Logging & Heritage & LaCrosse Distilling (Hour 3)

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Coming to Northeast Wisconsin live from the Civic Media Studios, this is Mino and the Mayor.

And here are your hosts John Mino

and Jim Schmidt.

Hey, thank you very much.

Welcome back our number three Mino the Mayor Jim going off to teach his class at NWTC.

Take a look at some of the text we got here.

This is from Vinnie says, Mino sweats just eating popcorn.

I was talking earlier.

I had a situation a couple weeks ago.

I went to a ribs fest and I had three platters of ribs.

Oh my.

And

it was super hot.

And

it was just.

Sweat like you can't

believe I don't

I don't think I was a pretty sight Michael says John they're good for you beats aren't good for you, but moderation is the word for the day moderation is my nose worth worth the day and Snarky Brian says we're tackled family traditions on the fourth Jason Pierre Paul's family tradition the fourth was visiting the ER to find his fingers That's wrong with you Brian

That

was the I mean, how do you pull your hand off and you're the and you're like

starting defense

event for the New York Giants?

Yeah, but you when you saw that might.

Oh, yeah, you laughed really hard.

So hard.

Yeah.

I laughed so hard.

Oh, yes, indeed.

That was a story.

That was a story.

So

Sean, how you doing, buddy?

Doing really

good.

I was good to

have you here.

Boy, you I'll tell you what.

You have a lot of events.

I give you credit.

I mean, you wouldn't think of Marinette being the hub of all these different festivals and great events.

But you are.

You guys have turned that into a destination in the summer with all of your different events you got going on.

Tell me about your latest.

Our latest, which we've

done for 13 years.

Kind of started out hyper localized logging in Heritage Festival,

and that is the heritage of exactly.

Yeah, so so basically speaking back 13 years ago what the idea was is that Menominee was doing

just a fantastic job of Fourth of July.

So we wanted to kind of etch something a little bit different and do something.

Your own identity, so to speak.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So we went with the logging and heritage festival and basically what we started doing and what we've continued to do is we focus on our logging heritage.

So we have logging exhibitions, we've got people doing sawing and log rolling, things like that.

And then

but we've continually every year added a little bit more.

So we've got BMX stunt bikes in the parking lot.

And these guys, I mean- They're amazing.

They're probably 30 feet in the air.

They're amazing.

Letting their bike go.

I know.

And catching it.

You know, I mean, if you've ever watched the X Games, that's what these people are.

And then, you know, we've got live music.

And the one thing that the committee, when they started, my understanding is, because now I've been a part of it for four years, but prior to that, this was their focus, is that this was going to be a festival that wasn't going to

be expensive, that we were going to keep it as

inexpensive as possible.

So all the kids stuff is free.

Awesome.

Um, so, you know, like we've got, we've got a ton of jumpers.

Um, you know, the big jumper slide, all that stuff.

Um, we've also got, uh, the bungee jumpers where the kids can jump up and down and do flips.

We've got a rock wall that's client that, that climbs.

Did you try it

out?

Um, yeah.

No, you got me too.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Me and you.

Whoever gets to five feet first wins.

Yeah, I don't think that would be a pretty sight.

I don't think so either.

You want to talk about flooding.

Yeah.

And then from there, we went.

So we've got that.

We've got food trucks.

But all the kid stuff, face painting, balloons, sawdust, dig, all of those fun things are absolutely free for your kids.

I give you guys credit, man.

You want to make sure you get hit every level.

Exactly.

And then, like I said, live music.

We've got Neon Detour is going to be playing.

And then Oz, the group, or Oz...

I can't remember the name of it, but they're an iron mountain cover band.

Oh rock and roll band the Oz the band Okay, Oz the band and and so they'll be ending the night and then we have a fireworks display

fantastic

Yeah, and

when it's all taking place here.

It's July 12th and 13th So we always go a week after right the fourth so it'll be what in a week and a half

There's not

a

lot going on the week after the fourth.

You guys got a good spot there

That's why we chose that was because we really and once again we wanted

to be respectful to other areas doing their thing and saying, OK, well, we don't want to take away from your stuff.

