LIFT YOUR SPIRITS

Take a cultural journey along the American Whiskey Trail

Written by Linda Harkcom

According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), spirits tourism is a booming industry, as more and more people are looking to discover and explore the rich history and heritage sites behind their favorite spirits.

In 2004, DISCUS created The American Whiskey Trail. According to Maggie Quinn, director of public relations for DISCUS, over the nearly two decades since, there has been a proliferation of more than 2,000 small distilleries in cities and towns across the country. As the U.S. distilled spirits market becomes more diverse, the opportunity for distilleries and local economies to capitalize on spirits tourism has also grown, leading to more than 40 distillery trails across the country.

“The increase in spirits tourism is a clear indication of the growing awareness and appreciation for the art and science of distillation, and a desire among consumers to experience and understand the nuances that make each spirit unique,” Quinn says. “It is exciting to see consumers seek out experiences that connect them to the stories of producers and processes behind the products they love – from grain to glass!”

In 2022 DISCUS launched Destination Distillery, www.destinationdistillery.com, a website providing a tourism-driven experience and educational journey into the cultural heritage and history of spirits in America. One of the trails featured on this new website is the Whiskey Rebellion Trail.

The Whiskey Rebellion took place in the 1790s. It was a violent tax protest against the “whiskey tax,” which was the first tax put on a domestic product by the United States government.

The Whiskey Rebellion Trail stretches from Pennsylvania through

Maryland, and all the way to the nation’s capital.

The trail starts in the Philadelphia region of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, Pa., was the nation’s capital when the whiskey excise legislation was passed in 1791. It’s also where President Washington issued a proclamation against the Whiskey Rebellion’s rebels.

Distillers and attractions listed at this point on the trail include: Five Saints Distilling, Manatawny Still Works, Revivalist Spirits and Stoll and Wolfe Distillery.

Avianna Wolfe, who co-owns Stoll and Wolfe Distillery in Lititz, Pa., with her husband Erik Wolfe, says their historic whiskey distillery in Lancaster County is reviving a 275-year whiskey distilling legacy.

“Stoll and Wolfe’s legacy pre-dates the Whiskey Rebellion itself, our late Master Distiller Dick Stoll, who was trained under C. Everett Beam, was the last master distiller at the first recognized distillery in the country beginning in 1753,” Avianna Wolfe says.

Still and Wolfe distills rye and bourbon, cask finishes and distillery only releases. It offers tastings, tours, craft cocktails and private events. For hours of operation and other information, visit www.stollandwolfe.com.

Western Pennsylvanian was the hotbed of the rebellion and our second stop on the Whiskey Rebellion Tour.

Featured distillers and attractions listed at this point on the trail include Bradford House Museum, Burgess & Burgess Distillery, Golden Eagle Inn, Lawrenceville Distilling, Liberty Pole Spirits, Maggie’s Farm Rum, Quantum Spirits, Tall Pines Distillery, West Overton Village and Museum, Wigle Whiskey, the Whiskey Rebellion Festival and Woodville Experience.

West Overton Village and Museum was a working farm, distillery and village at the time of the Whiskey Rebellion. In 1928, it was established as a museum by Helen Clay Frick honoring her father, Henry Clay Frick, who was born on the property. The museum preserves about 40 acres of the Overholt family’s original farm.

One of the newest features at the museum is an old grain been which has been outfitted with structural glass so that visitors can stand in the middle of the bin and see above, as well as below them. Co-Executive Director Aaron Hollis said the exhibit allows guests to understand what 3,000 pounds of grain looks and feels like.

In 2020, West Overton Distilling began producing its own brand of Monongahela rye whiskey at the Educational Distillery, located in their historic two-story brick stock barn. The Educational Distillery distills whiskey with a recipe of 80 percent rye grain and 20 percent malted barley.

The whiskey is aged in charred White Oak barrels.

“The product for us is great, but we did this to teach people about the process, the science and the history of whiskey production,” Hollis says.

The organization hosts adult events as well as family-friendly events throughout the year. For more information on events as well as operating days and times, visit www.westovertonvillage.org.

Maryland was the only state not to ratify the Prohibition amendment. This made Baltimore the epicenter of undercover whiskey distillation and our next stop on the tour. Featured distillers include Baltimore Spirits Company, McClintock Distilling Company, Olde Line Spirits, Sagamore Spirit and Tenth Ward Distilling.

Sagamore Spirit’s award-winning, five-acre waterfront distillery is located in the Baltimore. Md., Peninsula neighborhood.

“At Sagamore Spirit, we craft premium rye whiskies which are a blend of two mash bills, a high-rye and a lowrye,” says Brian Treacy, co-founder and president of Sagamore Spirit.

According to Treacy, Maryland’s reputation for rye whiskey craft dates back to colonial times. He says the state was once one of the leading producers of whiskey, being home to more than 44 distilleries before Prohibition and World War II took their tolls, finally dwindling down to dormancy by the early 1970s.

“At Sagamore Spirit, our mission from day one has been to share a global passion for Maryland rye whiskey. We’re proud to be among a growing corps of distillers leading a local whiskey renaissance in our community and restoring our home state’s rightful place in America’s whiskey-making heritage,” Treaty says.

Sagamore Spirit offers distillery tours, tastings, shopping, craft cocktails, classes and events.

“We’ll take you through the history of Maryland rye while sharing our whiskey-making process, from fermentation, to distilling, to bottling. Once we’ve wrapped up the educational portion of our tour, we’ll get into the good stuff with a guided tasting of four of our expressions, so you can truly understand how Maryland rye whiskey comes to life,” Tracy says. For more information, visit www.sagamorespirit.com.

The final stop on the official tour is the Washington, D. C., region, where the excise tax on whiskey was finally repealed in 1802 by then President Thomas Jefferson. The distilleries and attractions featured include Cotton & Reed, District Made Spirits, Don Ciccio & Fig, George Washington’s Mount Vernon and Republic Restoratives Distillery.

While no longer an official tour stop, one location readers may want to put on their list to visit is the Allegany Museum, located in Cumberland, Md.

Allegany Museum Media Relations

Director Courtney McKay Jensen said George Washington visited the region many times, including to help quell the Whiskey Rebellion of the early 1790s.

“President Washington himself arrived in Cumberland to lead the gathered militias; the only time a sitting President has led troops into the field. Due to this, and the rich heritage of our region, we celebrate this bit of history and much more during our annual George Washington’s Whiskey Rebellion Festival every year,” Jensen says.

The museum has hosted the annual festival since 2016. Jensen says the event, a fundraiser for the museum, is held in their historic ballroom where guests enjoy tastings of whiskey and other spirits, historic re-enactments, a silent auction, authentic colonial games, visits from “President Washington,” hors d’oevres, cigars and whiskey pairings, and a goody bag including a souvenir whiskey glass.

“Not only is the area rich in history, but it is also rich in whiskey during our annual fundraiser each year,” Jensen says.

For more information on the museum and the festival, visit www.alleganymuseum.org. To find out more about the Whiskey Rebellion Trail, visit www. whiskeyrebelliontrail.com.

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27th Annual Fort Frederick

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