1361 – Frankfurt-on Maine forbade the consumption of gebrante wyne (burnt wine or brandy) to prevent drunkenness (Chris Middleton, email 10 December 2013)
1372 – Wurtzburg enacted a law against the consumption of gebrante wyne (Chris Middleton, email 10 December 2013)
Ca. 1411 – Distillation in the Armagnac region in France (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p,44).
1497 – Amsterdam imposes a duty on imported French Brandy (Chris Middleton, email 10 December 2013)
1506 – Munich banned the consumption of spirits on Sundays (Chris Middleton, email 10 December 2013)
1519 – The Casa de Contratacion, the Spanish House of Trade, convinces the King to have root stock and vines sent on every ship bound for New Spain, America. (Wine Production in El Paso and the Grapevine Inventory of 1775, Newmexicohistory.org)
Ca.1530 – Distillation of Brandy starts in France’s Cognac region. (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p,19).
1553 – The first reference to apple brandy in Normandy (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p,59).
1577 – Sir Francis Drake takes 4 cask of brandewijn with him on the trip to circumnavigate the globe (Chris Middleton, email 10 December 2013)
1595 – The Spanish Crown forbade any new plantings or replacement vines to be sent to New Spain to protect the Spanish wine and Brandy trade. (Wine Production in El Paso and the Grapevine Inventory of 1775, Newmexicohistory.org)
1623 – The Colonial Assembly of Virginia passed a law requiring every family to plant 10 vines on its land (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p. 109)
1629 – It is believed that the first lymbecke still was used in Boston (Chris Middleton, email 4 June 2015)
1630s – Mission San Antoniode Senecu’ is producing enough wine to supply all of New Mexico. (Wine Production in El Paso and the Grapevine Inventory of 1775, Newmexicohistory.org)
1640 – First Brandy is distilled in New York by Cornelius Toun, of Staten Island in December, possibly apple brandy (Chris Middleton, email 4 June 2015)
1648 – Rye whiskey is distilled in Salem by Emmanuel Downing in the Autumn (Chris Middleton, email 4 June 2015)
1659 – Father Garcia de San Francisco founds Mission Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe de los Mansos near El Paso and plants a vineyard. (Wine Production in El Paso and the Grapevine Inventory of 1775, Newmexicohistory.org)
1697 – Historian Charles L. Sullivan : “It is generally accepted (among historical scholars), that Father Juan Ugarte was lower California’s first vineyardist, at Mission San Ferancisco Xavier in 1697. By 1768, the year before the establishment of the San Diego mission, there were at leasat five lower California missions with vineyards producing wine and brandy.”(Herbert, California Brandy Cuisine, Foreward.)
1715 – Jean Martell founds a trading house in Cognac and begins to deal in Cognac (Martell and Co. S.A., International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 82)
1731 – A Paper on distillation for the Royal Society Three Essays on Artificial Philosphy or Universal Chemistry by Doctor Peter Shaw noted imitation brandy was being exported out of Poland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Guinea (Chris Middleton, email 10 December 2013).
1738 – Peter Jefferson (father of Thomas Jefferson) sold some land for money and “the consideration of Henry Wetherburn’s biggest bowl of Arrack Punch” made with brandy. (California Brandy Cuisine, p. 15)
1744 – Father Miguel de Menchero reports that the wine at Mission Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe de los Mansos was as good as any produced in Spain. (Wine Production in El Paso and the Grapevine Inventory of 1775, Newmexicohistory.org)
1750s-1790s – Brandy made in New Mexico sold in Chihuahua for the prices between 20-40 Pesos a barrel, double that of a barrel of wine. (Wine Production in El Paso and the Grapevine Inventory of 1775, Newmexicohistory.org)
1756 – North Carolina Moravians are making brandy from both apples and peaches and continued to do so until the distillery burned in 1802 (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, p.30)
1769 – The manifest of the ship San Carlos has on board “5 jars of brandy”, (California Brandy Cuisine, Foreword.)
1770 – Botetourt County, Virginia establishes tavern rates for French Brandy, peach brandy, apple brandy and whiskey. (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, p.33)
1771 – The first oldest winery in California is thought to be the San Gabrial Mission in California, using vines brought in from Mexico (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p.109)
1780 – Tavern rates for what would become eastern Tennessee include set prices for peach and apple brandies. (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, p.32)
—- – Laird started distilling Apple brandy in New Jersey (Brown, Handbook of fine Brandies, p. 123)
1781 – Lincoln County (Virginia but later Kentucky) sets rates for distilled spirits including “good brandy”. (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, p. 36)
1782-83 – Sullivan has an educated guess that the first brandy from upper California “could have been as early as 1782, but might have been 1783”. (California Brandy Cuisine, Foreword.)
1784 – Padre Pablo Mugartegui had a small private still with which to convert fine California wine, produced in either 1783 01784, into great California brandy. (California Brandy Cuisine, Foreword.)
