what proof was whiskey in the 1800s

Its a grand way to do business: Pop into the town center with a few quarts of whiskey, trade one to the local seamstress in return for a new dress for the missus, another to the fishmonger who will supply you with dinner for the next four Fridays, and when the landlord is passing by, maybe you can persuade him to take a gallon of your finest whiskey in lieu of a few months rent. He had the scientific knowledge to be able to tinker intelligently with various aspects of his processes in order to make a better whiskey. It was split into many smaller companies, but some of these companies then joined together again as the Distilling Company of America, and in 1899, that company found itself under federal investigation. Since rum was made nearby, in the Caribbean, and therefore was easy and relatively inexpensive to transport to the U.S., it became the drink of choice of many Americans beleaguered by both the shortage of whiskey, and a lack of money. It also stated that only straight whiskey could be bonded (although distillates other than whiskey--rum, for instance--that met the requirements could also be Bottled in Bond). For the 18 year old rye whiskey, a special placard listing the specs was placed inside. But 21 years had passed since Prohibition had taken such wonderful, big-bodied, rich, flavorful whiskeys away from the public. They spent it on the good stuff. Drinkers looked to fine wines in the 1970s, and a decade later they took the high road that led directly to single malt Scotches. Over 65 million gallons of the hard stuff was consumed by Americans. He had erected stills at Mount Vernon in the 1770s in order to produce rum, and a little later on, James Anderson, his Scottish plantation manager, is said to have been the man who persuaded him to plant rye with a mind to producing whiskey. The filthy saloons, the gin mills which formerly flourished on every corner and in which the laborer once drank off half his wages, have disappeared. The sporting attraction of the forbidden and the dangerous leads to violations. Oscar Pepper, in the 1800s. They might have been making a decent living, but many, indeed, most transactions at that time were conducted by barter. For those who insist on having a name, we say James Crow invented bourbon sometime between 1823 and, say, 1845. With the advent of the glassmakers hinged mold, came incised molds that could act as labels to display the distillers name, address, brand name, or another designation. There are three recipes for making imitation Old Bourbon in Stephens book, one calls for 20 gallons of proof spirit (neutral spirits diluted to 100? The U.S. had just come through two decades of decadence and was primed to get serious about over-consumption and take a hard look at what it was drinking. Etc. Decrying prohibition during that period was somewhat akin to promoting cigarettes in 1995--although it doesnt amount to treason, it just isnt politically correct.. In 1868 Congress passed a bill that reduced the excise tax to 50 per gallon, required a tax stamp to be put on all American-made spirits, and gave distillers a grace period--known as the bonding period--of one year before having to pay taxes on liquor that was aging. But with the proliferation of whiskey, it's not hard to find bottles that push those . Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the storm that would become World War II was brewing. Crockett paints a wonderful picture of a fancy saloon filled with power brokers being served by no less than a dozen white-coated bartenders who were busy all afternoon and evening ministering to an endless array of thirsts. Mind you, respectable as this bar may have been, Crockett does give mention to customers who were filled to overflowing and had to be either carried or led away. Its little wonder that a number of wives of this period were dismayed and more by their spouses drinking habits. That's 80 percent alcohol for those new to this game. The association felt compelled to keep the government informed of the drawbacks of Prohibition; stressing mainly, that without taxes from alcohol, the economy was suffering; that farmers had lost a market for their grains and the surplus subsequently had brought grain prices down, and that unemployment in related industries was rising steadily. Well, something was done, and when the law was enforced in 1907, all grain spirits other than straight whiskey had to be labeled compound, imitation, or blended. Consumers interpreted this language to mean that the only true whiskey was straight whiskey, and this wasnt really fair to the producers of blended products, so when Taft took office in 1909, he decided to establish further standards of identity and clarify the definition. These prices could be much higher in cities or for name brand liquors. Courtesy image. Trains and Boats and a New Look at Drinking Habits. One bottle, from the late nineteenth century, was shaped like a babys bottle, and bore the words, Here is the Milk of Human Kindness.. The book also gives recipes for the various tinctures and instructions on how to make a Bead for Liquors, calling for a two-to-one mixture of vitriol and sweet oil, one drop of which is sufficient to put a bead on a quart of liquor. 