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! […]
The Truth Behind the “Bottled-In-Bond Act” of 1897.
Let’s clear up a few things about the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897. I know the “BIB Act” has been written about an ENDLESS number of times, but there […]
An Argument To Rethink Something We Believe To Be True
“There were 6 distilleries licensed to manufacture medicinal whiskey during Prohibition.” If we’ve read it once, we’ve read it a thousand times. However, this statement is not true for a […]
The Corrupt Origins of Pennsylvania’s State Store System
I’ve been seeing a lot of posts expressing disappointment around order cancellations and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s inability to meet the expectations of customers looking to buy whiskey. Well, […]
Standards of Identity for Spirits…as of 1939.
The standards of identity were established in under the provisions of the Federal Alcohol Administration Act of 1935. Amendments to that act have been being made ever since. This iteration […]
The History of Schenley
The following is a series of 7 (long form) posts- all posted on Facebook between June 9th and 15th, 2024. Schenley. An Intro. Part 1 The most interesting part of […]
Noah S. “Soggy” Sweat Jr.: Mississippi’s Neutral Politician for American Whiskey
Did you know that Mississippi did not ratify the 21st amendment (Repeal) until 1966? It wasn’t until January 1, 2021 that a new Mississippi law legalized the possession of alcohol […]
James M. Doran- American Whiskey’s Political Power Broker
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 […]
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 […]
Liquor Laws, Listed from 1676-1935
This list is incomplete and will be periodically updated. 1676– Pennsylvania prohibits the use of distilling of any grain unless it was “unfit to grind and boalt.” 1791– The Excise […]