1785 – Franciscan Fathers are shipping brandy around the Horn to Spain. (California Brandy Cuisine, p21)
1786 – George Washington apologizes to Lafayette for not being able to include in a gift to Mrs. Lafayette “an anchor [about 10 gallons] of old peach brandy” (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, p.45)
—- – Madison writes a letter looking for a barrel of peach brandy and describes requirements for quality, age and type of container. (Crowgey. Kentucky Bourbon. P. 45 (footnoted as Gaillard Hunt, ed. The Writings of James Madison (New York, 1900-1910), 6:105))
1788 – Virginia forbids using grains for distilling during the war, but brandy distilling flourishes. (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, p.20)
1793 – Lexington Kentucky weekly prints notice from Mercer County “ five hundred gallons of peach brandy” is for sale (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, p.46)
1794 – William Morton of Lexington advertises that his firm is in the market for “some old peach brandy”. (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, p. 110)
1796 – Land notice for Hanging Fork area has land with 600 peach trees known to make 400 gallons of brandy in the year and 400 apple trees. (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, p. 46)
1799 – After George Washington’s death, more than 150 gallons of brandy are found at Mount Vernon. (California Brandy Cuisine, p. 15)
Early 1800s – Brandy was originally called “aguardiente’, a generic term for any spirit distilled from fruit. It was first called “brandy” in the early 1800s. (California Brandy Cuisine, p.22)
1800 – Green Clay of Madison County advertises 500 gallons of peach brandy for sale (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, p.47)
1801 – January to May the customs house at the port of Louisville records 6, 157 gallons of peach brandy passing through the port. (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, p. 47)
1800-1802 – Peach brandy prices in New Orleans are from $1 – $1.15 per gallon (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, pp.47-48)
1802 – Michaux in his travels in the United States describes “the immense quantity of peaches which they gather to convert into brandy” going on to describe how people without a still would still gather peaches and take them to a neighbor with a still for distillation. (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, P. 45)
1803 – An article later printed in Literary & Philosphical Intelligence states “Flavour of malt spirits said to be improved by putting three and half ounces of finely powdered charcoal, four and half ounces of ground rice into half a quart of spirit and letting it stand for a fifteen days, frequently stirring it, let the liquor be drained, and it will closely resemble the flavor of brandy.” (Chris Middleton, email 10 December 2013).
1807 – Fortesque Cuming observes on his travels down the Ohio River that copper stills are purchased “throughout the whole western country for distilling peach and apple brandy and rye whiskey”. (Crowgey, Kentucky Bourbon, p. 44)
1811 – Berkley County, Virginia deed between Abraham Singleton (seller) and Henry Duckwall (buyer) for “a distillery consisting of two stills, tubs, kegs and everything belonging thereto, with apple mill, trough, etc.” (Ann Henshaw Gardner Papers, Duke University)
1815 – Martell decides to focus on cognac exclusively and acquires its own vineyards and distillery (Martell and Co. S.A., International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 82)
1816 – License for Robert Snodgrass to distill 3 October -2 November, 1816, issued 28 September , 1816 for two stills 100 and 70 gallons (Ann Henshaw Gardner Papers, Duke University)
1823 – By 1823 there were 21 Franciscan missions in California. All of them had vineyard and all but four were successfully making wine and Brandy. (California Brandy Cuisine, p. 24)
1824 – An article in Register of Arts, Journal of Patent Inventions states a distiller in Copenhagen “several times distilled brandy and gin from wheat steeped in salt water” (Chris Middleton, email 10 December 2013)
1826 – California,s first full time brandy maker, Jean Luis Vignes is exiled from France and comes to California, where he makes brandy to be distributed along the coast. (California Brandy Cuisine, p. 41)
—- – Joseph Chapman plants 4,000 vines near pueblo Los Angeles and stats to produce brandy. (California Brandy Cuisine, p.47)
1833 – Father Narcisco Duran of Mission San Jose consults the governor of Mexican California on Wine and Brandy. Suggest a dessert drink made from grape juice and brandy. (California Brandy Cuisine, p.26)
1840 – Jean Luis Vignes receives $4 per gfallon for brandy shipped up the coast and sold in Monterey and San Francisco on the ship Mooson. (California Brandy Cuisine, p.75)
1842 – Captain John Sutter, a Swiss immigrant who founded Sacramento, is known to distill brandy from local wild grapes (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p.109).
Late 1840s – Leland Stanford starts to distill brandy in California. He quickly becomes the worlds largest Brandy producer and uses the money to found Stanford University and his business continued to fund the University after his death until prohibition forced them to sell off the estate (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p.110)
Ca. 1845 – Denis-Mounie’ and Jules Robin are the first company to sell cognac in a bottle. (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p,19).
1848 – Francis Korbel participates in revolution in Bohemia and is arrested. He escapes prison by dressing in civilian clothes and walking out smoking a cigar un-noticed by the guards. (Korbel Brandy website, History section.)