1. Some distilleries installed newer versions of the continuous still so they could produce industrial alcohol, and others simply sent their low-proof alcohol to distilleries that could redistill it until it was strong enough for the war effort. Coffeys invention would greatly affect the whiskey business in Scotland, but its effects on the American whiskey industry would have to wait until after the Civil War. Stills had been commonplace on Scottish farms since the mid-1500s, usually little more than barrel-size (or smaller) enclosed copper pots with a metal pipe that emerged from the top and coiled down to a receptacle that caught the condensed spirit. Following the surprise discovery of an unopened bottle of Old Dominick Toddy from the late 1800s, Chris and Alex Canale decide to reinstate the storied spirit brand started by their great great grandfather, Domenico. Since 1776, when corn cultivation in the area had been encouraged by Virginias corn patch and cabin rights, the pioneers had found that, not only was corn a relatively easy grain to cultivate, but it also made a distinctive style of whiskey. Over 2,000 barrels of whiskey were shipped out of Kentucky in 1820, and it was widely known as bourbon. The sandwich was never eaten--but many drinks were sold. And he was right, the Anti-Saloon League was doing just that. The straight wooden staves that are used to form a barrel must be heated in order to bend the wood into the familiar barrel shape. As part of this deal, Congress passed his National Industrial Recovery Bill that effectively suspended anti-trust laws and compelled industries to write their own fair trade codes, which would be examined by the President before approval. They were sold in a small glass which normally held a gill (4 ounces) and cost 5 cents. (One horse could carry about four bushels of grain or one 60-gallon barrel of whiskey--the product of 24 bushels of grain. These groups took aim at irresponsible drinking. The distillery operated for a few years, but Hope was shattered and forced to close when all of the capital was spent. The biggest problem that faced the wets was that not enough people in the beverage alcohol business took the drys seriously--most people thought that if they ignored the drys, they would go away. One of the women who had joined the Womens Crusade and was president of the WTCU. In his book, The Great Illusion, Herbert Asbury quotes a 1929 telegram that listed over 30 people and places that supplied liquor in Manhattan. And as romantic as they seem, speakeasies werent the only places you could buy booze during Prohibition. He died in 1917. A lot of people were out to make a fast buck, and the quality of whiskey for sale was deteriorating. And Grant was returned to office in 1872. And telegraph wires were all the rage in this period, too; by 1850 over 50,000 miles of wire was strung up all over the place. This bourbon was rested for 7 long years in hand-selected white oak barrels. As soon as beehives were located, settlers were producing mead and metheglin (a popular drink of the day made from a fermented mixture of honey, water, and spices--most probably ginger, cloves, mace, and the like). . Crockett also mentions a tradition of this era that was never properly re-established after Prohibition ended--the free lunch table. You would think that you could trust something called the Whiskey Trust. The idea, in general terms, was to make each industry share the available work among as many people as possible. Among its offering is a whiskey, sold in ceramic jars and bottles, that Canale names Old Dominick. Methyl alcohol has a direct affect on the optic nerve, and as little as one ounce has been known to cause death. Other accounts say that Wattie Boone, a relative of Daniels, and a certain Stephen Ritchie both made whiskey in Nelson County, Kentucky in 1776, and this is probably accurate. In December of that year the Distilled Spirits Institute (DSI) was formed in the New York offices of the Schenley Products Company. This was typical of the time. Hence, people such as John Thompson Street Brown, father of George Garvin Brown (Old Forester), and the Weller brothers (W. L. Wellers sons), along with many other Kentuckians, served in the Confederate Army. (Although the Kentucky notes do advise that the process be repeated until the whiskey was pure.) Since Eaton is said to have noted that his Lincoln County Process took a long time, some historians have taken his words to mean that he was aging his whiskey as early as 1825. By the turn of the century, over 350,000 people had settled in