Changes

The Pub
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It’s been a little over a month now since I started a new job. I can tell my life has changed by the way I read/post on this forum. Don’t know if anyone noticed, but I haven’t been posting hardly at all for the last 5 weeks or so. And it seems like I’m not having the time to read every post like I used to. I don’t think it’s just me though, this forum has grown & become much more active. That’s a very, very good thing… but I’m not having the constant computer access or time to keep up like I used to.

I am now selling liquor. What a change! Opening up more to the spiritual side of life ;D

I’ve started working for Liquor Group Florida, a small niche distributor out of Jacksonville. We don’t sell the big name brands at all, no Crown, Jack, Smirnoff, etc. It’s all products that I hadn’t heard of before - and neither have the liquor store owners, bars & restaurants that I’m targeting. We sell more unusual & unique products, things new to the market, smaller distilleries, some of the new American micro-distilleries. Couple that with the fact that I have a large territory that has been previously very, very underworked and so it’s been a challenge. Also, August has been very slow. Summers always are, but coupled with the current economy, the stores all seem to be reordering just what they’ve sold, nothing new. Still, I’ve been selling enough to get by.

But Sept is here, along with football season and all the drinking & partying that brings. Especially here in Gainesville & North Central Florida. The Gator Nation does seem to like its alcohol. I’m on commission only (plus a little for gas/car/phone) &  currently not making enough money, but I’ve got hopes that things will start picking up soon. I’m certainly enjoying work a lot more than previously & that’s worth a lot. Willing to give it a few more months & see if it’s going to work long term.

We’ve got some great products - an amazing range of tequilas, a couple of good rums, several good vodkas, gins, wines, liqueurs, whisky, etc. Side benefit is I’m drinking some new and interesting things - gotta build my product knowledge, right?  :D

For example, this afternoon we had a simple but awesome lunch. Sardines on pumpernickel rolls, some perfectly ripe honeydew melon, and a couple of dirty martinis made made with Crater Lake Desert Juniper Gin from a small micro-distillery in Oregon. They pick the juniper berries wild in the high desert, distill in pot stills. Very soft, flavorful gin. I just barely coated the inside of chilled martini glasses with a dry vermouth, and used habanero olives & a bit of the brine. Yummy!

Starting next month we’ll be representing 3 or 4 of the best independent bottlers of single malt whisky… Signatory, Murray McDavid, etc. I can’t wait! Single malts are a passion for me and it’s going to be a blast.

Anyway, this has been a long, non-brewing related post but I feel really close to y’all and wanted to let you know why I haven’t been posting much of late. This forum is truly wonderful. When TechTalk shut down, I was skeptical about the forum but it didn’t take long for me to love it. Y’all are great and I’ll try to keep up, but probably won’t be posting much till I get more on top of this new situation.

if you’re still reading, thanks!

Mark

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Good luck on your new venture.

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Good to see you posting again tumarkin. Can’t blame you for letting the new job interfere with your brewing and talking about brewing. ;D

I just bought a 1.75 litre of “Dripping Springs” vodka. That’s very local and an awesome vodka. Picked it up for $29 which is quite a reasonable price. “Winner of the Gold (Best in Class) and the prestigious IWSC Purity Vodka Trophy
at the 2008 International Wine and Spirit Competition”.

Have you ever tried it?

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Sounds pretty interesting, Mark.  Thanks for the update.  You mentioned a large territory in your post, will you be in my neck of the woods?  Do you go into the big chain stores or just mom and pop stores?

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Congrats on the new job Mark!  :)

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+1.  I suggest Low Gap a whiskey distilled on an antique cognac still…man that is smooth.  :slight_smile:

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Sounds great, I really like that gin. :slight_smile:

Mark, if your territory includes Dunedin, go to the Pinehurst Pub and if Bart and Christie still own the place tell them I said to buy stuff from you.  I don’t know if they carry liquor or not, but it’s wroth a shot.  We all used to work together at a bar in Indiana, then they bought the bar in Dunedin and moved. I haven’t seen them in 7 years or so - tell them I said hi :slight_smile:

Good luck with the new job!

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thanks, all, for the good wishes.

Euge,
no, I haven’t had the opportunity to try the Dripping Springs vodka. Sound good. So many liquors, so little time.  :D

Jeff, Tom,
No, my territory doesn’t get down to either Tampa or Dunedin. It is pretty large though, all of area code 352 plus a little bit. That’s about a dozen counties. I get as far down towards Tampa as Spring Hill & Hernando Beach on the west, and to Clermont (towards Ocala) on the east. And then up to Lake City on the north, actually past Lake City to the GA border (though there’s just a few places north of Lake CIty).

I really can’t wait to get the list of single malts we’ll be representing. That’s my passion in the liquor world, for sure.

Mark

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I love a good single malt scotch. Let us know what’s on the list.

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I noticed your absence, Mark, and I’m glad there’s a good reason!  Hope you enjoy the new job and that it turns out to be everything you hoped it would!

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just read the thread.  first of all, hang in there with the new job (and current money situation) sounds like it’s a worthy endeavor and I hope it works out for you.

second of all,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl3vxEudif8

(sorry)  :slight_smile:

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don’t be sorry, just part of the ever ‘changing’ soundtrack to our lives!

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don’t be sorry, just part of the ever ‘changing’ soundtrack to our lives.
and, don’t ya know… what a long strange trip it’s been! don’t know about you, but there’ve been a lot of changes in my life. keeps things interesting. at least I’ve never been bored.

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likewise my friend…i agree

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Vodka is the Coke of Liquor.  The lowest quality, least interesting, least flavorful, most mass-sold, mass-consumed garbage out there.  Good vodka is not cheap vodka, but it’s still vodka.

Gin isn’t my thing but I could.  It has a sharp, spicy flavor that I haven’t gotten into but find appealing.  Rum is decent.  Whiskey is … ungodly, especially in variety–I like spicy Irish style whiskeys and have an eye on some Scotch Islay styles.

But Vodka?  The base stuff they use to make blue, fruity, whatever flavored liquors, because it’s “neutral” and altogether uninteresting?

In any case, have you tried inviting your potential clientel out to lunches, with samples of the product?  Negotiations are best held with the other party half-drunk.

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watchdrama8jm.gif

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This needs to be a standard smiley.

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Actually I think rum is the coke of spirits. ::slight_smile:

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No rum goes in coke :smiley:

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Not my rum! While any spirit can be diluted with mixers of various types (and if that’s your preference, more power to you), I prefer my to drink my spirits (including rum) straight and undiluted. Of course, that presupposes quality spirits. If you think rum needs to be consumed with coke, I’d suggest you try some of the aged rums such as Zaya (probably my favorite rum).

As with my beer, I like my spirits with flavor. Probably why single malt is my drink of choice. I understand that cocktails can provide a different range of flavors, some very enjoyable, but my personal preference is almost always for straight, aged spirits sipped slowly & appreciatively.

Even when drinking cocktails or mixed drinks, my preference is for one that presents (and tries to compliment) the essential flavor & nature of the spirit - rather than covering it up with overwhelming sweet flavors. As such, when mixing a rum drink, I’d much prefer a dark rum with club soda & lime as opposed to rum and coke. Each to his own, but I’ve found that those who prefer mixed drinks generally don’t really like the essential flavor of the spirit they’re drinking. I do, and therefore a cask strength Islay whisky with a drop or two of water is the perfect mixed drink, IMHO.