1849 – John Sutter’s son sells his still to General Vallejo while he is away from home. He is furious, but General Vallejo is was delighted with the purchase. (California Brandy Cuisine, p. 54)
1850s – Henry Miller, a Louisville lithographer, is printing labels for brandy bottles. (Miller, Henry, Scrapbook, The Filson Historical Society)
1850 – The “Alambic armagnacais” still is introduced. This is a continuous still. (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p,44).
1858 – Henry Morris Naglee (later a General in the Union Army) visits Europe to study viticulture and the same year purchases 140 acres east of San Jose. (Wikipedia)
1862 – The phylloxera aphid is apparently exported from the United States to Europe (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p.110)
1863 – Kohler & Frohling export their product to New York and Boston and use the phrase “Let Americans Support American Industry”, a phrase California brandy makers still use today. (California Brandy Cuisine, p. 63)
1863-64 – William Agun Milton describes in his 1909 memoirs an apple brandy distillery in the Shenandoah Valley Virginia that managed to escape the ravaging by troops on either side of the war. (Milton, William Agun 1844-1926, Memoirs, 1909, The Filson Historical Society)
1868 – Charles LeFranc of Almaden winery wins the prize for “the finest grape brandy entered in the Santa Clara County Fair”. (California Brandy Cuisine, p. 72)
—- – Winchester, Lincoln County Tennessee, letter to Mat Brotherton from James Brotherton, 19 July 1868 “I am getting one dollar a day for stilling whiskey and will get a dollar and a half for stilling brandy.” (Brotherton, William H. Papers, 1803-1910, Duke University)
—- – Letter 21 August 1868 to “sister” from James Brotherton “… make 25-30 dollars a month for farming, the same as I get making Brandy here. I like to still very well if it was not such hard work. Me and Mr. Motlow settled uo for the first of the month. He paid me $118.” (Brotherton, William H. Papers, 1803-1910, Duke University)
—- – Letter of 23 May 1868 to sister from James Brotherton “I am stilling yet and I reking that I will still all year. Me and another young man is stilling together. We have our own firm We make a heap of whiskey… If ever I do put me up a still, there is more money in whiskey now than anything else.” (Brotherton, William H. Papers, 1803-1910, Duke University)
1870s – Spanish Brandy production takes advantage of Phylloxera in France to increase their export market (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p,67).
—- – General Naglee’s “Burgundy” brandy receives a score of “100” on a scale of 1-100 in international competitions and his “Reisling” brandy receives a score of “85”. (California Brandy Cuisine, p. 61)
—- – Dr. Thomas Munson of Red River Texas and Hermann Jaeger of Missouri supplied louse resistant root stock to European vines and are awarded the Legion d’Honneur (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies. P.110)
1870 – 29 July 1870 Survey form for fruit distillers in North Carolina calls for “1 gallon pumace to 1 gallon water to keep from burning in still.” (Talton L.L. Cox Papers, 1858-1918, Duke University)
1872 – Phylloxera reaches the Cognac and within 8 years the vineyards are totally blighted. (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p,19).
—- – William Thompson of Yuba City introduces a new variety of grape to California using an English vine he planted on his farm. Thompson seedless grape became known for over-production and brandy-production (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p.110)
—- – Letter 19 July 1872 from Turner Harriss, Jackson Creek, Randolph County, North Carolina to Frank Wheeler, IRS inquiring about regulations to make some fruit brandy for family and neighbors. (Talton L.L. Cox Papers, 1858-1918, Duke University)
—- – Letter 25 July 1872 from A.L. Younce to Mr. Wheeler giving notice that they will start distilling on 5 August as well as some neighbor distilleries as “a great deal of fruit wasting”. (Talton L.L. Cox Papers, 1858-1918, Duke University)
1873 – Michael Doherty & Co. trademarks Imperial Cognac (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – Phylloxera breaks out in Napa, Sonoma and several other valleys in California and it takes 30 years to eradicate (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p.110)
—- – Francis Eisen settles near Fresno and set out his first vines. (California Brandy Cuisine, p. 74)
1874 – H. B. Kirk & co. trademarks OG (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
1876 – Rheinstrom Brothers of Cincinnati trademark RB for Blackberry Brandy (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – American Wines win gold medals at the Paris Exposition (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p.110)
1878 – The Wm. Bergenthal Company of Milwaukee trademarks Montilla Brandy (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – Reverend John I. Bleasdale, a prominent wine expert and chemist, at a formal tasting at the Mechanic’s Institute in San Francisco praises California brandy stating it pure and free of fusel oils found in so many spirits. (California Brady Cuisine, p. 78)
—- – Paul Masson imigrated to California from Burgundy after phylloxera wipes out the family’s 300 year old vineyard (Brown, handbook of fine Brandies, p.119)
—- – General Naglee’s brandy, “Naglia brandy” was declared the finest at the Centennial Exposition in 1878. (California Brandy Cuisine. P.101)
1880 – The Purifying & Maturing Process Co. of Boston trademarks a brand of the same name (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
1881 – Mihalovitch, Fletcher & Co. of Cincinnati trademarks Monarch Blackberry Brandy (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – Robert Barton, starts a vineyard near Fresno. By 1883 his establishment was called “greatest of all the Fresno vineyards”. (Californioa Brandy Cuisine, p. 52)
1882 – Venable & Heyman of New York trademarks Marquis de Lafayette Fine Champagne Cognac ( Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – The religious order of the Christian Brothers began to distill Brandy using profits to fund their school in California. (Christian Brothers website)
—- – Renauld & Niederstadt of New York trademarks Helmet Brand (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – Weideman, Holmes & Co. trademarks Kelley’s Island Grape Brandy (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – The Korbel brothers, Francis, Joseph and Anton, start making champagne in the Russian River valley of California (Korbel Brandy website, History section.)
