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 […]
An Examination of Barrel Entry Proof
As I continue to dig into the origins of aged American whiskeys and into how far back their production goes, I continue to discover very interesting practices and find hints […]
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 […]
Where Did the Term “Proof” Come From?
I’ve read plenty of explanations for why “proof” is so American. (I’ve even written about this topic before!) But like everything else- other than Native American culture- it came from […]
A Much Needed Discussion About Rectifiers
One of the more confused topics when we talk about the history of the American whiskey world is the topic of rectifiers. I really wish there was a way to […]
The Halloween Tragedy that Relocated a Distillery
On Halloween night, just outside Connellsville, Pennsylvania, a man was violently murdered for the gold in his pockets. Mystery surrounded the event, and for years the townspeople spun tales and […]
How Canada Quietly Changed the American Whiskey Drinker’s Palate
The last few weeks have been spent trying to find my way back onto social media platforms. I was kicked out on October 1st when I crossed our northern international […]
The Old Monocacy Creek and Her Distilleries
I was recently asked about distilleries that would have once existed in a specific area of eastern Pennsylvania. Why not, right? It seemed a good time to post about a […]
Where Did All Those Whiskey Terms Come From?
I have been thinking a lot lately about labeling terms for whiskey that we take for granted in the United States. Bottled-in bond, straight whiskey, bourbon, pure rye, fine old […]
The British Connection to America’s “Bottled in Bond” Whiskeys
What connects “bottled in bond”, a term we tend to associate with American whiskeys, to English investments? Let me explain… I am so VERY curious about the history of American […]