We’ve discussed the early 1920s in the previous blog post, so let’s address what came next. We tend to think of Prohibition as the heyday of bootlegging and speakeasies…a vague, […]
What is Rye Whiskey & Why Is It So Different Today?
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?
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
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
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 […]
Why Are the Insides of Whiskey Barrels Charred?
Occum’s razor basically proposes that the simplest explanation is most likely the right one…That it’s best to avoid the more elaborate explanation when possible. While the principle doesn’t always hold […]
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 […]
Does Terroir Influence Whiskey?
When a wine maker talks about what sets his/her wine apart from others, you can be sure terroir will be a part of their explanation. Terroir is “the complete natural […]
Let’s Talk Bourbon and Tulips…
Let’s talk bourbon and tulips. I popped into the Philadelphia Art Museum recently to browse an exhibition and found myself wandering the European Art wing. One of the historically reconstructed […]
New Distilleries in Pennsylvania
The American Whiskey Convention in Philadelphia was a bit of an inspiration for me to spend a bit more time discussing the boom in whiskey distilling here in Pennsylvania. The […]