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 […]
1917-1920. The Prelude to Prohibition
There is no doubt that Prohibition altered the American liquor industry in innumerable ways. The 18th amendment may have gone into effect in 1920, but the passage of the National […]
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 […]
MGP Ingredients- The Distillery Prohibition Did Not Destroy
If you’re tasting a lot of whiskeys and considering where they come from, you’ll have already become familiar with MGP (Midwest Grain Products) Ingredients. In most cases, you’ll have read […]
Potential in Pennsylvania
Picture a seed in your mind. It’s small. Even sitting in the palm of your hand, it doesn’t seem like much. But for all its unassuming nature, make no mistake, […]
The Cost of Prohibition for Pennsylvania
While it is slowly becoming common knowledge that Pennsylvania is the birthplace of American whiskey, I’m often asked, ”Why is Pennsylvania only now showing signs of distilling life again?” The […]
Booz and Booze
Where does the word “booze” come from? Let’s look at the hazy origins of the word and what a Philadelphia whiskey retailer may have had to do with “booze” becoming […]
Stoll & Wolfe
There are many new distilleries popping up in Pennsylvania, but none carry the Pennsylvanian distillery torch quite like Stoll and Wolfe. You see the name Stoll and Wolfe, which is […]
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 […]