American Whiskey

Question 1

History

Answer 1

Dates back to the 1700’s

Western PA and Virginia were ideal for the production of whiskey.

Rye grain grew exceedingly well in Pennsylvania while corn grew well in Virginia.

Question 2

Whiskey excise tax of 1791

Answer 2

Created to pay for the large debt incurred by the revolutionary war.

Farmers who produced whiskey had to pay a new tax.

Angry farmers rebelled and this is known as the whiskey rebellion.

The government suppressed the rebellion by calling out the militia.

The whiskey excise tax was eventually repealed during Thomas Jefferson’s presidency.

Question 3

Bottled-in-bond Act

Answer 3

E.H.Taylor, the mayor of Frankfurt Kentucky and later a US senator created this act in 1897.

The law was passed ostensibly to ensure the authenticity of bourbon. The act mandated that to be considered bonded and labeled as such, the maturing whiskey had to be kept in a locked bonded warehouse for four years, be the product of one distillery from one distilling season, and be bottled it 100 proof.

Was the first serious consumer protection act ruled out by the government and later lead to the formation of the FDA.

Question 4

Straight-whiskey

Answer 4

Made from 100% aged grain spirit

Question 5

Volstead Act (Prohibition)

Answer 5

1920-1933 (repeal day)

Lead by Women’s Temperance Union, Anti-saloon League, religious politicians, and organizations like the KKK.

Prohibited the manufacture, transportation, or sale of liquor, but did not prohibit the consumption of alcohol.

Two main ways to get whiskey, prescription or illegal purchase.

Doctors were allowed to prescribe up to a pint every 10 days and they made large sums of money by selling prescriptions to people who could pay.

Caused a rise in speakeasies and backwoods bars that sourced their alcohol from organized crime (mafia) who sold whiskey from Canada, Mexico, the caribbean, and Scotland.

Question 6

Federal Alcohol Administration Act

Answer 6

1935

Most influential of all of the laws passed concerning the alcohol beverage industry.

Specific definitions of what exactly constitutes different types of whiskey

Question 7

Bourbon Whiskey history

Answer 7

Elijah Craig credited with the invention.

Jacob Spears first to label whiskey as Bourbon Whiskey.

Brought to present-day Kentucky in late 18th Century by europeans to avoid the Whiskey Excise Tax.

September is National Bourbon Heritage Month

Question 8

Kentucky Bourbon Trail

Answer 8

Kentucky Distiller’s Association launched in 1999

10 distilleries

Secondary “craft tour” has 13 artesian distilleries.