Berkshire Mountain Distillers puts out several types of gin, vodka, a rum thats equal parts tropical fruit and smoky wood, a solid bourbon and a corn whiskey made with the local New England crop. The neutral spirits (pure 190 proof alcohol) they produce are also used to make things like gin, liqueurs and malt beverages. Life was hard and short for most of our ancestors and they felt that strong drink was a necessity of lifeThey knew that spirits disinfected, brought warmth as well as good humor and cheer to their uncomfortable lot. It was another 18 years until another distillery would fill the whole in Pennsylvanians hearts. in 1866, referring to the year the brand claims the distillery was officially established in the ironically dry county of Lynchburg (though biographer Peter Krass disputes that timeline in Blood and Whiskey: The Life and Times of Jack Daniel, claiming the distillery opened in 1975). Booze and Brews Walking Tour in Downtown Carlisle. Aleasha Monroe, West Overton Villages Chief of Staff and head distiller was in the process of brewing West Overtons first batch of rye whiskey when I visited. The distillery, located near the college town of Auburn, opened in 2014 and makes vodka, gin, rum, spiced rum and single malt whiskey. Enjoy it neat or in any number of classic bourbon cocktails. Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka is a brand of American made vodka distilled in Glenshaw, Pennsylvania by Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries, LLC. IF YOU BEGIN reading about the origins of bourbon whiskey, you will soon encounter the story of how the Whiskey Rebellion drove Pennsylvania distillers down the Ohio river and into Kentucky. Bushmills still parties (and distills whiskey) like it's 1608 Shutterstock Bushmills distillery, located in Antrim, Northern Ireland, can trace its official record back over 400 years, when the area was first given a distilling license, according to the company's website. Except where otherwise noted, this work is subject to Age: 52 years old (50 when first bottled and sold) Type of whisky: Blended Scotch Whisky. His great-grandson, who would spend much of his first 30 years in West Overton was Henry Clay Frick, one of the most well-known industrialists in Western Pennsylvania history. The Last Drop 50 Year Old Double Matured. Commons Attribution 4.0 license. . The only way youre going to see anything from Woodstone Creek is if youre in the area. Blackwater has dabbled in whiskey aging projects but mostly puts out specialty rums and vodkas. The Bomberger's Distillery, located in Pennsylvania, is the state's oldest distillery, dating back to 1753. Tours of the Overholt Homestead, the main home on the property are offered every hour on the hour. This Spooky Industrial Park In Pennsylvania Has Stood In Decay for 30 Years Linfield Industrial Park spans 196 acres in Limerick, about 35 miles north-west of Philadelphia. They use a small batch copper still and South Dakota ingredients to make whiskey, vodka and brandy. Along with the jug decanters, they also sold limited edition ceramic decanters replicating national symbols such as the Liberty Bell or the Conestoga wagon. Finally kicking the last effects of Prohibition, which wasnt abolished in the state until 1966, Cathead puts out several types of flavored vodka along with their standard sweet-corn-based vodka and multiple gins. Wellall but one. Instead of tossed-together tasting rooms, many distilleries have added on-site cocktail bars that have become vibrant community hangouts. What is the oldest whiskey still in production? Stranahans was early to the American single malt game, setting up shop in Denver long before Americans realized their countrymen were making whiskeys to rival Scottish single malts. The shift started in 2011, when then governor Tom Corbett signed Act 113, legislation that made the distilling business easier and cheaper for upstarts. This charming and vibrant Luckily, the owners had their brewery, Yellowstone Valley Brewing Co., to lean on until everything was sorted out. Since it was founded by Frick and the cause of the Johnstown Flood, it may be of interest to some people. The company also had something going for them that no other distillery in the nation had. The Laird family still runs the joint today. The distillery, located near the college town of Auburn, opened in 2014 and makes. Despite its history, youre not going to find many fans of MGP who love old distillery stories. Eleven years later, theyre still repping their local flavors with bourbon, wheated whiskey, gin and vodka. Until 1987, Pennsylvania was home to one of the oldest liquor brands in the nation, Old Overholt, until Beam bought them and moved operations to Kentucky. Being the oldest and longest running doesnt always mean being the bestbut then again, sometimes it does. Yuengling is also the largest craft brewery in the country based on volume of sales. Contact. In 2015, Jim Murray named the distillerys Arkansas Single Barrel Reserve Whiskey the U.S. Micro Whisky of the Year, saying it was, Unquestionably one of the great micro-distillery bourbons of all time.. York City is served by the 17401, 17403, 17404, and 17405 ZIP codes. The land that Westford Hills Distillery is on was first purchased by the Chatey family in 1919, the year before Prohibition started. The Colorado brand has inspired so much love and devotion in its 13 years of existence that madly loyal customers routinely line up in sub-zero temperatures for the distillerys annual Snowflake release. SevenFifty Dailyis an award-winning online magazine about the business and culture of the beverage alcohol industrycovering all three tiers of the alcohol industry. As long as theyre mixing their own spirits, the newly relaxed PLCB allows it. Although new owners bought the property in 2011, there are no signs of re-opening Americas oldest distillery. Housed in an old cotton warehouse, the distillery produces several types of rum from local sugar cane, as well as a Cajun spiced rum that really shows off the brands Louisiana sass. Rye was a natural grain to work with since it grew well in the northern mid-Atlantic climate. Working with Dogfish Head, which was also interested in distilling in the state, the duo succeeded and opened their distillery in a 1940s movie theater. Theres also a version rested with black peppercorns, which nicely ups the ryes spicy backbone. A tour was set up