1883 – Kate Warfield, one of the original female brandy-makers, won the first premium at the California State Fair with her brandy. Disgruntled competitors insisted on a second test that only confirmed the original results. (California Brandy Cuisine, p. 90)
1885 – Mihalovitch, Fletcher & Co. of Cincinnati trademarks Mihalovitch Hungarian Blackberry Juice (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – Cook and Bernheimer of New York trademarks Blackberry Brandy A Delightful Tonic – A Remedy for All Difficulties of the Bowels (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – U.S. Senator George Hearst acquires Madrone Vineyard of Sonoma Valley. He perfected the vineyards and brandy making and proudly served California brandy to International guests. (California Brandy Cuisine. P.29)
1887 – J. R. Hardin signs a lease for land in Meade County, Ky. To build an apple brandy distillery. The lease is for the years 1888-1890. Much discussion about the type of apples that the land owner will supply for the distillery owner. (Hardin Family Papers, The Filson Historical Society)
1888 – On July 27 there is testimony before a Senate committee by several people in the liquor trade on taxation of spirits. In the discussion on brandy they point out that fruit brandy distillers are small, part time distillers and are not subject to the bonding rules. That only 1 in 3 barrels of brandy are taxed as a result. Apple and peach brandies are discussed. (Rare Pamphlet, Congressional Record, Filson Hostorical Society).
1889 – Julius P, Smith of San Francisco trademarks Olivina Brand (Mida’s Criteria National Register of Trademarks)
—- – H.H.W. McIntyre of Vina, Ca. trademarks DV (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – Rheinstrom Brothers of Cincinnati trademarks Mother Putnam’s own Blackberry Cordial (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – Practical Distiller by Leonard Monzert is published. Includes sections on making Brandy from fruit as well as grapes.
—- – Francis Korbel starts shipping his premium Korbel California Brandy (Korbel Brandy website, History section.)
1890 – Shipments of Wine and Brandy from Napa, Cal. Were 626 cars wine and 38 cars of brandy, (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 18, 1891 p. 52)
—- – The San Francisco Examiner writes that brandy made at San Gabriel Wine Company are “highly superior to the dubious beverage made in France”. (California Brandy Cuisine, p. 80)
—- – Leland Stanford distills his entire vintage into brandy this year making him the world’s largest distiller of of grape brandy in the late 1800s. (California Brandy Cuisine, p. 88)
1891 – National Distilling Company of Milwaukee trademarks Chateau La Rose Cognac Brandy (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – Luhrs & Harrs of New York trademarks Fidus et Fidelis (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – Advertisement for Monarch Blackberry Brandy by Native Wines and Spirits, 168-72 East Pearl Street, Cincinnati (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 18, 1891 p. 12)
—- – Article on Brown-Forman discusses its history and the fact that they carry lines of peach and apple brandies as well as Bourbon. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 18, 1891 p. 40)
—- – Wine and Spirit Bulletin publishes a list of brandies imported from France (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 18, 1891 p. 72)
—- – Advertisement for Walden Cognac stating that they were the “Largest Distillers of Pure Brandy in the World with distilleries in Geyserville and St. Helena, California (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 18, 1891 p. 95)
—- – Advertisement for California Brandy with vintages 1887-1888-1889. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, February 3, 1891 p. 30)
—- – Advertisement from T. H. Shirley &Co. of Louisville for Apple and Peach Brandy (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, March 3, 1891 p. 4)
—- – J. H. Wagner of Oakland California is to build a new distillery (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, March 3, 1891 p. 13)
—- – Wine and Spirits Bulletin publishes a list of French Brandies. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, March 3, 1891 p. 15)
—- – Rumor has it that a Pool or Syndicate is trying to control brandy output in California and may control as much as half already. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, April 3, 1891 p. 12)
—- – California Brandy report – crop in excellent shape. Syndicate has not materialized but undoubtedly had an effect on stiffening prices. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, April 18, 1891 p. 11)
—- – Gallegos Wine Company, Irvington, Ca. was seized by the government on account of fraud alleged in unlawful use of taxed brandy since 1889. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, April 18, 1891 p. 21)
—- – Brandy Distillery of Monticello Wine Company, Charlettesville, West Virginia burned on [April] 19. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, May 3, 1891 p. 15)
—- – California Brandy strengthens every day and shipments are very heavy. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, May 18, 1891 p. 11)
—- – California Brandies are fast coming to the front. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, May 18, 1891 p. 12)
—- – Mehalovitch, Fletcher & Co. [Monarch Blackberry Brandy] must increase capacity to meet demand. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, May 18, 1891 p. 14)
—- – Walden & Co. – increase demand in Europe for their Cognac. Over 60,000 gallons to Germany and Great Britain. Article includes analyses of the spirit versus cognac. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, May 18, 1891 p. 20)
—- – Walden & Co. will handle over 3,500 tons of grapes and is at fullest capacity. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, July 3, 1891 p. 21)
—- – Advertisement for Urbana Wine Company of Urbana, N.Y. features brandy for sale. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, July 18, 1891 p. 1)
