Why Are the Insides of Whiskey Barrels Charred?
Occum’s razor basically states that “the simplest explanation is most likely the right one”. While that may not always be the case, when we address the questions “When did whiskey begin being aged in charred barrels” and “What is the history that led to coopers adopting this technique for whiskey making”, I think we often miss the obvious answers because they’re not clever. The idea that a cow could light a barn on fire and accidentally char the inside of Kentucky’s first distiller, Elijah Craig’s whiskey barrels is…romantic. A complete load of nonsense, but romantic. Leaving aside the fact that Elijah Craig was NOT Kentucky’s first distiller or that bourbon most certainly was NOT the first whiskey to be aged in charred oak…well, let’s just disregard that...
Pre-Prohibition Distillers of Pennsylvania
I have spent the last few years researching and cataloging information on nearly 200 distilleries that produced rye whiskey across Pennsylvania before 1920. The information about Pennsylvania’s distilling history along with the traditions that established Pennsylvania as the leader in American rye whiskey production has been lost to generations of Pennsylvanians, not to mention the many new whiskey drinkers just learning about our country’s distilling heritage. I am making my best effort to reopen the history book of Pennsylvania rye whiskey and bring these distilleries back into the conversation. Bourbon is a whiskey that began its introduction to American drinkers in the early 1800s, joining the rye whiskey that had already been sitting comfortably...
Whiskey For Millennials?
Yesterday, I met a person in the whiskey industry not much younger than myself say, “Young people today will not fall for the advertising gimmicks that older generations have. They only respond to honesty and truth and realness” and all I could think was…Of course they do. Just like every young person ever. Today’s Millennial is just as susceptible to advertising as any generation ever has been. This belief that this generation is different from the hippies that wanted truth and realness (which became what we call baby boomers) or the goths, punks and grungy kids (Gen Xers) that wanted to just be understood and simultaneously left alone by the man is silly. Young people are always the targeted audience by advertisers because they have jobs and money to spend, not...
White Claw Conundrum
The topic of White Claw and “hard seltzer” has had me spinning. What is the public doing drinking all this stuff? How is this so popular? My whiskey sipping self could not grasp the phenomenon. Every time I had what I thought was the answer, a new question popped up for me. I believed that this was just a phase in American culture, much like hard lemonade, hard root beer or Zima (my generation’s clear, bubbly beer substitute). However, now that I know more about it, I realize it is going nowhere anytime soon. This product is made from SUGAR. For the health conscious. That is Truly (pardon the name brand pun) the magic behind the “hard seltzer” boom. Here are a few of the major reasons behind this consumer frenzy. The American public historically has been a binge...
Discount on 2019 AWC Tickets!
We’ll have a table at the American Whiskey Convention again this year and we’re able to offer a 20% off discount to our members. Use discount code Dram20 at checkout and get 20% taken off your final purchase! Hope to see you there! Check out more info at AmericanWhiskeyConvention.com
Last Minute Whiskey Gifts
Yet another week of whiskey gifts. These have been thought out for that hard-to-buy-for whiskey enthusiast in your life. Be sure to check out the last two blog entries and see the first 14 suggestions after looking at the 7 new ones here… #1- Whiskey Emergency Kit. (And don’t get hung up on the “gentleman” bit in the link. Ladies will like this too!) This is a bit odd because it is actually a DIY kit and requires some work on your part. However, I believe that the kits you can buy are a bit lacking in the personalization dept. You know your whiskey enthusiast best and many of the items that can be included vary wildly in price. It’s best to create your own kit! Here’s one option for ideas-...
Another Week of Whiskey Gifts!
There are lots of options for gifts out there and the whiskey boom is really improving the buying choices! Take a look at this week’s suggestions. I’m sure you’ll find something for that whiskey enthusiast that can be tough to shop for… #1- Fancy glassware. This seems like an easy gift, but there are some really cool options that a lot of people don’t have, even if they are seasoned whiskey drinkers. My personal favorite is the Peugeot whiskey tasting glass. It’s also available through Amazon. https://www.williams-sonoma.com/…/peugeot-whiskey-glass-set/ Another good choice is the Norlan whiskey glass. I have the Norlan and I like it, but they also sell the Rauk Heavy Tumbler, which is high on my “must buy list”....