canada, and Estonia, just to name a few...everyone was very very nice and very excited about staying up all night in the rain to cook BBQ. Friday night all the teams and volunteers were invited to the distillery for dinner, music, and drinks overlooking Lynchberg...the pic below is the view...I forget sometime just how beautiful TN can be...

We had to head home early Saturday morning so I could help host a baby shower...so we did not actually see the cooking but that was ok...

We spent the next week planning our Halloween costumes....Justin was a break-dancer and I was "Partly Coudy with a Chance of Rain." Yes, I made my costume...comfortable - yes, attractive - no. Two large Red Bull and Vodkas made this outfit suitable for wearing out to a party...and I spent the evening spraying people with a spray gun...I think I better start planning something better for next year!

Love to all!

Cousin K