Farmers are always looking for ways add value to what they produce and whiskey production in America began just this way, as a value-added agriculture product. Whiskey is as much agrarian as it is industrial.  It represents the flavors of this land, distilled and compressed into a wonderful and complex liquid, to be shared with the world.

American whiskey production began with farmers in Pennsylvania and Update New York who grew rye.  They converted some of their excess rye into whiskey.  A way of adding value to their crops and economically sustain their farming operations. George Washington, a farmer himself, converted part of his rye crop into whiskey.  (BlackFork Farms Rye Whisky is made using George Washingtons mash bill recipe.)

Vintage farm stills, of all shapes and designs now sell on eBay.  There is a testament to the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the America farmer.

The Whiskey Rebellion was as a protest by rural farm families against what they viewed as Federal government overreach.  In their eyes the whiskey tax, imposed by Washington politicians, was an unfair burden placed on rural working farm families.  After four years of protests, the tax was upheld.  The tax system favored large produces.  Over time, “the little guy” was pushed out by large corporate distillers.  Today 95% of the whiskey in the world is produced by a handful of global conglomerates.  Of these global giants, a few are US Based, NYSE traded, such as Brown-Forman, (Jack Daniels, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester) and Constellation Brands (High West).  The others are foreign, such as Diageo, based in London, posting over 200 brands.  A quick internet search will reveal the corporate owner of popular brands.