S02.E08: The Liquor License

[mojito]

My favorite line:

Jay (when Sam is distracted by Alberta): Am I holding for ghosts?

[shapeshifter]

5 hours ago, possibilities said:

Nobody dying of alcohol poisoning and winding up a new resident ghost seems surprising.

It would be a great way to introduce a new ghost character, but also not in keeping with the strong comedic and light-hearted tone of the show
--which is  also probably why we didn't see (thankfully!) any vomiting. 

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

Am I crazy or is the value of the Prohibition whiskey a bigger deal than I think? I realize that getting the news that the hooch you’ve been pouring heavily into frat bros is worth a ton isn’t great news, but they found it in a wall. It’s not like they’re out the money, they just can’t make a windfall on it now. 
 

Also, it’s ironic that they got a liquor license in the same episode that they recklessly doled out untested booze that was possibly made in an actual bathtub and stored next to at least one decomposing corpse for a century, whereas when they were unlicensed they were just serving wine pairings and cocktails whose ingredients they were sure of. 

[shapeshifter]

6 hours ago, ZuluQueenOfDwarves said:

Am I crazy or is the value of the Prohibition whiskey a bigger deal than I think? I realize that getting the news that the hooch you’ve been pouring heavily into frat bros is worth a ton isn’t great news, but they found it in a wall. It’s not like they’re out the money, they just can’t make a windfall on it now. 
 

Also, it’s ironic that they got a liquor license in the same episode that they recklessly doled out untested booze that was possibly made in an actual bathtub and stored next to at least one decomposing corpse for a century, whereas when they were unlicensed they were just serving wine pairings and cocktails whose ingredients they were sure of. 

I love and would marry this👆post, @ZuluQueenOfDwarves, so much that I kind of hate to post a response that will bump it from being the most recent.

However:

• “When a New York couple was told their over 100-year-old home was built by a notorious bootlegger, they passed it off as small town legend.…. 
  “…during a recent home renovation, the couple discovered … more than 66 bottles of whiskey from the Prohibition-era hidden within the walls and floorboards of their home, which was built in 1915.”   
  
  And:

• “…The original owner of the house was…known as Count Adolph Humpfner.  
  “…He died a sudden death and left behind the smuggled liquor, as well as a heavily disputed fortune.”

There’s more: cbsnews.com/amp/pittsburgh/news/66-bottles-prohibition-era-whiskey-found-in-home

At the time of the article in 2020, the bottles were valued at $1000 each, but that whiskey was not home made, and allowing for inflation, $5K per bottle for Sam and Jay’s stash seems at least plausible.

Maybe Sam and Jay will find more bottles in another year at an opportune time of financial need.

Edited December 11, 2022 by shapeshifter

[HouseofBeck]

On 12/9/2022 at 10:20 AM, shapeshifter said:

My first thought was that the whiskey had broken down chemically over time and would taste gross and ruin their reviews. Then I was just worried the whiskey might have become toxic over time.

At this point in their life experiences with ghosts and with discovering relics in their mansion, Sam and Jay should’ve considered the possibilities that the whiskey was either very valuable or very lethal, and should have just offered the expert an empty shot glass that he could decide to fill or not from a dusty bottle of Prohibition Era whiskey.

But hindsight is 20-20, and I can imagine with all the unexpected developments of the day (unplanned inspection for a liquor license) and Sam being distracted by the ghosts’ issues and antics (including Thor jumping off the roof) that Sam and Jay would have handled things exactly as they did——except I really can’t imagine them breaking out more than one of the bottles, but that’s probably because I’m older, wiser, and very frugal.

On 12/10/2022 at 8:42 AM, aquarian1 said:

I was surprised all the whiskey tasting guests were chugging bottles of the old whiskey.  It was a tasting, I figured they'd open one bottle and bring it them.  You don't chug right out of the bottle at tastings.  At most you buy a glass of whatever your favorite was to drink after the tasting portion is finished.  Or even buy a bottle, depending where the tasting is (like at a liquor store or distillery).  Even if the guests decided they wanted to "paaaar-tay!" they wouldn't have known where the rest of the bottles were.  So I guess we're supposed to think Sam brought down ALL the bottles to them?  and just let them have at it?