—- – Apple and Peach crops are very heavy. Fruit brandies will be low priced next year. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, July 18, 1891 p. 26)
—- – Monarch Blackberry Brandy has enormous sales in the Southern States. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, July 18, 1891 p. 27)
—- – Advertisement for A. Wherle & Son, Native Wines and Catawba Brandy, Middle Bass Island, Lake Erie, Ohio . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, August 3, 1891 p. 21)
—- – Advertisement for Engels and Krudwig Native Wines and Brandies, Sandusky, Ohio . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, August 3, 1891 p. 24)
—- – Advertisement for F. O. Boyd & Co California Wines and Brandies 54 Broad St. New York . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, August 3, 1891 p. 41)
—- – Advertisement for Charles Stern & Sons California Wines and Spirits . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, August 3, 1891 p. 41)
—- – Reading, Pennsylvania has a fine crop of apples for applejack this year. Last year there was no applejack distilled in the Schuykill Valley . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, August 18, 1891 p. 14)
—- – I. DeTurk Wines and Brandies will be sold exclusively by Delafield, McGovern & Co. east of the Mississippi . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, September 3, 1891 p. 13)
—- – Mihalovitch, Fletcher & Co. exported 200 barrels of Blackberry Brandy to Mexico . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, September 3, 1891 p. 15)
—- – Mr. Franklin Walden is in London showing samples of the 1890 vintage of their Brandy . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, September 3, 1891 p. 19)
—- – An article about California Distilling Works and the “Brandy oils” they are making, referencing their advertisement on page 3 . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, September 3, 1891 p. 21)
—- – Article from Hammondsport Vintage Co. Penn Yan, N.Y. – Brandy is pure distillation of grape and is free from fusel oil “for medicinal purposes it has no superior”. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, October 3, 1891 p. 13)
—- – Apple Brandy crop will be heavy. Expect low profit margins for first year to have three year bonding of Brandy. Many applying for bonded warehouses. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, October 18, 1891 p. 11)
—- – Pleasant Valley Wine Company of Hammondsport, N.Y. is building a distillery. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, November 3, 1891 p. 12)
—- – Walden & Co. has their brandy in over 200 leading places in England. These places find it suoperior to Cognac. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, November 3, 1891 p. 21)
—- – Article that describes how applejack is made in New Jersey. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, November 3, 1891 p. 25)
1892 – Fruit Valley Wine and Fruit Co. of California is fined for running an unlicensed distillery. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 3, 1892 p. 14)
—- – California has produced 1,804,712 gallons of Brandy, mostly in the northern section of the state. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 18, 1892 p. 34)
—- – Article about the Urbana Wine Co. with illustrations pf their president Harlo Hakes and Vice president D.M. Hildreth. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 18, 1892 p. 48)
—- – Walden and Co. moves their New York offices as they grow to need more space. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, February 3, 1892 p. 20)
—- – The German Bark Oberon left San Francisco with 92,500 gallons of Brandy, mostly from Walden & co. This had a price of 50 cents per gallon free of taxes. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, February 18, 1892 p. 27)
—- – Advertisement for S. Jung & Co., Milwaukee as importers of Ky. Bourbon and California Brandy (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, May 18, 1892 p. 17)
—- – Advertisement for Engels & Krudwig, Sandusky, Ohio Native Wines and Brandies with 250,000 gallon capacity (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, July 3, 1892 p. 31)
—- – Advertisement for A Wherle & Son Middle Bass Island, Lake Erie Ohio Pure Native Wines and Catawba Brandy (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, July 3, 1892 p. 48)
—- – Advertisement for F. O Boyd & co. Commision Merchants for California Wines and Brandies, 59 Broad Stereet, N.Y. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, July 3, 1892 p. 52)
—- – Article on Georgia Brandy “expects to make a vast quantity of Brandy – mostly peach, this year” there were 400 Brandy distillers in the state (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, July 18, 1892 p. 49)
—- – Apples scarce in Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee this year and a small crop of Brandy expected (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, August 18, 1892 p. 12)
—- – Dr. John R. Chappell of Petersburg, Va. Is said to have in his possession some peach brandy made in his county of Dinwiddie, Va. In 1800 (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, August 18, 1892 p. 15)
—- – A small distillery is being added to A. Schmidt, Jr. Wine Co. of Sandusky, Ohio Wine and Spirit Bulletin, September 18, 1892 p. 13)
—- – Hugo Engels of Engels and Krudwig was in Louisville (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, September 18, 1892 p. 14)
—- – Article on Tennessee distilling “Brandy reputation in Tennessee ranks amongst the first” (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, October 18, 1892 p. 15)
—- – Spirits competition in Dublin, Ireland has H. E. Hudson saying about George West & Son’s gold medal Brandy that it was “as good as old Cognac” (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, October 18, 1892 p. 22)
—- – Article on California Brandy ‘in 1891 produced 1,900,000 gallons with 432,851 gallons sent overseas. 1890 production was just 611,706 gallons (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, November 3, 1892 p. 27)
