The years leading up to the First World War were trying times for the distilling industry. The prohibitionists were active in making many states dry. The distilling industry had depended upon the argument put forth by the beer industry that... Continue Reading →
For a brief time after the Second World War, Bourbon distilleries had a “golden age”. The war had ended and the restrictions on distilling had ended. The distilleries had all the grain they needed to distill (after a legal battle... Continue Reading →
There are many theories as to where Bourbon Whiskey got the name “Bourbon”. Bourbon comes about because Kentucky whiskey was not selling for a profit in New Orleans, the main market for Kentucky goods in the 18th and early 19th... Continue Reading →
It is Derby week here in Kentucky and Rosemary was asking if there was a connection between Bourbon and fast horses in Kentucky. I told her that there was and she wanted me to write a blog about it. It... Continue Reading →
I have been suffering from a spring head cold lately and I have had a hot toddy or two to help remedy the symptoms. I am following a long heritage of using whiskey as a medicine. From the earliest days... Continue Reading →
I often get asked about the Hoffman Distillery. They usually have an old bottle of a brand that came from the distillery. Julian Van Winkle III briefly owned the distillery in the 1990s where he warehoused his barrels and bottled... Continue Reading →
On March 3, 2025, we are celebrating 128 years of Bottled-in-Bond whiskey. On March 3, 1897, The Bottled-in-Bond Act was signed by President Grover Cleveland. The Act was pushed for by the straight whiskey distillers in Kentucky and is considered... Continue Reading →
Michter’s Distillery has a rich heritage. The original Distillery was founded in 1753 by Swiss Mennonite brothers, John and Michael, on their farm on Snitzel Creek, near Philadelphia. They were making rye whiskey for the local market. In the 1780s... Continue Reading →
When President Hoover was elected, he had promised to have a study done on Prohibition to improve enforcement. In 1929, Hoover appointed George W. Wickersham as chairman of the commission to study the enforcement problems. Wickersham had been the Attorney... Continue Reading →