So yeah, it just works out well that it's that week after.

Now, when you guys put together these events, John, and it's all winter type, I mean, people don't realize you're starting probably next year now.

And there

is

so much more pressure and pressure.

obstacles in putting these things together behind the scenes, that people would have any idea.

Isn't

there?

Absolutely.

And then on top of it, you know, I mean, I've been in this position for four years, so I'm learning the nuance and the rhythms.

But, you know, early on, I had no idea.

So, you know, I'm kind of just cutting my teeth, kind of going through this stuff.

Luckily, we've had some great leadership that has continued to

helping to do those things.

But yeah, early on, you know, and that's the whole thing is that these guys, they're talking.

Like you said, I mean, we'll be taught, we'll be, we'll have a meeting.

Our first meeting is always like in November for the following July.

Exactly.

Right.

Exactly.

You know, just to kind of like say, okay, well, where are we?

I mean,

there's, people don't realize how much pressure there's involved in putting these things together.

Oh, there, and that's the other part.

I mean, you know, you have, you have a mayor and a city council who, you just always want to do right by them.

I mean, you know, I mean, nobody says I want to do a bad job.

You know, so, so yeah, you want to put these things together.

You want to put them together in a.

way that really plays towards the customer, to the, to the, it appeals to the people coming to the

event.

People don't want, it's, I hate to say it, but back in my day, it was almost, everything was more of a beer fest.

Yeah.

You know, all the church picnics, people just go there and drink, just drink and drink and drink.

Right.

It's not that way anymore.

It totally isn't that way.

And you know, I think to some degree that's a great

great part of it is that, yeah, there's a little bit more responsibility involved and you want to say, hey, we want to have fun.

We do have, you know, we do have beer tents and we do have things like that.

But exactly.

I mean, Menominee for years used to have a waterfront festival that was out of this world.

It was phenomenal.

But because the beer tent was kind of like you said, the place to go.

And I mean, if you've ever been downtown Menominee on First Street, it's not appealing when you go to a beautiful

in the front, you know what I mean?

And that's what these business owners- That's what it became, and that's what

some of those places became.

Exactly.

I know, I mean I-

I mean, you hate to say it, but even church picnics and all things there were issues at times.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Fireman's picket years ago.

Remember that one incident and like, what was it?

Greenfield?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean, you know, it was but that was almost the theme.

It's like, let's go there to get drunk.

Yeah.

Type of atmosphere.

Exactly.

It

wasn't family friendly.

No.

And now

everything is.

So

I'm glad that's changed.

Yeah.

And that's kind of what I know our committee's focus is on is making that

change.

So now, you know, we have all those things we've added.

One of those, I think they're called henna or henna.

It's doing the little dots on your hand and stuff.

It's more like a native tribal look to it.

Okay.

Almost looks like a tattoo, but it's not.

Todd, I don't know.

Have you ever heard of them?

It's like henna or

henna?

Yeah.

Yeah.

It's painting on the

hands and stuff like that.

Yeah.

And so we've added that this year.

So we always try to find something that might be a little bit different than what the normal event.

And I will say this, though, too, in regards to those things.

And I've had a lot of bar owners joke around, but I went on a bar and everything.

And people are like,

you have no idea the things that come or the responsibility aspect of the knuckleheads how they can ruin an event.

And you know what I mean?

You know the type.

I'm sure you've had them just like everybody else has, right?

And you want to just kind of laugh.

I mean, you know, I literally one time had a guy at a glam band concert in Marinette.

OK.

And so for some reason, and they had asked somebody to stand in the back to

keep people off the speakers

and everything.

Hey man, can you not sit on their speakers?

They're expensive, right?

Exactly.

He looks at me and he gets off it and he's just giving me this eye and takes off his shirt.

And I'm like, okay, what does that

mean?

Is he throwing

down by taking his shirt off?

Mino, would you throw down with Sean?

I don't

think I'd go against

that, would you?

I would

run.

I

just was like, OK.

