The Whiskey Rebellion and the Rebirth of Rye

by Mark Meyer, Meredith Meyer Grelli

A short history of rye whiskey's founding, floundering, and current flourishing in Pittsburgh. The book takes reader on a fun tour of the Whiskey Rebellion, the role of Pittsburgh robber barons in developing the rye industry, and the rebirth of craft distillery in the twentieth century. Includes an illustrated guide to making rye whiskey and recipes.

Genres: Nonfiction

142 pages, Paperback

Published November 13, 2017

Reviews

[Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: one of the authors/founders of Wigle Whiskey was a high school classmate of mine. I loved this short book, although I really wish it had been two or three times as long as I would have like to hear more about each of the three sections: Whiskey Rebellion history, Overholt, and the craft brewery/distillery industry today. Luckily there are several suggestions of where to find more information and a long list of sources in the book, so I have next steps for more reading.

[The Irregular Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember when I was first presented with the necessity of moving to Pittsburgh. I was a New England girl born and raised, but the possibility of securing a job in my field (probably a bad idea to major in anthropology) was enough to have me seriously considering the move to (in my New England mindframe) the middle of the country. But . . . Pittsburgh, I said to myself. I pictured post-apocalyptic visions of smokestack-strewn horizons, coal blackened skies and landscapes, the dirty grime of hundreds of years of industry. The reassuring and vague “It’s not like that anymore” from my then-boyfriend (now husband) did little to instill confidence in our new home.

Then we arrived. And all my misgivings and preconceptions faded away. It was a clear, bright midautumn day, the leaves, though not as brilliant as those I’d left behind, marched in colorful ranks up and over the hills. The gleaming US Steel Tower (the locals refuse to call it anything else, no matter who owns it), the castle-like PPG building and the art deco Gulf building dominated the downtown skyline. Bridges of yellow and blue, constructed solidly from (local) steel and concrete sprouted along the rivers like crepe paper. And the hills . . . we were moving to the neighborhood of Mt. Washington (which is extra hilarious for New Englanders) and it seemed that no surface was too vertical to build on. Houses and shops hung from the side of cliffs, streets marched uphill and turned into staircases when the grade became too steep for cars. At night, the city spread out around us both horizontally and vertically, a sight one might associate more with a Rio de Janeiro than a mid-Atlantic American city.

Pittsburgh is a city rooted in its past. Rail lines, old factories, and other evidence of bygone industry haunt the landscape. But Pittsburgh is also one of the fortunate cities in the “Rust Belt” to largely avoid the economic crash so many other places still face. The natural gas and medical industries employ thousands. Google, Uber, and other world-class companies have headquarters here. The city may see itself as a hardhat-wearing, steelmill-working tough guy, but it is also a self-driving-car test ground, a farm-to-table giant, a craft beer haven, and a foodie paradise. These two disparate parts of Pittsburgh coexist, sometimes cordially, sometimes not, and those who have lived their lives here feel the pressure to decide which path the city will ultimately take.

Wigle Whiskey embodies this dichotomy. Started as a family enterprise in 2011, Wigle sought out Pittsburgh’s deep distilling roots (the city was once the rye whiskey capital of the country, before rye was superseded by Kentucky bourbon) while embracing the city’s future (the craft spirits revolution is proceeding quite similarly to the craft beer revolution a few decades ago). The name evokes Pittsburgh’s very beginnings, named after an actor in the Whiskey Rebellion, where local distillers (violently) protested a federal tax placed on whiskey stills.

The Whiskey Rebellion and the Rebirth of Rye (I was bound to get to the book eventually) is a love story both to the city of Pittsburgh and the craft of making spirits. The book begins with a brief overview of The Whiskey Rebellion (for a more in depth look, you can check out William Hogeland’s The Whisky Rebellion), as well as the history of the Overholt family (Old Overholt Whiskey being one of the oldest whiskeys continuously distilled in the United States). The book then gives us an insight into the current state of craft brewing, and the challenges and niches that make distilling both difficult and rewarding. The book finishes with a number of drink recipes (huzzah!) for the dedicated liquor enthusiast.

Meredith Meyer Grelli, who is one of the founders of Wigle Whiskey, is a person enthusiastically in love with her work and her home city, and this loves shines throughout the book. Anyone who has heard her speak at one of the distillery tours knows the level of enthusiasm she brings to the craft, and she carries that enthusiasm over into the written word. Anybody interested in a quick, readable history of the Pittsburgh region and craft distilling should find this book entertaining and informative. And if you’re in the area, be sure to stop by the distillery for a cocktail, a flight, and a tour. The rich history of this city deserves to be celebrated.

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[V · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not so much a history book but rather a 140 page advertisement for a particular brand of whiskey. Much of the writing is sloppy and awkward as the authors and professional brewers, not writers. I found the repetition of the politically correct "enslaved persons" particularly grating.

The book also repeats the common myth that Prohibition was ineffective at reducing alcohol consumption. One can argue whether Prohibition was just on any number of levels, but it did accomplish what it set out to do. Even decades after Prohibition ended, per capita alcohol consumption remained below pre-temperance levels. The writers clearly did zero research in this area.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-intentioned but disjointed history of rye whiskey. The book focuses on three aspects of rye: the Whiskey Rebellion (which was more about onerous taxation than rye), the rise of the Overholt empire, and rye’s 21st Century revival - but never really draws the three together. This book is more of a primer to prompt further reading about rye, instead of essential reading in itself.

[CozyKaos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was defiantly a really neat look into both the Rye Whiskey and Pittsburgh history. If your a whiskey lover or live in Pittsburgh you should give this book a quick read. Very interesting! Granted this is a short book so if your looking for more in depth information on the Whiskey Rebellion then you will need to look elsewhere.

[Daniel Rosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors themselves describe this book well, “Over the course of this short book, we’ve sped through the long trajectory of rye whiskey’s history in America. “
It is an informative book, a bit choppy between the three main sections, but enjoyable overall.

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't really have any interest in craft whiskey, but I love Pittsburgh so I thought I'd give it a try.

[Richard A · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very quick read with a concise overview of the Whiskey Rebellion and the history of rye whiskey focused on western Pennsylvania.

[Mike Wigal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading about my distant relative Philip Wigle. Kudos to Wigle Whiskey for doing more with the family name than any ACTUAL Wigal (or Wigle. It’s spelled a number of ways) ever did!

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for what it is, but definitely would have liked more of the history in a more narrative style.