Distillation – Dram Devotees

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 […]

Stitzel-Weller in 1972: Notes on a Slideshow

Posted on: February 6, 2026February 17, 2026advertising , American whiskey , Barrel entry proof , Barrels , Bourbon , Distillation , Distilleries , famous whiskey brand , History , Influential men in whiskey , Master Distiller , Post-Prohibition , Production , Reference , slide show , slideshow , Wheat , Whiskey Facts

1972 Stitzel-Weller Slideshow (click on title to view slideshow) The following notes were written in addition to the original, 1972 Stitzel-Weller-provided script. The exact words from the original script are […]

An Examination of Barrel Entry Proof

Posted on: January 19, 2023October 20, 2024Aging Techniques , American whiskey , Barrel entry proof , Bourbon , Distillation , Distilleries , Packaging , Pre-Prohibition , Production , Prohibition , rectifiers , Reference , Uncategorized

As I continue to dig into the origins of aged American whiskeys and into how far back their production goes, I continue to discover very interesting practices and find hints […]

What happened to Maryland’s Hunter Rye?

Posted on: January 9, 2023March 25, 2025Aging Techniques , American whiskey , Blends , Canadian Whisky , Distillation , History , Maryland Rye , Pre-Prohibition , Production , rectifiers , Reference , Rye , Uncategorized , Whiskey Facts

Once one of the most popular brands of rye whiskey in the country, if not the world, Hunter Rye Whiskey, was a product of Maryland. The brand was first introduced […]

A Much Needed Discussion About Rectifiers

Posted on: November 12, 2022October 7, 2024Distillation , Distilleries , History , Pre-Prohibition , Production , rectifiers , Reference

One of the more confused topics when we talk about the history of the American whiskey world is the topic of rectifiers. I really wish there was a way to […]

What is Rye Whiskey & Why Is It So Different Today?

Posted on: June 12, 2022September 23, 2022American whiskey , craft whiskey , Distillation , History , Pennsylvania rye whiskey , Pre-Prohibition , Production , Prohibition , Reference , Rye , Stills , warehouses , Whiskey Facts

Rye whiskey is very popular these days. We can clearly see the growth in market share. People talk about how unique it is, but then the occasional article surfaces that […]

Is Rye Whiskey Really that Hard to Make?

Posted on: May 28, 2022November 8, 2022American whiskey , craft whiskey , Distillation , Distilleries , History , Master Distiller , Pennsylvania rye whiskey , Pre-Prohibition , Production , Prohibition , Reference , Rye , Stills , Uncategorized , Whiskey Facts

After the last blog post, I was reminded by a fellow enthusiast that I should have included that “rye whiskey is hard to make”. It gave me pause so I […]

The Creation of Concentration Warehouses and Their Impact on the American Whiskey Trade

Posted on: May 25, 2022June 17, 2024American whiskey , Barrels , concentration warehouses , Distillation , Distilleries , History , Production , Prohibition , Reference , Uncategorized , warehouses , Whiskey Bottles , Whiskey Facts , Whiskey laws and regulations , Whiskey Trust

To all those dusty Prohibition-era bottle collectors out there… The labels on those pint bottles from the early 20th century tell a story that is not often told (or explained). […]

The Whiskey Trust

Posted on: May 15, 2022November 29, 2025American whiskey , Distillation , Distilleries , History , Pre-Prohibition , Production , Prohibition , Reference , Whiskey Facts , Whiskey laws and regulations , Whiskey Trust

When it comes to the history of American whiskey, there is no more important topic than that of the Whiskey Trust. In fact, American whiskey history should probably be divided […]

Pre-Prohibition Distillers of Pennsylvania

Posted on: February 18, 2021September 23, 2022American whiskey , Distillation , Distilleries , History , PA Local distilleries , Pennsylvania rye whiskey , Production , Prohibition , Reference , Rye , Stills , Uncategorized

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 […]