1911 Spirits (the distillery of Beak and Skiff apple farm). The breezy summer evening showed that tradition is an important marker of cultural identity but also a building block to create something newly dynamic – while feeling grounded in familiar territory. This balance of the established and the new was demonstrated in a perfect marriage of the location of 1911 Spirits and the Americana band, Hackensaw Boys.
1911 and its tasting room are the newest venture of the Beak and Skiff farm. A multi-generational, family run business that was established in 1911 (thus, the name), has primarily operated as an “agru-tainment” provider during the autumn season. With the additions of the tasting room and its distillery, now crafting vodka, gin and a variety of hard ciders in small artisanal batches from apples grown on the farm, the accessibility to the public has now become a year round event.
It is impressive to see the pride taken with the spirits they are producing and knowing that it is done with the same pride and care this family has been running their business with for over 100 years. Building on a strong tradition isn’t just about the products they create; it’s also about how they are using the farm itself to connect the public in other areas of cultural enjoyment. For the first time this summer they held a series of open air concerts and it was there where I was fortunate enough to enjoy the energetic performance of the Hackensaw Boys.
On Saturday, July 19th, the last of the summer concert series was held at the tasting room of Tradition Reinvented
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The old and new greeted each other at the edge of an apple field in LaFayette this summer.