for visitors to see the process of whiskey-making as well as some of the historical character of the property. According to Ethan Smith, a Pennsylvania whiskey historian, there wasnt too much that Michters could have done that would have helped them stay open for much longer. Instead of aging the whiskey in oak, the distillers follow the Central Pennsylvania tradition of alternative wood maturationin this case, hickory, which gives the spirit a sweet nuttiness that suggests toasted pecans. Bowmore is the oldest distillery on Islay. And while some states like Kentucky have a long, rich history of distilling, others have only recently gotten back into it since Prohibition. For over 100 years, this land was home to various companies, most notably Kinseys Distillery. But it wasnt until 1953 that Makers Mark plunked itself down in the historic distillery before producing its first signature wax-sealed bottle in 1958. Dobenick, Monica von. as the oldest operating bourbon distillery in the world, Burks Distillery beats out all of the other distilleries that now pack the bourbon trail. Since 2012, Wigle has created over 50 jobs in the Pittsburgh area. Prairie Wolf Spirits is the latest venture, and its also the first distillery in the state since Prohibition. The brands gin, vodka and brandy are based on cider from a local apple farm, but the Flag Hill distillers have also proven themselves serious whiskey makers by producing a bourbon and a rye inspired by the Monongahela Rye style. In case you couldnt tell by the name (its pronounced drink), this is not a humble craft distillery. Since Michters was the only distillery in Pennsylvania that fulfilled this criterion, it was allowed to operate as both a functioning distillery and tourist hotspot. Current production takes place at the Jim Beam distillery in Kentucky. I'm a huge fan of the Hidden River. Revolutionary War soldiers were supplied with this whiskey to help them get through the brutal winters, and it is speculated that George Washington himself may have stopped at Shenks to buy whiskey for his troops on his way to Valley Forge. The story of Dakota Spirits Distilling starts with a rare agreement between two siblings known as the Bickering Brothers. He was trained by Charles Everett Beam who was the grandnephew of the legendary Jim Beam himself." This painting showed scenes from the French and Indian War in southwestern PA. As reported by Smith, Michters filed for bankruptcy in May of 1983. He custom built the five stills that now create Don Quixote spirits in order to take advantage of Santa Fes altitude, which causes the base to boil more easily and allows Dolin to take a gentle hand with distillation for a purer, cleaner flavor. If you want the true oldest distillery in New York State, youll find it in Brooklyn. (Geography refresher: the Monongahela flows northward from Virginia and, via tributaries, from Maryland into Pittsburgh, where it merges with . According to their own newspaper, Jug House Journal, written by part owner Marty Yocum, their first year was quite successful. 1 by The Treasury Office. Discover America's oldest distilleries in the US. Yocum wrote, We welcomed over 40,000 visitors from 32 states and many different foreign countries, as far away as Australia.. Its owned by McMenamins and is a gathering spot for Oregonians that makes beer, wine, cider, coffee and, of course, spirits. Visits to West Overton Village start in the old distillery. They are now producing whiskey at . Recent legislation has made it easier to open a distillery in the Keystone State. But since 2010, the riverside town (a Philly suburb) has something else to brag about: Mountain Laurel Spirits. Looking for more spots to visit nearby? The first legal distillery. During my visit in the summer of 2019, the museum space was occupied by an exhibition about the local impact of World War II and industry. This old Pennsylvania distilling name got new life in the 1990s under new owners who sourced, rather than made, their whiskey. With its custom-made still and using local ingredients, New Liberty handcrafts its award-winning, barrel-aged Heritage Collection and New Liberty whiskeys. Pennsylvania's first distillery after Prohibition, Philadelphia Distilling is the oldest distillery in Philadelphia. Copyright Statement, Legal But the brands real oddball release is Hoodoo, a liqueur that pays homage to the tradition of Caribbean folk magic in the South. The exhibits were very well done and featured both great signage and even a few short films. Temperance makes more than 100 products for 60 clients and offers everything from distilling to bottling to branding in their turnkey process. Not only is Laird the oldest distillery in Jersey, but its the oldest official distillery in America, period. Not only does it provide more context about the life of one of Pittsburghs most well-known industrialists, but it also tells the story of the settlement of the region and how one community prospered using the regions crops and industry. The distillery decided to mature it a little longer, though, and it became available in July, 2021, under the name of MCDXCIV, which is the Latin numerals for 1494. The site has a documented history of spirit production dating back to 1753. His staple products (crisp white whiskey funky panela rum, luxuriously spiced gin) are worth sampling, but the most interesting stuff happens in less-traveled neo-distiller territory. All three have operated from the same location since being founded. All rights He also shook up the local Texas scene by opening the first distillery in the state since Prohibition, (cowboy) bootstrapping his way from a flavored vodka nut to a full-scale, international company (and made his way to, Wyoming Whiskey started with the goal of making something that tasted distinctly Wyoming. Skip to main content Reservation Center: (888) 886-2477 Menu Sun Outdoors call Close Menu Close Close Close Close Logo call Home Our Locations Our Brands Ways To Stay Special Offers Experiences Vacation Home Sales Word spread and other farmers wanted the Shenks to distill their surplus crops as well, which in turn helped expand their product and their name. Unfortunately, the industry was hard hit by Prohibition. They were inspired by fly fishingwell, by the natural resources of the Northwest and their potential to become delicious craft spirits. 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