Classic Booze Frig

I’ve wanted a refrigerator specifically for beer – and wine – but other than a brief time some years back after a renter bought their own and gave us back ours, I’ve never had the luxury of a dedicated frig for booze.

I’m a home brewer, when I have the time, and have seen refrigerators redesigned for kegs along with holding beer bottles etc, but had kinda given up on the thought of having a booze only refrigeration unit.  A close friend of mine had a wine cellar converted from part of his garage last year, but he passed away recently.  Yet, a wine cellar is not really the same thing.

Then today, I’m perusing my internet news feeds and low and behold, I see this article on converting old classic nostalgia oriented frigs to kegs.  It brought back all kinds of ideas but at the very least, I thought this would be cool to share on here.

Not new but different

Realizing there are many types of kegerators available on the market (check out Amazon), these particular conversions in the article I read, use old style frigs and then they can add custom paint jobs to add a little pizazz.  The company is called Classic Kegerators and if what you’re looking for is a cool souped up classic refrigerator made into a kegerator, then this is your place.

These vintage frigs can hold multiple kegs, which gives you the ability to drink different beers … and all on tap!  Classic Kegerators can also set them up to pump any kind of booze you want including wine and whiskey.

These kegerators are made from an original classic frig like this Philco.

Don’t be surprised when you see the cost.  They start at $2,000 and go up from there depending on what you want.  However, like any recrafted piece, the work that goes into making these beautiful renditions of what was an old refrigerator, could well be worth the investment.  I say investment because something like this becomes entertainment and a talking point.  It improves the looks of an area and surely will be something you can be proud of showing off.

Recycling!

Hey, and let’s face it, like our Decorative Wine Barrels, you’re taking an old worn out product and recycling it back into service.

I’m not sure when I can afford something like this but rest assured, when I can, I will have a classic kegerator.  Of course, I also will need a place for my bottled beer since these kegerators don’t leave you with enough room for anything else inside them.  Hmmm, looks like I’ll have to make room for another …

Source: Business Journal, Mini Kegerator at Amazon

Salootie Patootie,

Daryle W. Hier

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http://pasowinebarrels.com/

What Do NFL Quarterbacks And State Of Washington Have In Common?

The Evergreen state is attracting former National Football League quarterbacks for something entirely unrelated to their profession: wine.  Yes, gridiron signal callers are calling a life audible and becoming winemakers of sorts, moving from the football fields to fields of vines.

Former New England Patriot star quarterback Drew Bledsoe has a small but successful vineyard in Walla Walla, Washington.

Drew Bledsoe, Dan Marino and Damon Huard have found themselves in the southern reaches of the state of Washington, growing grapes and making wine.  Bledsoe has established a successful winery in Walla Walla called Doubleback, while Marino and Huard teamed up to start a winery called Passing Time (Vimeo video) – it will be based in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA near the Columbia River.

Why?

Why southern Washington and why wine?  The region is part of the larger Columbia Valley AVA that has over 40,000 acres of vineyards.  The area is well known for its winemaking with almost a cult following including wineries such as Alexandria Nicole and Columbia Crest.  Washington wine is ever-growing in popularity.

Damon Huard and Dan Marino first hooked up as teammates with the Miami Dolphins.

The connection to the area revolves around the fact that two of the quarterbacks are from the state of Washington: Bledsoe from Walla Walla and Huard from Puyallup.  Also, Huard’s father had a farm in Horse Heaven Hills.  Marino’s connection is that Damon was his backup on the Miami Dolphins for four seasons.  By the way, somewhat ironically, Huard would become Bledsoe’s backup with the New England Patriots.

As far as why these quarterbacks felt inclined to be in the wine business, with Bledsoe (New England Patriots) having grown up in Walla Walla – a city known for its farming including onions and grapes – it was a natural progression for Drew especially considering his longtime friend Chris Figgins was a excellent winemaker.  As for Marino, he had been a fan of wine from the time he could first drink and that passion brought Huard along when they were teammates.  That friendship between the quarterbacks, developed into finding a winery they could call their own.  Also, the Hall of Famer Marino is no longer working on television as a NFL analyst and will have more time on his hands for new ventures like Passing Time.

Dan Marino and Damon Huard as vintners.

Boutique

Bledsoe has created a small but successful winery with Doubleback, while Marino and Huard just bottled their first vintage, a Cabernet Sauvignon, which will be made available in 2015.  Both of these wines are being marketed as higher end quality boutique wines with prices in the $75 to $100 range per bottle.

Making money is not likely the goal here, at least not right now, but both of these businesses are set up to reach big heights.  In the mean time, these former football stars will continue to market and improve their Washington wine on the Columbia River Plateau – a long ways from the glitz and glamor of playing as a quarterback in the NFL.

Cheers,

Daryle W. Hier

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http://pasowinebarrels.com/