And I said, listen, you know, I just want you to understand that I work for the city and we got police all around here.

I ain't doing anything.

But all I have to do is make one

phone call.

Yeah.

But why is that you always because even Dennis has told me we could talk with this with Dennis when he comes on this week.

He's told me that he's had to kick guys in the face because guys were reaching up at some of the people and he's had to kick

them in the face.

I don't know.

I mean, it's a shame that there's some people that they take that fun to another level and they then feel like they've been challenged.

And you're like, listen, I'm not trying to challenge you.

Have a great time.

I want you to have fun.

I just want everything to be safe.

Because like you said, the responsibility behind it, it's never the person.

It's just like in sports, right?

It's not the guy who took through the first punch.

It's the second guy.

It's the second guy.

It's the guy who catches it.

And that's what they don't understand is that, no, we don't think you're going to get hurt.

We're worried about this personal.

over here, who's going to get hurt?

Where

do you get your security from?

The Marinette Police Department.

Oh, they handle everything?

Yeah, they handle everything.

So they'll just, we'll just have them parading around the area and making sure that they just kind of keep an eye on stuff.

Well, that's

cool.

Yeah.

That's a good way to

do

it then.

Because, you know, sometimes some of these private security things you can get some hotheads, too.

And that's what I was saying.

Because I've seen that.

Yes, absolutely.

And that's why I will say that both our captain and our chief of police, these guys are really good guys.

I mean, neither one I'd want to hustle with, but especially the chief, he's like, his son is a power lifter.

I mean, his son's like 16.

But, you know, but yeah, and they

firmly talk with their officers.

I don't mean firmly, but I mean, they just give great direction.

They give great direction.

That's awesome.

Yeah,

that's

very cool.

Yeah,

well

good.

Okay, we're gonna keep you hanging around.

Is that okay?

Yeah, I

like more about that.

Actually, we'll keep you around when Dana's here if you want.

She's a Northeast brand ambassador for the cross distilling stubborn brothers brewery.

They turn out some amazing product that they have right next door here at the market.

Oh, she's great.

She's great.

Fun friend of ours.

Great friend of the program.

So we're really happy to have her in.

So we'll be doing that.

We'll talk some more about all your great things going on and marinate with

the

heritage fast and everything.

And we're gonna send it to a quick

break.

Oh, you got two minutes.

Oh, I

I was giving you to read

that I was I thought you're dark back there is hard to see you

today Todd you're dark No, you're in a dark place aren't you?

So I

have to ask it.

Did you replace it thinking that me and my granddaughters may have broken?

No,

no, no, what

did you break?

Well, we want to take a picture on the

log on the horses

Did he break something?

Well,

they're plastic and it kind of came off the mount when I we climbed up You know because once again, we got to climb up Well, she wanted a picture and grandpa was gonna show

that he's still

athletic climbing up with her that he could handle that You should put a sign up there or something

Sean.

Yeah ironically Sean went on another radio show and said let me tell you about this guy

So I just, I just didn't, I'm just trying to help.

Stay off the animals.

Stay off the animals.

Stay off the

animals.

All right, quick break back after this.

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about to go teach his class, but you know what, we're capably filled with the energy and always entertaining Sean Katzbeck, director of tourism, city of Marinette, logging and heritage festival coming up.

Yeah, we're going to have a great festival.

On Saturday, we also have a 5k run walk.

Oh.

and we have people dressed up as loggers, which is cool.

Yeah, we give away prizes for the best dress.

Hey, I gotta tell you, you want to talk about it.

You know, I come from an area where it was underground iron ore mining.

Yeah, yeah.

Just

tough job and everything.

Absolutely.

But then in the other areas around the UP in northeast Wisconsin, those loggers, I was talking to somebody who, when he was a kid, like worked in the logging camps in the summer.

He'd wash their clothes and do it.

He said you want to talk about a tough breed of individuals?

I've got a friend who is He's got to be at least second, but maybe third generation.

Okay.

Okay

I've never saw a guy work this hard in my entire life.

I would never in my life work that hard, John.

I just, I can't even imagine it.