Kentucky. These scalawags blended small amounts of straight whiskey with huge quantities of flavorless neutral grain spirits (distilled out at a very high proof in Coffeys continuous still) and a few flavorings; and yet they sold their product as straight whiskey.. Again, the quote has been twisted over the years to make Lincoln sound as though he were defending drinkers. It seems that a certain William Bard, an agent for David Bard and John C. Owens, who as partners had laid claim to 1,000 acres of land in Kentucky County by 1780, held a lottery that same year in which the 33 lucky winners would be awarded lots on the land. Ingredients were: 1 gal. Its easy to see that national prohibition was inevitable sooner or later. On what did they spend it? And these tables were not present only in the posh bars, working-class saloons offered similar meals, but the fare on their tables--pickled eggs, frankfurters, stews, and thick, hearty soups--was not nearly as sumptuous as that at the Waldorf. During these formative years the business of rectifying whiskey became popular. The story is documented in A Memorial History of Louisville, 1896, and includes the comment that the New Englanders went back to their rum leaving the Kentuckians to their whiskey. Why gin? After taking office in 1869, the politics of Reconstruction plagued him, and his administration was beset by scandal after scandal. Wartime dance bands didnt just sing Rum and Coca Cola, they drank it, too. Kentucky became especially powerful as they had exceptional corn and limestone-filtered water, plus easy access to rivers, enabling them to get their whiskey on a flatboat to St. Louis or New Orleans. By 1786, the whiskey we now call bourbon was known as Kentucky or Western whiskey--just so people could distinguish it from Pennsylvania, Monongahela, or Maryland rye whiskey. No--it didnt contain neutral spirits or added flavorings or colorings. Lem Motlow, who took over the Jack Daniel distillery when Jack retired in 1907, introduced Lem Motlows Tennessee Sour Mash, Jack Daniels No. However, since the majority of brewers and distillers thought of the drys as not much more than religious fanatics, they chose not only to ignore them, but foolishly carried on doing business as usual--a bad move, and one that would eventually lead to their downfall. Jack Daniels No. By 1790, George Washington had been inaugurated in New York City, the new countrys temporary capital, and after the long years of fighting the Revolutionary War, it was time to set up business. The world of bourbon is complex and the brands are numerous. A popular anecdote has it that a careless cooper accidentally let his staves catch fire and conveniently forgot to tell the distiller who bought the barrel about the mishap. This is the all-important filtration system, in which whiskey is dripped, through a minimum of 10 feet of sugar-maple charcoal before it is put in barrels for aging. Fact was, that by passing on the taxes to the general public, whiskey had become too expensive for the common man. Once again, just as in the case of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, whiskey was being made to help finance the armed forces. 5 whiskey, and Lem Motlows Peach Brandy shortly after gaining control of the distillery. Daniel Boone first ventured into the eastern part of what would become Kentucky on a hunting expedition in 1767, and due, in part, to his reports of its bounty, the land soon acquired a somewhat idyllic status. The years between 1920 and 1933 are usually associated with speakeasies, bootleggers, bathtub gin, and gangsters, and, indeed, for some, those were the highlights of the decade. Its doubtful. In 1867, she married a physician and alcoholic, Dr. Charles Gloyd, and was widowed when her husband, despite her remonstrations to the contrary, reaped the rewards of drinking too much. Most of what there was had been distilled just the previous year or so during the distilling holidays allowed by the government once Repeal was in sight. But by contrast, a large part of the population has become accustomed to disregard and to violate the law without thinking. The triangle trade was broken, but by that time, whiskey was well on its way to becoming the native spirit of the United States. A paper, written in 1993 by Mervel V. Hanes, M.D. Grants magnificent military might, however, didnt prepare him for the presidency. So, if the whiskey was produced in, say, September or October, and it couldnt begin its trip to the Big Easy until, say, April, by the time it made its way to Bourbon Street, it could have been eight to nine months old. . It reads that there were only 1800 bottles produced in this one-time release. But still, there was grain left over. The aging factor needs a little more investigation. It's a tightly regulated product that must be produced in the United States and has a few distinct characteristics. By far, bourbon is the most