—- – Article about Wm. Rogers & Son becoming brokers and Distiller Agents for Peach and Apple Brandies of New York and New Jersey (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, December 3, 1892 p.19)
—- – Czech immigrants, the Korbels began making brandy using a solera system (Brown, Handbook of fine Brandies, p.118)
1894 – T. H. Shirley of Louisville trademarks Absolutely Pure Kentucky Apple Brandy (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – Rheinstrm, Bettman, Johnson & Co. of Cincinatti trademarks Eclipse Blackberry Brandy
1900 – Walden & Co. of Geyserville, Cal. Trademarks a bottle (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – S. Lachman Company of San Francisco trademarks California (Mida’s National Register of Trademarks)
—- – Urbana Wine Co., has advertisement with more graphics (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, June 1, 1900 p.27)
1901 – Advertisement for Sweet Valley Wine Co. with Royal Oak Brand (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1901 p.23)
—- – Thos. J. Batman is the successor to T.H. Shirley & Co. apple and peach brandies (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, March 1, 1901 p.11)
—- – The German government orders 300 barrels of California Brandy for their Army and Navy (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, April 1, 1901 p.20)
—- – Mr. Victor Fletcher of Mihalovitch, Fletcher and Co. was in Louisville (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, April 1, 1901 p.22)
—- – The apple and peach brandy crop will be larger but the quality will suffer because drought caused much defect of fruit (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, September 1, 1901 p.16)
—- – Advertisement for Grape Brandy from the Lenk Wine Co., of Toledo, Ohio (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, November 1, 1901 p.4)
1902 – Article titled “Fruit Distilleries Close” states that the distilleries in the 7th district of southern Indiana will be finishing the season with over 1,200 barrels of apple and peach Brandy distilled. One firm, Alexander & Co. of New Amsterdam, Harrison County, distilled almost 1,000 barrels and the rest were produced in smaller amounts by farmer distillers. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1902 p.28)
—- – Article about distillers in Cognac and the surrounding region suing to make “Cognac” a type of Brandy only from that region (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, April 1, 1902 p.24)
—- – Sweet Valley Wine Co. advertising “Grape, Wild Cherry and Blackberry Brandies” (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, April 1, 1902 p.42)
—- – T J Batman closed out on a lot Apple Brandy, the entire crop of one distillery (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, May 1, 1902 p.22)
—- – Severe winter has killed much fruit and damaged orchards making the advance of Brandy a good deal (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, May 1, 1902 p.24)
—- – Fire at the warehouse for Sonoma Valley and Brandy Co. at 10-22 Hamilton Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. was second within a year (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, August 1, 1902 p.49)
—- – C L Applegate of Owensboro was in Louisville talking with T J Batman about the crop of Apple Brandy for the year (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, September 1, 1902 p.19)
—- – Cartoon proclaiming T J Batman “The King of Brandy” (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, November 1, 1902 p.29)
1903 – Article about California brandy being allowed to be drawn tax free for fortifying wine by non-distillers (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1903, p.11)
—- – St. George Winery of Maltimore, Califonia was destroyed by fire on December 13, 1902 (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1903, p.17)
—- – Advertisement for Sweet Valley Wine Co., Kelly’s Island, Ohio has illustration of winery. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1903, p.48)
—- – Article about Asti Winery in Sonoma County, California. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, February 1, 1903, p.23)
—- – Article titled “Brandy Trade Secrets – French Brandy Improved with American Help” describes how a Texas vine that is disease resistant is taken to France to save vineyards. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, February 1, 1903, p.39)
—- – Mr. P. Rossi of Italian-Swiss Colony of San Francisco is appointed by Governor Pardee to represent California at the International Congress of Agriculture in Rome. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, April 1, 1903, p.17)
—- – Italian-Swiss Colony Advertisement (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, April 1, 1903, p.33)
—- – Mihalovitch, Fletcher & Co. is incorporated with $500,000 in stock. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, June 1, 1903, p.48)
—- – Apple and Peach Brandy Advertisement from Thomas J. Batman (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, August 1, 1903, p.16)
—- – W. J. Morse of California Wine & Brandies was in Louisville for a visit. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, October 1903, p. 19)
—- – E,J. Macon of Macon & Carson of Bentonville, Arkansas, was in Louisville for a visit. Their firm was largest distiller of fruit brandy in the U.S. . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, October 1903, p. 19)
—- – Article on Union Wine Company of Kelly’s Island, Ohio. Makers of wine and brandy from Catawba grapes. . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, October 1903, p. 37)
—- – Sweet Valley Wine Co. had a meeting of directors that voted a 3% dividend to stock holders. . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, November 1903, p. 24)
—- – Last year [1902] there were 16 brandy distilleries in Arkansas, but only 3 operating in 1903 because of shortage of fruit. . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, November 1903, p. 39)
