In
many ways the story of America has been defined by the history of
distilled spirits. While the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 in western
Pennsylvania was more a matter of bluster than bloodshed, it did bring
about the largest call to arms since the end of hostilities with Great
Britain—and it certainly helped to hasten the development of a nation
defined by two political parties at odds over how best to govern.
In 1791 Alexander Hamilton, the founder of the Federalist Party,
proposed an excise tax on all domestically produced whiskey as a means
to pay off the bond holders of the nation’s debt. In response to
Congress making the tax law, Thomas Jefferson, a strong advocate for
state’s rights, who strongly opposed the federal imposition resigned
his post as Secretary of State, and went off to help form the
Democratic-Republican Party.
The election of 1800 would bring the man from Monticello back to
Washington and an end to this unpopular tax. Once again the distillers
on the Appalachian frontier could conduct their noble trade unfettered
by Federal authority. And in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania that
trade would prosper. For the next 120 years the masters of the craft
like Asher Guckenheimer, Jonathan Large and Abraham Overholt would
produce whiskey that would rival what was being made by their
counterparts below the Mason-Dixon Line. But in 1920 it would all come
to an end via the activities of the Anti-Saloon League’s Wayne Bidwell
Wheeler—the man who conceived and drafted the legislation that would
ultimately become the Volstead Act and the Eighteenth Amendment to the
United States Constitution.
Today scattered throughout Pennsylvania are the stark reminders of
America’s industrial past. The ruins of mortar, stone and steel speak
of a nation that has not always lived up to the dreams and aspirations
of its founders. And as the country grapples with our current economic
hardships and political unrest, there are those that call for a new
revolution against the perceived agents of tyranny. These voices
condemn our government while venerating the virtues of the Founding
Fathers. Their impassioned speech mirrors the words of those firebrands
that took up arms on the western frontier in 1794. But those
revolutionaries were rising up against some of the very names that
today we hold so dear. Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, John Adams and
even George Washington became the villains in the insurrection that
pitted the forces of big business and government against the interests
of the common man.
One can take a certain degree of comfort in knowing that the rhetoric
of the Republic has been fairly consistent since the beginning; but on
the other hand, a bit of honest revolution now and then is good for the
soul of the nation—and that revolution is now taking place in America’s
craft distilling industry. And once again the citizens of the
Commonwealth are answering the call. The new Founding Fathers, as they
affectionately refer to each other, are operating Pennsylvania’s first
licensed craft distillery since the end of prohibition. Robert Cassell,
Andrew Auwerda and Timothy Yarnall teamed up to establish Philadelphia
Distilling in 2005.
Following in the footsteps of the original Founders, they bested the
Brits at their own game. In 2007 their flagship product, Bluecoat
American Dry Gin took top honors at the international
tasting in
London. Bluecoat again captured the gold in 2009 and 2010 at a similar
competition in San Francisco. In 2008 the distillery released Vieux
Carre their highly acclaimed absinthe after the ban on
production of
that storied elixir was lifted in the United States. At present their
product line is rounded out by the Penn 1681
Rye Vodka, which is made
exclusively from organically grown local grain.
THE
FOUNDING
FATHERS
OF
PHILADELPHIA
DISTILLING
ANDREW
AUWERDA
-
PRESIDENT
(center)
TIMOTHY
YARNALL
-
VICE
PRESIDENT (left)
ROBERT
CASSELL
-
MASTER
DISTILLER (right)
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During my recent visit to their facility in northeast Philadelphia,
Robert Cassell, a gentleman with a rather impressive pedigree when it
comes to the art of distillation, did his best to explain the science
and sorcery of his craft. Unfortunately many of those particulars were
beyond my understanding of the process. But anyway, it wasn’t my thirst
for knowledge that had brought me here—it was my thirst for gin. And
while I do not possess the ability to expound about those finer points
as to what should or should not be considered as proper and pleasurable
to the palate—let me just say that Bluecoat is the best damn gin I’ve
ever had!
The story of Philadelphia Distilling though
is not just about superior
product; the liquor industry is teeming with such tales. The greater
story is about three human beings bound by a common cause, a deep
understanding of our nation’s history, and a commitment to honor that
history through their labors. This is the true face of the next
revolution—a revolution that will ensure the resurgence and rebirth of
the American Dream.
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