American Whiskey

Whiskey and other spirits such as rum played a major role in the American colonies and in the new American republic. Boston had an operating rum distillery as early as 1657. It was highly successful and rum became colonial New England's largest and most prosperous industry.

The production of rum was disrupted when the British blockade prevented the importation of sugar and molasses. As a result, a substitute was sought to meet the demand for spirits in general and for provisions for the Revolutionary Army. The substitute waswhiskey.

Even before the Revolution, whiskey was the preferred way to use surplus grains in the frontier settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains. The expansion of a corn belt in Kentucky and Ohio had created a corn surplus. There were no roads in the region and most transportation was by packhorse. It cost more to transport corn or grain than it could bring on the eastern markets, so farmers distilled it into "liquid assets" that could easily be shipped or bartered. Every farmer made whiskey and it became a standard of exchange.

The first Kentucky whiskey was made in 1789 and a tax on whiskey led to the first test of federal power, the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794. After serving as president, George Washington became the new republic's largest whiskey distiller.

Whiskey and other spirits such as rum played a major role in the American colonies and in the new American republic. Boston had an operating rum distillery as early as 1657. It was highly successful and rum became colonial New England's largest and most prosperous industry.

The production of rum was disrupted when the British blockade prevented the importation of sugar and molasses. As a result, a substitute was sought to meet the demand for spirits in general and for provisions for the Revolutionary Army. The substitute waswhiskey.

Even before the Revolution, whiskey was the preferred way to use surplus grains in the frontier settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains. The expansion of a corn belt in Kentucky and Ohio had created a corn surplus. There were no roads in the region and most transportation was by packhorse. It cost more to transport corn or grain than it could bring on the eastern markets, so farmers distilled it into "liquid assets" that could easily be shipped or bartered. Every farmer made whiskey and it became a standard of exchange.

The first Kentucky whiskey was made in 1789 and a tax on whiskey led to the first test of federal power, the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794. After serving as president, George Washington became the new republic's largest whiskey distiller.