And he does it seven days a week.

He actually won a bid for the city that was like 50 trees that he had to cut down because they had that, they had the ash.

Yeah,

ash borer.

So on one street, he had to cut them down and he had three days.

Wow.

And he's like, yeah, I can do it.

Yeah.

I'm like, dude, are you crazy?

It's just in the genes or something after a while.

But what a tough

life that was for those guys.

Oh, my goodness.

And you think about back when, at least, now there's, the technology really hasn't changed, changed, because it's chainsaws.

And it's always been chainsaws.

But back in the day, you know, it was, it, it, it, it, you were.

Okay,

so there's a weird thing happening.

You know, I old royal is that island off the UP between Canada and the UP so to speak and

They had a terrible thing happen there last month.

Todd, have you been following that with the, they think it was a murder suicide?

A little bit.

Yep.

Yeah.

The guy, two of the park rangers had to hike 11 miles overnight to get to this campsite.

That's how remote it was.

Wow.

And they found what they're, and the FBI is involved.

It's been unbelievably quiet where they won't come out with any information, but they believe it was a father son, a murder suicide.

Oh wow.

Okay.

But, and it's like, oh my God, at this most, you know, gorgeous place and, you know.

But then, the Detroit Free Press, I think it was, did a story on the history of that island.

Yeah.

And it talked about when they still find graves, okay, from like these loggers who were worked there, and they would just die.

And they just bury them and put up like a little wooden thing

or maybe a stone

and they would move on because there was no way to get them off the island in time for any medical help.

So

they were, they'd pop up, they still find these graves on the island because these loggers that probably came from Sweden or

Finland or someplace

like that.

And then they would just die and that's it.

That

was their

life.

So what

you guys are celebrating is a really cool aspect of Northeast Wisconsin.

Well, it really is because another part of it that I think people tend to forget just because of how technology has moved so fast is

100 years ago, 150 years ago, which isn't crazy long ago, that was the staple of how we built buildings, how we did things.

We really were not a steal until the 1900s is when that started to move over, but in the 1800s.

And so when you think of our area, think of how strategically placed, Marinette,

Green Bay, all that, you can ride down the bay, you can then go out to Lake Michigan, you can go down to Chicago, and from Chicago, you can go to anywhere in the world.

And down in Oshkosh, of course, all the wood down there, the doors that were created and all that, I mean, right off the Fox down Lake Winnebago.

Your mom worked for one of the

places.

She worked for Buckstaff for a long time.

I

didn't realize Oshkosh had been like...

It's kind of funny because like some of the white pine was taken from the UP Yep, and then floated down and everything and a whole bunch more from your area up there Then we go to Oshkosh then it would get milled and then it's so every place it seems like that's how they grew

But it's kind of ironic though.

It's like, okay.

So you got Oshkosh with all that.

And then it's also a beer capital of like North.

But you

know what

I mean?

It's German.

It's like German that came over to work

with the woods and do those things.

But it's so funny.

You wonder sometimes, you know, I love history.

Just love history.

Fascinated by how towns became who they are.

And it's funny how one thing got it started and that branched out to.

this and this and that and I love it when they and I like what you guys are doing in Manitowoc County their their areas do this too they really honor what made them

yeah and that's and that's the idea behind it is to remember that because

John, I don't know, you know, like, once again, a lot of people don't know this.

At that point in history, Marinette was the largest, the third largest city in the state.

Wow, I did not know that.

It was its population.

It was the third largest in the state.

Menominee, which obviously we're at across, you know, so let's just say the Marinette region, but number one exporter of wood in the world.

was coming out of Menominee, Michigan.

But I believe it.

So, I mean, it's a great, great heritage we have here.

Yeah.

And it's

fun that you guys still...

Yeah,

so July 12th and 13th, we're going to be doing this.

It opens at noon.

The actual fairgrounds open at noon.

Food trucks free for kids as far as all of the activities for jumpers and all that stuff.

And then live music, fireworks, BMX acrobats.

It's a great, great way to spend a day.

and inexpensively and just enjoy it.