—- – Crawford Bros. of Milton, Ky. Has a new distillery for making apple brandy. . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, November 1903, p. 39)
—- – Ogden, Utah to establish a fruit brandy distillery to use excess fruit – mostly peaches –that would go to waste otherwise. . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, November1903, p. 39)
—- – Indiana apple crop is larger this year than at any other point, when most of the country has a failure of the crop. Country will have to depend largely on Indiana for apple brandy. . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, December 1, 1903, p. 19)
—- – Brownsville Fruit Brandy Distributing Company, New York, incorporated for $3,000. . (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, December 1, 1903, p. 43)
1904 – Wine and Spirit Journal states that there were 1,326 fruit distilleries operating at the end of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1903. This was down 491 from 1902 and 542 from 1901. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1904, p.21)
—- – Milhalovitch, Fletcher & Co. had a fire destroying a $250,000 processing building. Two firemen were injured, but the 50 women working in the building escaped without harm. The fire was caused by an overheated stove. The Offices and main distillery were spared. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, February 1, 1904, pp.35& 49)
—- – Italian-Swiss Colony Co. moved their San Francisco offices to the block on Battery, Greenwick and Sansome Streets. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, March 1, 1904, p.21)
—- – Utah capitalist will establish a brandy distillery at Brigham City, using an old distillery that had been operated near Kaysville. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, March 1, 1904, pp.41-42)
—- – The new government regulations on the storage and taxation of brandy are printed. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, March 1, 1904, p.62)
—- – A new distillery to make brandy and whiskey is built at Hansford, California by E.P. Thomas and C.H. Swayne (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, April 1, 1904, p. 35)
—- – Golden West Distillery Co. of Berkley, California is re-incorporated. This is a brandy distillery (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, May 1, 1904, p.47)
—- – Advertisement for John Fee Jr. “Old Jersey Apple” Free or in Bond, P.O. Box 19 South River, Middlesex County, N.J. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, June 1, 1904, p.16)
—- – Thomas J. Batman left June 20 for a sales trip to Illinois (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, July 1, 1904, p.29)
—- – A blackberry wine recipe (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, August 1, 1904, pp.43&45)
—- – List of distillers and growers in the California Wine Association (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, September 1, 1904, p.84)
—- – Article titled “The New West Virginia License Law” describes the new $500 tax on distillers selling in the state other than fruit and Brandy products (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, October 1, 1904, p.17)
—- – Article on Thomas J. Batman who “sells more Apple Brandy than any other house in the United States”. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, October 1, 1904, p.41)
1905 – Article describing the California protest on the IRS tax on fruit brandy used to fortify wines. It could cost grape growers $5-$20 a ton. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1905, p.19)
—- – Mihalovitch and Fletcher use a loan on life insurance benefits totaling $50,000 to make improvements to their plant on East Pearl Street, Cincinnati (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1905, p.19)
—- – An article on Italian – Swiss Colony, organized in 1881 on a cooperative plan and makes over 30 varieties of wines and brandies (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1905, p.28)
—- – Advertisement for Union Wine Company’s Grape Brandy, located Kelly’s Island, Ohio, Otto W. Brown, Manager (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1905, p.30)
—- – Article on sweet wine production and the proposed tax on brandy used in its production (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1905, p.37)
—- – Article on Urbana Wine Company, Urbana, New York and their banner year (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1905, p.48)
—- – Article with illustration of Sweet Valley Wine Company. “Operating Brandy distilleries full time, day and night, during the season”. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1905, p.55)
—- – Advertisement for L.D. Addison, Distiller, Breckinridge County, Ky. of Apple Brandy and Old Breckinridge Whiskey (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, January 1, 1905, p.64)
—- – Advertisement for Batman & Co. (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, February 1, 1905, p.15)
—- – Samuel Flaumann of Hartford, Connecticut arrested for making illegal brandy at a scrap yard (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, February 1, 1905, p.26)
—- – Article on Nelson Greenbrier Distillery that also makes apple and peach brandy (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, February 1, 1905, pp.18-20)
—- – Article on the history of brandy is a Remy Martin translation of French document from Louis XV’s time (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, April 1, 1905, pp.31-36)
—- – Arthur Rosenheim of Mihalovitch & Fletcher is in Pittsburg taking orders (Wine and Spirit Bulletin, May 1, 1905, p.71)
1909 – Mida’s Financial Index Lists the following businesses:
Ranking Company
In Hands of receiver Mihalovitch, Fletcher & Co.. Cincinnati
A Rheinstrom Bros. Cincinnati, Ohio
BBB Engels & Krudwig Wine Co., Sandusky, Ohio
D The Sweet Valley Wine Co., Sandusky, Ohio
B Lenk Wine Co., Toledo, Ohio
DDD Michael Doherty& Co. Boston, Mass.
