I was talking with a distiller the other day about how little is known about pre-Prohibition rye whiskey distillers. It’s sad to think that about 200 years of generational knowledge was lost when the craft of rye whiskey-making was brought to an abrupt end in 1917. We still have a lot to learn about what they knew.

http://www.dramdevotees.com/what-the-pre-pro-master-distillers-still-have-teach-us-is-a-lot/

#ryewhiskey #whiskey #whiskeyhistory #masterdistiller #bourbon #history #whisky #Americanwhiskey #distill #distiller #distillery

http://www.dramdevotees.com/what-the-pre-pro-master-distillers-still-have-teach-us-is-a-lot/

Most of the best distillers making American whiskey today learned from a only a handful of men and women. Those distiller-instructors learned from an even smaller crop of master distillers. This has led to a general consensus among American whiskey makers as to how whiskey should be made. Rye whiskey WAS NOT made the same way bourbon is made today. We need to rethink rye.

#distiller #whiskeyhistory #bourbon #rye #ryewhiskey #masterdistiller #Americanwhiskey #whiskey

A little Prohibition "rum" conspiracy from 1929. "Rum"…meaning whiskey…because temperance fighters either didn’t know the difference or didn’t care to. It was all rum to them, anyway. But you have to love the effort here by the conspirators. 140 liquor firms and individuals under federal indictment- all charged with conspiracy to violate the Prohibition act. And what were they doing? Shaving the liquor-soaked inner layers of barrel staves to extract the devil’s share!😊#whiskey #whiskeyhistory

Oh man, Jay Erisman of New Riff Distilling couldn't have said it better-
"It’s not a stretch to call him the father of America’s modern rye revolution. He’s one of this country’s greatest rye distillers ever, and maybe the most important one post-Prohibition.”
I am a HUGE fan of Larry Ebersold. Known as "the Godfather of Rye," he belongs among the greatest distillers of our age. PLEASE read more about him in Whisky Mag's incredible article by Susannah Skiver Barton. #rye #whiskey #distiller

One of the first people that I found myself following was Jack Sullivan, author of http://pre-prowhiskeymen.blogspot.com/, “Whiskey Men,” and “Bottles, Booze and Backstories." I have been lucky enough to call Jack a friend and to exchange research info with him over the years. I’ve never been mentioned in one of his blogs before though! This morning, Jack told me that I have been quoted quite a bit in his most recent blog post! So here I am…drinking coffee and glowing with pride😊#whiskey #history #bourbon

I came across this great photo from May 2002 of Dave Scheurich and Chris Morris while researching cooperage. I met Dave at the 2018 Mount Vernon Whiskey Festival and it was an incredible pleasure to learn about how he helped build the Labrot & Graham Distillery near Versailles, KY. He is the man behind Woodford Reserve. The brand was launched in 1996, but the Labrot & Graham Distillery’s pot still’s distillate didn’t reach 6 years old until 2002. (Today, he is the owner of Boondock's whiskey.)

There are many misconceptions about American whiskey’s origins “on the farm.” The story of early distillers usually describes farmer-distillers that were all distilling excess grain that they had lying around. The problem with this tale is that it glosses over about 100 years of distilling history and oversimplifies the role of the farmer. I work with farmers, and they never cease to amaze me with their multi-faceted areas of expertise and limitless work ethic.
#distiller #whiskey #history #rye

Feeling like some Pennsylvania bourbon-McLaughlin Distillery's 3799 Bourbon- and an Oliva V lancero tonight.Besides, I have a big, oily PA bourbon to sip on, and this cigar won’t get in its way😊 Sewickley, just outside of Pittsburgh, where McLaughlin Distillery is located, was an important PA distilling location before Prohibition. The famous Economy Distillery was right along the Big Sewickley Creek. #bourbon #PAwhiskey #whiskey #cigar

#whiskey #whisky #ryewhiskey #Americanwhiskey #bourbon #dram #bottledinbond #whiskeytasting #distilling #distillery #rye #localgrain #barrelaged #scotch #potstill #copperpotstill #fermentation #whiskeyindustry #masterdistiller #distiller #mashbill #bourbonwhiskey #Rosenrye #heritagegrain #grain #whiskeybarrel #barrel #cask #Japanesewhisky #Irishwhiskey #straightwhiskey #history #research

@preppydude Wow. Cheers to that pour!

I'm all about Pennsylvania rye whiskey history and study it in depth. Most information out there about rye whiskey is too wrapped up in bourbon lore and does not respect the traditions that made rye whiskey great before Prohibition. Rye deserves more love and I hope to help give it a bit more attention. #introductions #whiskey #Americanwhiskey #ryewhiskey #whiskeyhistory