Whiskey laws and regulations – Page 3

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 […]

1917-1920. The Prelude to Prohibition

Posted on: May 6, 2022April 21, 2025American whiskey , History , Pre-Prohibition , Prohibition , Reference , Whiskey laws and regulations

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 […]

New Distilleries in Pennsylvania

Posted on: March 29, 2016American whiskey , craft whiskey , Distillation , Distilleries , History , mashbills , Production , Reference , Whiskey laws and regulations

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 […]

What defines whisk(e)y?

Posted on: November 18, 2015American whiskey , Reference , Scotch , Taxes , Whiskey Facts , Whiskey laws and regulations

So what determines what whisk(e)y is anyway? Government laws and regulations do. They have changed over the years, but as whiskey becomes a larger contributor to government budgets (through taxes) […]

Herman Melville’s Rye Whiskey Reference

Posted on: November 14, 2015December 1, 2022Aging Techniques , American whiskey , History , mashbills , Reference , Whiskey Facts , Whiskey laws and regulations

Today is the day that Herman Melville’s Moby Dick was published by New York’s Harper and Brothers in 1851. There is a reference in the book that connects whiskey to […]

What is the Difference Between a Flavored Whiskey and a Liqueur?

Posted on: November 8, 2015November 10, 2015American whiskey , Production , Reference , Whiskey laws and regulations

I was just speaking to a bartender that wanted to know the difference between flavored whiskey and liqueur. Hopefully, by now, most of us are aware that Southern Comfort (made […]

There Were No “Old” American Whiskeys Before 1958…

Posted on: October 12, 2015June 16, 2023American whiskey , History , Reference , Whiskey Facts , Whiskey laws and regulations

Picture the whiskey industry after WWII. The few distilleries that remained after prohibition had been successful with pulling themselves out of a whiskey drought by producing massive amounts of young […]

Proof of Proof? History of Proof vs. ABV

Posted on: October 6, 2015November 27, 2022American whiskey , Distillation , History , Reference , Whiskey Facts , Whiskey laws and regulations

Did you know that “proof” of alcohol content used to be proven with gunpowder? The term proof probably originated in the 16th century. Soldiers had no tools to determine whether […]

Is Distilling Illegal? Yes.

Posted on: October 3, 2015November 7, 2015American whiskey , Distillation , History , Stills , Whiskey Facts , Whiskey laws and regulations

Is distilling legal if you’re just making it for personal consumption? NO. It is very much ILLEGAL. I get these questions a lot. Why would they sell stills smaller than […]

John Glaser of Compass Box

Posted on: September 12, 2015November 8, 2015Aging Techniques , Barrels , Master Distiller , Scotch , Whiskey laws and regulations

We all know what happens when you insert Scots-Irish folks into American whiskey production. Great American whiskey, of course. But what would happen if you insert an American into Scotch […]