Do people

buy tickets at the door, at the

gate?

No, it's free to come in.

Everything is free.

Everything is free.

I mean, other than the food and everything, but there's no entrance fee whatsoever.

No entrance fee whatsoever.

No parking fees?

No parking fees, no nada.

It is a great, great way to spend a Saturday.

You know, it's 45 minutes away from here, so come on down.

Are the Navy

guys gonna be walking around?

Yeah,

yep, they sure

will.

Now Mino won't go.

No, cuz they'll make him look bad, right?

Okay, you want to see women swoon?

Like legitimately swoon?

When the guys that do the flyover at the Packer games come walk you by in their flight suits, you're an old Air Force guy.

What is it about that?

Women swoon.

Grown women.

Chickstig aviators,

man.

Get

that on a t-shirt.

There you

go.

Flyin'

on

you're the greatest.

We gotta set it up right.

Back after this.

From

local stories to local voices, we're shining a spotlight on what matters right here in northeast Wisconsin.

It's more than just talk.

It's about connecting with the community.

This is Mino and the Mayor.

Now, here's John Mino and Jim Schmidt.

Hey, thank you very much.

Welcome back.

Uh, David, you can put your headphones on.

Oh, special thanks to Sean Katzbeck, director of tourism, city of Marinette.

Go ahead, Todd.

Oh, I think you're safe.

Um, we've got a very special guest right now.

Dana, I can never pronounce your name.

So go ahead and pronounce it for me.

Well, the Polish version would be Pavel check.

But most people know me as Pavel check.

Pavel check.

Yes.

All right.

Very

cool.

Northeast brand ambassador for lacrosse, distributing stubborn brothers brewery.

We'll all get to that.

But we, Todd, Todd, listen to me.

Hang on here.

I'm trying to chat with what are you trying to do?

I just tell you, I like.

covered her when she was with the all America or not all American.

Oh, yeah, you can say the state

championship.

Ashwabana and Jaguar softball team.

Wow.

I know.

I

used

to cover her

games.

Yeah.

And

that's how you guys kind of matter.

What?

Well, not really.

I think that was

exactly.

But we kind of realized through.

But I'm not

interested.

I'm noticing she was like 16.

Yeah.

And now her

son is here who's 16.

Gonna be yeah a couple weeks

small world how it turns.

Yeah,

or you get

back to Shana

Well, you knew my grandfather's story well, he said my

book

and I have that book

tell the story about that.

Um, so my grandfather was a prisoner of war and

World War II and I have this book and actually John signed the cover and everything and it was kind of really kind of cool and amazing and he's got an amazing story and you know that.

Amazing story.

I grew up as a child with him coming to schools and discussing and everything and telling his story which is just.

Tell his name.

Sylvester Karch.

Sy.

He was the coolest cat.

He

was awesome.

I remember every

time I go into

the room I told you this story I couldn't leave until I had a banana

split.

or I'm like molten milk.

Or molten

milk every single time.

Or in old fashioned, depending on the time.

But what a great, just one of those old school good northeast Wisconsin guys.

Yep, yep.

It was great.

And then my grandmother was Ellie.

Yes.

They were just a cool little pair.

They came from Chicago.

And so anyway, long story short, you wrote this, you know, cool book and my grandfather's.

That was in front lines,

my first one.

Yeah.

One of the last times I was with him was, I'll never forget this, the Memorial Day celebration at Pulaski High School.

Sure.

I both spoke and he was honored.

And I remember such a hot day.

Pulaski, I was wearing those big thick uniforms.

It seems like they're bad.

And like a couple of kids dropped and everything like that, but they still invited me over to the house afterwards for

a little

beverage.

And I think I still got the, from the Pulaski times or something, the article about picture of me, him and your grandma

together.

It's so cool.

It's so cool.

And then both my parents, you know, went to Pulaski high school back in the day.

And so, um, yeah, just a small world.

Yeah.

And then they became your heated rival in softball.

Oh, I know.

Well, not, you know, not too much, but we always, we always.

Just kidding, Pulaski, we love you.