EE F O Boyd Co., New York, New York
A Cook & Bernheimer Co., New York, New York
CCC H B Kirk and Co., New York, New York
BB Renauld and Niederstadt, New York, New York
BB Urbana Wine Co., Urbana, New York
AAAA National Distilling Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
C Wm. Bergenthal Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
—- – Cognac is protected by law and can only be made in officially sanctioned land zones. (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p,19).
1933 – Ernest and Julio Gallo start a winery at the end of prohibition (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandis, p.116)
1934 – J. T. S. Brown, Jr. explores the idea of making citrus wine and brandy in Florida. Many letters dealing with the subjects involved. Letters to cooperages, Vendome and government regulators. (Brown-Walker Family Papers, folders 14-15, The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, Ky.)
1937 – The government regulations for Brandy following the repeal of prohibition. ( Lee W. Mida’s Directory Merchandiser, 1937)
—- – Manufacture of whiskey, Brandy & Cordials by Irving Hirsch is published. In includes five chapters on Making Brandy with separate chapters for Applejack, Pear Brandy and Slivowitch.
1938 – A grape prorate is passed in California requiring every producer to distill 45% of their crop and store it for two years (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p.110)
—- – Distillerie Tuoni Canepa is founded in Livorono, Italy (Tuaca brandy based liquor) (Distillerie Tuoni Canepa Srl., International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 149)
1941- Authorities placed a 85% abv ceiling on distillation of Brandy to avoid being categorized as “Neutral” spirit (Brown, Handbook of fine Brandies, p.112)
1948 – The famed “General Naglee Brandy, last made before his death in 1886, is served and declared “exquisite”. (California Brandy Cuisine, p. 40)
1954 – Korbel is sold to the Heck family (Brown, handbook of fine Brandies, p. 118)
1960s – Brandy consumption had risen four-fold in the United States and 75% of it was California product (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandy , p.110)
1964 – Martell acquires the Jules Robin house and its labels (Martell and Co. S.A., International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 82)
1968 – Gallo first marketed their brandy (Brown, Handbook of fine Brandies, p.116)
1980s – Phylloxera returns to California (Brown, Handbook of fine Brandies, p.110)
1982 – Jorg Rupf opens the St. George Spirits company as an eau-de-vie distillery in Alameda, California (St. George Spirits website, Timeline)
1983 – Jepson stats a distillery at Ukiah, California (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandies, p. 117)
—- – Germain-Robin makes its first brandy in Ukiah, California after Hubert Germain-Robin and Ansley Coale start distilling at Coale’s ranch. (Jean T. Barrett, Cigar Aficionado, print edition, Linda Evangelista, Autumn 95).
1985 – Steve McCarthy starts Clear Creek Distillery as a way to use fruit produced on the family farm. (Clear Creek website, About Us)
1986 – Clear Creek distillery in Portland, Oregon began making a pear eau-de-vie. (Spoelman and Haskell, The Kings County Distillery Guide to Urban Moonshining, p.93)
1988 – Seagrams acquires Martell (Martell and Co. S.A., International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 82)
1989 – Christian Brothers sell their business to the British Firm Grand Metropolitan ending the tradition of brandy making by the French Roman Catholic teaching order (Brown, Handbook of Fine Brandy, p.115)
1990s – Dan Farber starts distilling at the Osocalis distillery in Soquel, California. (Osocalis Distillery website, History.)
1991 – New York Times Magazine writes that Clear Creek Distillery is making some of the best fruit brandies ever made in the U.S. (The New York Times Magazine, December 8, 1991)
1996 St. George Spirits hire brewer and former nuclear scientist Lance Winters as a distiller. (St. George Spirits website, Lance Winters)
1999 – Brown-Forman acquires distribution rights to Tuaco (Distillerie Tuoni Canepa Srl., International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 149)
2002 Pernod Ricard acquires Martell after Seagram’s is dissolved (Martell and Co. S.A., International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 82)
—- – Brown-Forman acquires 100% of Distilleries Tuoni Canepa (Distillerie Tuoni Canepa Srl., International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 149)
2008 – Toms Foolery distillery in Chagrin Falls, Ohio was started in this year by Tom Herbrook. He makes 1,485 proof gallons or 24 barrels of his Applejack brandy from 1005 apples with no sugar or GNS added to the product.
2010 – Jorg Ruph retires from St. George Spirits and sells their Hanger One Vodka to Proximo Spirits (St George Spirits Website)
2014 – On April 1, 2014, peach brandy made at Mount Vernon goes on sale for the first time in 200 years. (Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, Press Release, March 19, 2014)
