Beverage Dynamics

Beverage Dynamics Nov-Dec 2015

Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.

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www.beveragedynamics.com THE HISTORY OF ALCOHOL IN AMERICA is tied closely to the history of the country. The fi rst settlers landed in Jamestown and Plymouth with more beer in store than water. Wine and brandy were also carried over from Europe. When alcohol supplies ran out, set- tlers made more, using the natural resources of their new surroundings. Records of distillation go as far back as the mid-17th century. Colonists throughout New England made rum, corn whiskey and apple liquor. From these humble origins, and despite several setbacks, the American alcohol industry grew strong. INDUSTRY LAW AND ORDER Better known as a founding father and our fi rst president, George Washington also helped shaped the future of American alcohol. He considered liquor a necessary instrument to maintain order within an army. For this reason, he even suggested erecting public distilleries throughout the states. Washington was a distiller himself. Like many colonists, he made rum, at his Mount Vernon Estate. At the suggestion of his Scottish plan- tation manager, Washington later raised rye to distill whiskey. He was also at the center of the new country's fi rst skirmish between the alcohol industry and national government. Seeking to retire Amer- ican debts owed from the Revolutionary War, Washington as president enacted new taxes on all spirits in 1791. Many distillers objected. Tax collectors were tarred and feathered. In what became known as the Whiskey Rebellion, Washington success- fully sent troops in 1794 to squash protests in Pennsylvania. The taxes stood (albeit reduced, and later repealed), and the government won. The Whiskey Rebellion had another affect besides establishing the government's power over national alcohol makers. It scared many Pennsylvanian distillers into moving to Ken- tucky, helping grow the state's burgeoning whiskey industry. Events that Shaped the 34 Beverage Dynamics • November/December 2015

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