Family Tradition?

Apparently my new predilection for the taste of Bourbon has roots going back a long way. Jan and I learned yesterday that my father and his brother, as young boys under the age of 10, had the after-school job of sitting in the basement of their North Greece Rd. home and watching the still my grandfather had built.
The boys had to fill bottles of whisky and somehow measure the alcohol content of each one to ensure its' quality. My father remembers two customers in particular, Mr. Howe, the Town of Greece Superintendent in the 1940's and Sheriff Al Skinner. Evidently my grandfather's whiskey was of high enough quality that even the "law" was willing to overlook a still operating in the basement!

Hank Williams Jr., Family Tradition

All of this means that it is normal and okay for me to exercise like a maniac, feel guilty for only running 10 miles in the morning and not biking, swimming or lifting weights too, and have a few sips of Bourbon around dinner time, after all, it's Family Tradition!









The Vault

"What's said on the canal path, stays on the canal path". It's written in the by-laws which was signed by all the original members of Sals.

Similar to Seinfeld, when something is put in the vault, it's supposed to stay in the vault. Unfortunately, if you have a Bourbon tasting party, things can pop out of the vault rather quickly.

There's a Seinfeld episode where Elaine says, “You can tell me. I’ll put it in the vault.”
Jerry “No good. Too many people know the combination.” He then makes a motion with his hand as if having a drink.
Elaine protests, but later — naturally — we find out Jerry was right. Elaine can’t keep a secret when she’s drinking. And Elaine enjoys a drink.

Simply substitute Jerry for MW and Elaine for Lou.
Lou - "You can tell me Mike, it's in the vault".
Mike - "No good, too many people know the combination"
Lou protests and Mike gives the secret idea he has. (I can't share it because that would be opening the vault).

Later that night within seconds of having his first taste of Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon, Lou opens the vault!

Kramer (MW): Look, I can't say anything. You know, the guy told me the stuff in
confidence, I'd be betraying a friend.

Jerry (Lou): Well you can't just mention it and then not tell me.

Kramer (MW): Alright. I'll tell you but you can't say anything to him.

Jerry (Lou): I'm not saying anything, I'm putting it in the vault, I'm locking the
vault, it's a vault!

Later, at the Bourbon Party:
Jerry (Lou): Yeah, but I can't say anything because Kramer wasn't supposed to tell
me.

Elaine (Joanne and others): Oh, you have to say something.

Jerry (Lou): I can't, I told Kramer (Mike) I was vaulting it.

Elaine (Joanne...): You gotta open the vault.

Jerry (Lou): Open my vault?

Elaine (Joanne...): Open your vault.

Jerry (Lou): Once I open the vault, it ceases to be a vault.

Elaine (Joanne...): You have no choice.

Jerry (Lou): Oy ga-vault.