Who was James M. Doran, and how did he come to be president of the Distilled Spirits Institute? The Distilled Spirits Institute was an organization formed in 1933 to represent […]
“Sweet” Mash Rye Whiskey?
Generally speaking, Bourbon = sour mash and rye whiskey= sweet mash. Historically, I mean- I realize the distinction is all over the board today. Historic distilling texts reveal that the […]
Brumbaugh’s Distillery in Bedford County, Pennsylvania
S.S. Brumbaugh Near New Enterprise, South Woodbury Township Bedford County RD# 34 9th District “Brumbaugh whiskey, bottled expressly for medicinal use,” was so well known that people began to identify […]
The History of the Miller Pure Rye Distillery
The Wheatland Distillery Miller & Mooney Womelsdorf (Ryeland) Berks County, Pennsylvania RD# 75 1st District There were many large-scale distilleries in Pennsylvania before Prohibition, and though most were in the […]
Pennsylvania’s Highspire Distillery Company
Highspire Distillery The Wilson Distillery (1823-1893) Highspire, Pa Dauphin County RD# 1 9th District There is little doubt that Highspire Distillery would have flourished into the 20th century if […]
Is American Vodka Connected to the History of American Whiskey?
Vodka…In America? America before Prohibition was a nation of whiskey drinkers. I don’t mean to imply that it was alone in the alcohol industry- There were rums, gins, brandies, cordials, […]
A Little History on a Pennsylvania Classic: Rittenhouse Rye Whisky
Good ol’ Rittenhouse Rye Whisky. It’s been a standard sipper for the American rye drinker since it was launched by Continental Distilling Corporation as “Rittenhouse Square Straight Rye Whisky” in […]
The Hughes Brothers’ “Belle of Bedford”
One of the more exciting rye whiskey brands in 2023 is named after a pre-Prohibition rye whiskey from Bedford County, Pennsylvania. It is not a unique thing to start a […]
What happened to Maryland’s Hunter Rye?
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 […]
What is Rock and Rye?
What is Rock & Rye? Simply put, it is a rectified rye whiskey. Some Pennsylvanians may remember Rock & Rye from our childhoods as a medicinal treatment for a cold […]