February 28, 2018 - Memphis

Tuesday we rode down to Millington, TN where we slowed down for a day.  The Tour of the National Quilt Museum from the day before just wore us out.  We drove by a several places where the water is quite high and several fields along the way that are flat, looked like lakes.

Flood water all the way back to the furthest wood line.

 Because of the moist ground, the telephone poles grow taller here.

 Arriving in Memphis today we decided to visit the National Civil Rights Museum.  Although we had visited before we wanted to see the changes, and there were quite a few.  The outside of the Lorraine portion of the hotel has remained the same.

 

  Part of the remains of the Freedom Riders Bus.  Freedom Riders

 James Earl Ray was finally captured 2 months later.  He pleaded guilty to avoid the death sentence.

 Walking in Memphis  (on Beale Street.)  Walking in Memphis song

 Grammie, outside the Fedex Forum.

 We already had a really convenient parking spot, but no tickets for tonight's game.  

The Memphis Grzziles vs the Phoenix Suns

We visited the Rock and Soul Museum, right next to the Forum. It has a wonderful collection of memorabilia from the early Soul music era.  You get a set of headphones and a control device where you can put in a number and listen to information,  or a song from the artist.  It's entertaining watching people move to the music. About the only place you will find these Jukeboxes are either in Museums or in a private collection.

 There was a high energy middle school group that had arrived in Memphis for a 2 day tour of the city.

Sam the Sham's motorcycle.

 Tom was trying to let Grammie know where he wanted to have an evening meal.  When we got there, we discovered that the school group was ahead of us in a long line.  BB Kings it was.

You know who you are.  Grammie looks sad.

Beale street is blocked off to vehicle transportation. This street became busy about an hour later around dinnertime.

These guys got around.  On a different trip, we saw them sitting on a bench on Rock Island.

Thanks for keeping a lookout for Grammie.

February 26, 2018 - Paducah

Today we left Ft Campbell and headed for Paducah, KY.  We decided to take a little tour along the way and headed more west first to see the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.  It is located west of Ft Campbell and is between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake.  It is a popular spot for tourists in the summer season however it was quiet today. 

 One of the popular attractions is the Elk and Bison Prairie.  The area is fenced in, covering about 700 acres.

 A closeup of one of the Bison.  

 Daffodils already popping up through the snow.

 Grammie finally got to the National Quilt Museum.  They don't allow pictures in the Museum.

 The Ohio is quickly approaching Flood stage and expected to peak on Wednesday.  The floodgates have already been installed and will protect the city up to 49 feet.  Whether the city will flood is iffy right now. We will be gone early on Tuesday heading towards Memphis, however more rain is expected. 

 Grammie had a good day.  So didn't Tom.  With all the new fabric, Tom has some golf credits built up.
Tomorrow, we are headed towards Memphis.

February 24th, 2018 - Jim Beam Distillery to Ft Campbell

In the morning we left Winchester and headed to Ft Campbell by way of Clermont, KY, home of the Jim Beam Distillery.  After looking online and finding out that we needed to reserve a tour 2 days early, we took a chance to see if we could get a walk on tour..  We arrived about 10:22 and got on the 10:30 tour of the plant.  First the rules for Bourbon.  The Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits (27 C.F.R. 5) state that bourbon made for U.S. consumption must be: Produced in the United States. Made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn. Aged in new, charred oak containers. Distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% alcohol by volume) 

 With that out of the way, we continued the tour.  The mixture basically is taking the mash mixture and distilling it up to certain percentage standards to meet the US requirements above.   

 Below, Danny explained the process of getting the resulting product into further production.  Before it is put into barrels, it is clear and gets its color from the wood charred barrel.

 They have 15 vats on site each holding 25000 gallons.

 In this building, a "small batch" was created.  Now, small batches are still made although now, the building houses the control center for the whole process.

 The aging process is important to a fine product.

 
After each barrel has spent anywhere from 2 to 15 years, or even more in barrels, the bourbon is emptied from the barrel into a container to measure how much is produced. Some of the alcohol has evaporated over the years and in some cases a 35 gallon barrel may produce as little as 10 gallons (rare).

 

 Because the barrel is charred before the bourbon is put in, there is frequently charcoal in the barrel.

 A sample was poured...to smell only while he held the glass.

In the bottling room we had a unique opportunity.

 Choose our empty bottle, mark it with a colored sticky dot, rinse it with bourbon to clean it...

 put your bottle on the line, watch the bottles being filled, capped, and labeled, ready for pick up back at the gift shop.

 At one time, they used to bottle the bourbon in special containers to increase sales.  Although no longer done, some of the containers have become collectables, demanding a good price.

  The Rainbow Trout container...

 and the PGA container.

 Although Jim Beam sells different bourbons, they all start from the same recipe, and leave the final results up to the temperature and amount of years that it is stored.  In this chart as an example, the bourbon sold under the Knob Creek label is taken from the locations in the lighter X shaped area.

 The 13 million and 14 million barrels produced. (April 2014 and May 2016)

 We finished the tour in the tasting room.  After viewing the different varieties sold, we were given a card with a chip in it that allowed us to taste up to 1.5 ounces in 3 different pours...and a shot glass.

 Yes, Grammie went back to school and received her Mixology Degree...or was it just a bartender?

 Alice and Jim Beam, the 4th in a line of 7 Master Distillers.

Over the years, production has resulted in 80 buildings for storage in the process.  They are not in the same location as a fire in a building would only take about 7 or 8 minutes to destroy the building.

Thanks for following Grammie.