I did enjoy this episode, but damn if the reveal that Sam and Jay not only brought up ALL the bottles but let their guests grab a bottle each and swig from them like soda just knocked me out of that enjoyment. Even with the stresses of the day, it seemed unusual for those two characters to be _that_ clueless and reckless, including allowing their own event to be completely changed (wine-tasting to free-for-all).

Edited December 11, 2022 by HouseofBeck

[iMonrey]

Quote

Even with the stresses of the day, it seemed unusual for those two characters to be _that_ clueless and reckless, including allowing their own event to be completely changed (wine-tasting to free-for-all).

Well, they didn't know they were valuable. They just thought they were a novelty and wanted to impress the Sipper guy. I didn't know they would have any monetary value either. That's kind of the point of the joke, we were all in the dark until Sipper guy said "Hey, way to waste $30K worth of whisky." 

[TVMovieBuff]

The Shawshank Redemption? It is a transcendent experience to see that movie, that will fill your soul with possibilities of joy. It's not a slow slog, it is over 2 hours long and you wish it would never end. 

It is one of those things that you wish could be wiped from your memory, so you could have the glowing thrill of seeing it again-- for the first time. 

The same noise/ crash gimmick was used in the movie Bad Times At The El Royale. Very worth seeing. 

But Shawshank is one of the best movies ever made. 

[Mabinogia]

2 hours ago, TVMovieBuff said:

It is one of those things that you wish could be wiped from your memory, so you could have the glowing thrill of seeing it again-- for the first time. 

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones then. I saw it, but I really don't remember much of it. I know Morgan Freeman was in it, and it took place in a prison but that's all I got. I want to say I found it boring but I honestly can't remember. 

[nora1992]

If the bootleg whiskey was so valuable, wouldn’t Trevor have known?  Then again, maybe he’s still hoping to buy more Enron stock.

[Nellise]

On 12/9/2022 at 3:01 PM, iMonrey said:

I wondered about that too. They really need to remove the lock, somehow.

I lived in a condo made from an old bank building that still had the vault in my unit. They welded the locking mechanism so it couldn't lock but it allowed the door to be kept in its original condition aside from that.

This episode was very light on any actual jokes, but I've found this show to not be extremely funny anyway. It's more cute and pleasant than laugh out loud.

[callie lee 29]

I think a part of me died when I saw all of those people chugging that whiskey. They did not deserve such a treat. (Uncultured swine)😭😭

[kathyk24]

On 12/11/2022 at 10:37 AM, HouseofBeck said:

I did enjoy this episode, but damn if the reveal that Sam and Jay not only brought up ALL the bottles but let their guests grab a bottle each and swig from them like soda just knocked me out of that enjoyment. Even with the stresses of the day, it seemed unusual for those two characters to be _that_ clueless and reckless, including allowing their own event to be completely changed (wine-tasting to free-for-all).

I didn't like this episode due to Jay's stupidity. How could you open the B&B without the proper permits? The only ghost I liked was Alberta. I'm glad the show didn't pair up her and  Pete. Opposites don't always attract.

[iMonrey]

Quote

How could you open the B&B without the proper permits? 

It wouldn't occur to me that a bed and breakfast would need a liquor license, unless you plan on serving mimosas for breakfast. I mean, that's supposed to be the only meal that's served, right? But I guess they also want to cater to events like weddings and such. 

[proserpina65]

Okay, so I rewatched and enjoyed the episode more but it still wasn't as funny as the other eps this season.  Although Thor and the jumping off the roof was pretty hysterical.  And Isaac's story was both sad and ultimately heartwarming.

[proserpina65]

21 hours ago, iMonrey said:

It wouldn't occur to me that a bed and breakfast would need a liquor license, unless you plan on serving mimosas for breakfast. I mean, that's supposed to be the only meal that's served, right? But I guess they also want to cater to events like weddings and such. 

Sam mentioned wine pairings at dinner, so they're definitely doing more than just breakfast.

[possibilities]

Jay is a chef, so I think that was always their plan. They've frequently made a plot point out of his cooking. I think their place is more like an inn than a b&b, despite what they call it.