By: Steve Baima

Steve Baima — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 22:14:04 +0000

The still that is displayed at the Newcastle Days event is mine. I loaned it to Milt Swanson. When my father vacated his Newcastle home, he had a number of artifacts. I took a few of them. They are stored at my home near Factoria. I have some carbide lanterns, electric lantern, his hard hat from the mine and a large eledtric drill for drilling and blasting in the mines. My father was a “powder monkey.” That indicated that he specialized in blasting. We always had dynamite and blasting caps around the house. We kids knew what they were and respected that fact. As for the still, the Lee Martin family were friends of our family. Although Lee lived a different life style than my father, they were friends through the work at the mine. My father (John Baima) was a resourseful man. Not unlike many of the miners. This bore the expression that necessity was the mother of invention. The condensor in the picture, appears to be the one that I loaned to Milt. The boiler appears to be different. The one that my father made, had a more rounded top, where the funnel meets the boiler. Milt still has my still. You can compare them. I can also remember my father making his own Grappa. This is an Italian liquer, distilled from wine and mash. This is an after dinner drink that Italians consume following meals. They call it a “digestive.” Although it tasts a little bit harsh, my father had his own recipe and it was a delicacy in our home.
Steve Baima

Comments on: Moonshine memories still linger in Newcastle

By: Steve Baima