It is always interesting to read about the heavy influence that whiskey has had on politics throughout history. Whether it was the forces of temperance or the owners of distilleries, […]
The Chemists That Changed American Whiskey
We tend to think of distillers as chemists or scientists, even if Pappy Van Winkle adamantly refused to acknowledge the value of chemistry in his distillery. There’s no denying that […]
The Stitzel Distilleries: From 1872 to Stitzel-Weller…in 9 parts.
The following blog contains a study of the Stitzel distilleries and the men behind them. Each of the 9 separate parts copied below were written in May and June of […]
Is Whiskey Medicinal?
I don’t doubt that you’ve seen articles in every whiskey publication about whether whiskey is medicinal or not. There are videos and blogs and podcasts on the topic. Many new […]
Cyrus Noble’s Three Sworn Enemies.
When you read this newspaper ad from 1913, your first thought might be, “Well, this person hates whiskey and promotes the temperance movement.” But oddly enough, it’s a sales ad […]
Some Much Needed Perspective: Bourbon Vs. Rye Whiskey Distilleries.
(This is a post from my Facebook page, @AmericanWhiskeyHistory, December 9, 2022. But my thoughts have not changed on the subject!) I need to say this because I’m SOOOO tired […]
The Distilleries of Somerset County, Pennsylvania
So much of Pennsylvania’s distilling history has been lost to time. One glaring example of forgotten history has been Somerset County’s distilleries, once well-known in the whiskey trade for their […]
“Jug Towns”
Years ago, I was reading an old history book which referenced “jug towns.” It explained that jug towns were essentially early factory towns. These scattered settlements sprang up around clay […]
An Ode to Pennsylvania’s Meadville Distillery.
There are so many distilleries in Pennsylvania that had a huge impact on American whiskey that we just don’t know enough about! One Pennsylvania rye whiskey distillery that doesn’t get […]
Why Don’t Distilleries Re-Use Barrels?
I have always found it odd that American distillers are prohibited from re-using barrels. It’s not as if the practice of “secondary aging” with used barrels isn’t completely commonplace today! […]