Well, Dana, tell everybody what you do.

Yeah, so I currently, I work for two companies, actually, kind of a cool little thing, how they put the two companies together for me to represent.

So I work, I do brand ambassador work for La Crosse.

Can I just say one thing?

Yeah.

Are you like, what is that?

No, no, because my daughter does that.

Oh.

Daughter has a great, both daughters, I believe.

And I always say marketing.

How's that marketing work?

I don't know.

We're under marketing.

I'm like, yeah, I think it's branding, dad.

There's

a big

difference.

It's like- Yes, building

a

brand.

I don't know what the difference is, but so when

you say that- It's kind of in the same pool, right?

It's kind of in the same pool.

So basically, so for Summer Brothers Brewery, and it's great because they're right in Chano, and then La Crosse Distilling.

So this is, I have a huge passion for supporting local.

So essentially, I kind of cover or like help accounts, get our brand in restaurants, bars, and the retail stores.

And I just kind of do fun events and things like that.

to help promote the brand essentially for our local spirits out of La Crosse and then the local beer out of Chattano.

If you ever want to move...

And

spent a lot more for rent,

talked to my daughter,

helped me get a job with her.

She works at a New York City.

Last week,

she had to do a thing in the Hamptons for a wine company.

That's so cool.

Yeah, and I said, oh my God, that's so cushy.

Yeah, but Dad, do you have any idea how expensive

it is?

We have to get an Airbnb and share it

because it's so expensive.

So it's like, you've got such an extreme job, Lindsay, and you're, you know what I

mean?

I know, it's the most fun work, though, ever.

It seems like.

I'm like, what is so hard about, like I'm going into bars and restaurants during the day, I'm like, hey, and then you have lunch and maybe have a cocktail, maybe don't, just to kind of, it's all.

relationship building, right?

I do that.

I

don't even get paid

for it.

Exactly.

So it's been great.

And, you know, with the distillery, it's great because we actually, all of our grains and everything are from our local farmers.

Talk

about that.

That's one

of the ways

I wanted to have you on.

Because when we had, Todd, when we did the brew fest or we did our contest, what

was the name of

it?

Craft pick.

Yes.

Top craft pick.

Yes.

I always said it was really interesting.

Like I remember the guy from fun to lack and other ones were like the water they use is from

like on their property.

Oh, yeah.

The

things they grow goes right into their things and that's becoming the cool

thing now.

It's cool.

So

that's one reason I really want to get you on here.

Yeah.

Explain that what your company is

that you're

branding for, how they use local products.

Sure.

So the distillery, it'll be seven years in August that we opened.

And so

It's kind of this whole big concept of, in La Crosse in general, that's the whole, the glaciers essentially

didn't touch that whole area.

You've got

this most amazing organic farming right in our backyard.

So

there's a few owners, a couple Green Bay guys actually, a couple La Crosse guys got together and they're like, hey, let's have this.

great passion and approach for using our local farmers, supporting local growing right in our own backyards.

So the distillery, there's a few farmers.

One of the farmers is actually out near Holman.

So he's about

seven,

eight miles away.

So everything from our corn down to our corn for our bourbon is actually coming like miles

from the distillery.

It's amazing, honestly.

And I, I have a big passion just for farming and eating, eating as pure as we can and supporting our.

I know

organic is such a.

easy word, but it's

true.

It's so true.

We are organic.

You know, it took our farmer, I think, three years at least to fully, you know.

you know, go without any spray and pesticides and it's all open pollination.

And it's a really cool process.

And not only is the process of what we do amazing, the relationships with the farmers is what I love the most.

Like we know them personally, their families, their hardworking.

And it's a big full circle.

At the distillery, he actually comes back a few times a week and will take all that spend grain.

And that goes back to feed for his livestock, goes back to the crops.

It's such a full circle thing.

And it's just cool to see.

And I'm proud to support that.

I mean, that's what's so cool about this.

company out of St.

Louis is coming up here and trying to sell their stuff.

This is

all right

here that's growing right here.

