In the near future, I will introduce legislation to establish Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey as the official spirit of the Commonwealth.

Rye whiskey has significant roots in our state’s history, with craft distillers across the Commonwealth producing exceptional products using local grain and traditional methods. Whiskey has an especially unique history in Western Pennsylvania, which includes the Whiskey Rebellion that started in Somerset County and flowed to Washington, Allegheny, Westmoreland, and Fayette Counties in 1794. Although the rebellion has often been characterized as a resistance by farmers to the imposition of a tax, that description oversimplifies the circumstances. In western Pennsylvania, distilled rye whiskey functioned as a primary medium of exchange, especially due to the scarcity of paper currency and coin. Farmers also did not produce whiskey continuously throughout the year, further restricting their ability to satisfy the tax. Accordingly, the opposition was not solely to the existence of the tax itself, but to its effect on the region’s principal means of economic survival. The City of Washington, Pennsylvania, annually holds a festival to recognize this historical event.

Long before Kentucky Bourbon rose to prominence, Pennsylvania distillers were defining the American whiskey tradition with sweet and spicy ryes. It is also significant that production follows specific guidelines in the Commonwealth. To be considered Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey, 75% of all grains used must be grown by Pennsylvania farmers. Further, the whiskey must be sweet-mashed, a method that reflects historic Pennsylvania production techniques. Measures are taken to ensure the preservation of the full-bodied character traditional to Pennsylvania rye, and it must be mashed, fermented, distilled, aged, and bottled entirely within the boundaries of the Commonwealth.

These parameters honor the heritage of Pennsylvania distilling, support local agriculture and small businesses, and strengthen the state’s reputation for craftsmanship.

Please join me in recognizing the historical importance of Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey by cosponsoring this legislation.