popular style of American whiskey and it's among the best-loved styles of whiskey worldwide. We dont know how much rum remained when they landed in Africa, but the cargo was traded on the Gold Coast, and the ship headed for Barbados laden with 56 African slaves, 40 ounces of gold, and 900 pounds of peppercorns. A bottle exists today, produced in 1848, that bears the word bourbon and the distillers name, M. Bininger and Company of New York. Thus, even though flavor wasnt of primary importance, distillers always ran the risk of blowing themselves to kingdom come should a still decide to explode. Barley was also grown in these states, and it was familiar to the farmers and distillers. Buy British--or else. It was economical. For George Garvin Brown, this book was more than his way of countering the drys movement, it was a personal mission; he was a deeply religious man whose association with his church had been threatened because of his involvement in the whiskey business, and he honestly deplored the drys using the word of the Lord to promote their quest. Federal and local investigations into the Trust (which changed its name to the Distilling and Cattle Feeding Company in 1890), finally forced the company into receivership in 1895. Kentucky whiskey was somewhat lighter than the rye whiskey from the East, and it was a product they could call their own. From there, things went from bad to worse for the investigators. Six distilleries were given permits to sell medicinal whiskey during Prohibition--A. Ph. When Reconstruction began, President Andrew Johnson faced huge problems. States reacted to the prohibition with varying degrees of complicity. And dont think they didnt complain. At one point in 1791, a mob of over 5,000 men advanced on Pittsburgh threatening to burn down the whole city, but they were met by town officials who managed to dissuade them from their mission by promising to banish certain officials and plying the mob with food and, of course, whiskey. All whiskeys were, once again, whiskeys--some were blended, and some were straight--but the label had to declare which type was in the bottle. Liquor in the 19th Century. Even so, Grant, at this point, made it clear that he wanted to clear up the whole mess and prosecute whoever was responsible for stealing the money. Bourbon whiskey was about to acquire its name. Some distillers are resting comfortably, knowing that they have been producing fine heavy-bodied whiskeys all along, while others who had lightened their products somewhat in an attempt to compete with gin, vodka, and rum, are now, thankfully, rethinking their position. And although distillation of many different spirits continued in Illinois right up until Prohibition, the years that followed Repeal saw Kentucky, once again, become the whiskey center of America. These were to be trying times for the President. The views and opinions expressed in the following book chapters are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Distilled Spirits Council or its member companies. He was thinking of running for a third term--even though he had once told Congress that he was not prepared for the office at all--and people within his administration despaired of some of the people he had chosen to work alongside him. alcohol. Also in 1935, the Austin Nichols company, previously concerned solely with the food business, took an interest in whiskey and other liquors. Also, drinks like beer and whiskey were a lot lower in alcohol content. Finally, small-batch whiskey, single-barrel whiskey, and wheated bourbon, were getting their fair share of attention. Bootleggers colored their white lightning with ingredients such as iodine and tobacco to make it look as though it had been in the wood for a few years. New markets were opening up, and the whiskey business was becoming more and more profitable. Even aspirin, which was discovered in 1849, wasnt used medicinally until the end of the century. During the post-war period, the distillers were busy either going broke or going for broke. Years later, under the stewardship of Oscar and Master Distiller James Crow, their distillery reformed and modernized producing whiskey in the United States the distillery revolutionized the concepts of sour mash and yeast propagation. Cabin Still and Kentucky Tavern whiskeys were both trademarked in 1903. James E. Pepper built the James E. Pepper Distillery in 1879 and soon produced a whiskey that bore his name. However, much whiskey was being sold in bulk to rectifiers and bottlers of the time, and the problem of unscrupulous wholesalers (and retailers) adulterating good whiskey just had to be tackled. That you could buy booze during Prohibition that Canale names old Dominick not! Trying times for the 18 year old rye whiskey, single-barrel whiskey, it... Prohibition ended -- the product of 24 bushels of grain or one 60-gallon of! 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