In our backyard, it's like, hey, Wisconsin, you know?

And so for the last three years, we were the official local Vakav of the Packers.

So that was a huge thing that...

you know, we did and was a part of it.

Well, that's the thing though, too.

You know, it's really cool.

I mean, some people were very adventurous, maybe 20 years ago.

Like I remember doing a story when I was in TV on a small place in Cracow and they were making their own.

That's where my dad's from.

Is it?

Yeah.

Okay.

And but he was telling me the hoops they had to jump through back in those

days

because the state wasn't quite ready for small town, independent, you know, producers.

But now I think they've seen, well, these people

are really quality people and really put a lot of pride in

what they're turning out.

Sure.

Wouldn't you feel that way

too?

Yeah, absolutely.

Absolutely.

And kind of just turning little page two with stubborn brothers.

It was this really cool.

I used to work for the distributor, right?

So now I work directly for the supplier, you know, it kind of goes down the chain that way.

As far as, you know, distributing, you can sell or I can't actually sell our products.

I'm just there to promote.

But stubborn brothers, the owner there and then the owner at the disability kind of got together and said, Hey, let's split one rep and then.

and she can cover and do both.

So Stubborn Brothers is also great.

The Wright and Shanno make amazing products and came from...

Farming their family's original farmers from Clintonville and so it's really cool It's always just family owned businesses that I am just like proud to stand behind and be a part of

I've only had some personality.

I know right I know I know I know I'm kind of a dud

But

it's been it's been great and at the end of the day, right?

I I don't look at my job is like I'm not in sales.

I'm in the I'm in the business of people, right?

I mean, I think regardless

what you stand behind.

It's people first, product second.

Right.

But when you got into this business at first, did you think to yourself, oh man, this is, this is out of my wheelhouse a little bit.

How can I do it?

But like you said, it doesn't, you don't have to be a mixologist who knows all that stuff.

You just have to

be

passionate about what

you do.

Yeah, absolutely.

I tell

people that all the time.

Yeah, you just have to care and love it.

But I did come from the service industry.

I know that.

Yeah.

Oh, I taught you how to make an old fashion.

So you did it.

So yeah, so I kind of came from it.

Well, okay.

We gotta

talk about

that.

Yeah, let's talk about it.

How did he do?

Let me just put that right out there.

How did he do making

it?

He put me to shame.

I feel like any event I do, you want to come?

Everyone, everyone.

Wait a minute, are you being serious about this?

It was actually kind of amazing.

He filled the cocktail to the brim though.

But it was, yeah, it was amazing.

It was a lot of fun.

We got to do more of those.

It was so much fun.

It's a

video we did together.

It was a video, and it was so organic.

And that's what's so cool about all this.

We just winged it.

We totally winged it.

It was like we knew each other for 25 years.

But

the history of the old fashion that you told

was fast and cut.

We got

time.

We got

three minutes.

And then we're going to

take it to a break.

Then we're going to have more.

Three minutes, tell the history of the old fashion.

I

knew this was going to come up.

I should have brushed up on my Google skills.

Just kidding.

So essentially, the old fashion is huge, especially in Wisconsin.

Like I said,

before I moved to Wisconsin, I'd never

heard of an old fashion.

And we have a different version of our old fashion.

It's the Wisconsin version.

We add soda.

We add a wash.

Essentially, you go out of state, and they're like, what is this old fashion you speak of?

You want a Manhattan is what you're looking

for.

So essentially, way back in the day during prohibition, where

Distillers were studying down.

There's a lot of things made with neutral grain spirits.

The great bartenders were leaving the country essentially.

So the spirits and the alcohol was so poor quality.

So they had to make it palatable for people.

So that's why how the cocktail essentially kind of started.

And so the basis for a cocktail was your sugar, your bitters and your spirit.

And so old fashioned just really just means this is the old fashioned way of the original cocktail that was made.

So it's just kind of this

Old school because I had a good flavor

right

components I guess to it It sounds like the

old-fashioned way that we

use the fashion way of making a cocktail and here today It's like one of the most mainstream.

Did