CHRIS CORLEY WINES | Heritage & Tradition
S54 E1 | The John Barleycorn Society

“Dedicated to the hedonistic pursuit of intoxicating knowledge” – Chris Corley

⏳ Back in the late 1900s, I assembled a group of libation-oriented friends and colleagues as a first-hand, ongoing, collective think tank on wine and spirits, a tasting group.

✍️We named ourselves ‘The John Barleycorn Society’, in honor of Jack London’s 1913 autobiographical chronicle of his misadventures with John Barleycorn.

📚Indeed, this book was required reading for the group, in order to fully understand our guide into the purple passages.

🍷🍸Over the course of years, we enjoyed many monthly sessions of learning and tasting. Each monthly session hosted or led by a different member. Wonderful explorations into various wine regions, deep dives into specific varietals, sessions to learn about distilling techniques and local spirits.

🎶 Looking backwards and forwards, I’ve got a kind of ‘Let’s get the band back together’ feeling today. We’ll see …

🎂 On my mind today … since a good friend, and John Barleycorn Society alumni, reminded me that today is Jack London’s birthday. Happy 149th Birthday Mr. London!

✍️ “I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist.”
-Jack London ‘John Barleycorn’ [1913]