7/3/2011 - passion for liquor. . .

With Grr at home on quarantine, Sam and I have suddenly found ourselves with more time on our hands than we know what to do with.  Where we used to come home from work and then head straight to the doggy trails after a quick costume change, Friday afternoon, I played God of War for an hour before heating up some leftover pizza for dinner.  Where our weekend mornings were once occupied by beachside walks, I spent yesterday singing and writing and he on the couch, watching Rifleman reruns.

Not that I want Grr to stay sick, of course, but I will regretfully admit that I have enjoyed this unexpected bout of leisure we've found.

So, without the need to take Grr out (doctor's orders, after all), what better way would we have to spend a beautiful summer day than to drive out to Alameda and hole ourselves up in a hangar while drinking vodka at the source of its creation?

Though I don't drink and find the taste of vodka to be exactly what I would expect (the juice of fermented potatoes), the distillation process, at least at St. George's Spirits, was fascinating and full of love.  They personified the oft-used phrase, 'hand crafted,' and exuded an infectious passion for liquor.  After a comprehensive tasting that allowed Sam to tour through the various flavors of the distillery (including a chipotle vodka that smelled like a garden patch but apparently felt like acid going down), we took a physical tour of the plant, walking by the various machines used to ferment the ingredients, distill the alcohol, infuse the flavors.

Though the experience did not make a drinker out of me, I did leave the building with a greater appreciation for the spirit.  And Sam walked out with two bottles of vodka and whiskey, one of which he promptly opened in the parking lot and did a quick taste test for quality.

Not the worst Saturday afternoon for either of us.