In the near future, I will introduce legislation to establish Rye Whiskey as the Official Spirit of the Commonwealth.
 
Rye whiskey has deep roots in our state’s history. Long before Kentucky bourbon rose to prominence, Pennsylvania distillers were defining the American whiskey tradition with bold, spicy rye. That legacy continues today, as craft distillers across the Commonwealth are once again producing exceptional rye whiskeys using local grain and traditional methods.
 
Whiskey has a unique history in Western Pennsylvania, which includes the Whiskey Rebellion that took place in Pennsylvania in 1794. To this day, the City of Washington, Pennsylvania, annually holds a festival to recognize the significance of this historical event. Whiskey Point, located at the intersection of Main Street and Park Avenue in Monongahela, Washington County, was the site of the meeting of 226 whiskey rebels that resulted in the peaceful ending of the Whiskey Rebellion.
 
From the late 18th century through the 1840s, Pennsylvania led the United States in total whiskey production by a substantial margin. Federal records and the 1810 Census of Manufactures confirm that Pennsylvania distillers produced more whiskey than any other state, with rye as the dominant grain. At its peak around 1810, Pennsylvania’s annual output was roughly two to three times that of the next-largest distilling state, making it the clear national leader and the style most associated with American whiskey during the young republic’s formative decades.
 
Declaring Rye Whiskey the Official Spirit of the Commonwealth honors both the heritage of Pennsylvania distilling, including support for local agriculture and small business, and the strengthening of the state’s reputation for craftsmanship.
 
Please join me in recognizing the historical importance of Rye Whiskey in Pennsylvania by co-sponsoring this legislation to name it the Official Spirit of the Commonwealth.