Well, that was different

One of our excursions last weekend was up to Orange to meet a shelter dog. On the way, however, we took advantage of being without a dog in the vehicle and made a little side trip to Belmont Farm Distillery. It's not a brewery, they are making whiskey, of sorts.

I guess it's in Orange County, and it's located on a farm, where they grow the corn that they use. One gets the impression that the family has been involved in the business for a few generations, sometimes more legally than others. Basically it's a moonshine operation. They distill the liquor and then flavor it with oak and/or apple wood for a few months. Then it spends some time in oak barrels to age.

It was a fun visit and tour by the owner/distiller, who introduced himself to everyone personally. The tour is a walk around the shed that houses the equipment, most of it fairly old, but some of it quite modern.

They sell a whitedog (moonshine), their Virginia whiskey, and a vodka. They also sell jars of cherries marinated in the whiskey and one flavored with apples and cinnamon that they call Apple Pie. We sampled, because they now have a legal tasting room since a change in laws effective last October. I think it's safe to say that the Kentucky bourbon industry needn't fear the competition. The whiskey had a slight color to it, but still tasted pretty much like moonshine. I bought a bottle of the vodka, thinking that it couldn't be too bad, but I haven't tried it yet so I'm not sure.

They've made a pretty nice visitor's center, gift shop, tasting room, and the tour was fun.  Well worth the stop, but Kentucky bourbon has nothing to worry about.

One of the resident dogs, a senior.
She looks like a shepherd until she stands
up; she's got short little Corgi legs.

The barrel house (shed)