As a humble member of the grass family, rye has for hundreds of years in Western Pennsylvania been a reliable grain crop for flour, a cover crop to fight weeds and a forage crop to feed livestock.
Planted annually in autumn, the rye crop survives in extreme wintry weather and infertile soils. But most importantly for drinks fans, resourceful farmers have for an equally long time used the crop to make a distinctive style of American whiskey known as Monongahela rye.
Western Pennsylvania Roots
Rye (aka Secale cereale) contains nutrients including carbohydrates, which contain sugars. In the 1790s, Western Pennsylvania farmers would first cook the rye into a soupy “mash” which then fermented to convert sugars into a rudimentary beer. Afterward, the beer was heated up in a pot still to derive a clear, high-proof distillate sometimes known as white lightning.
Diluting the liquor with water followed by aging in barrels tamed the spirits into a delectable sipping whiskey called Monongahela rye with about 40% to 45% alcohol by volume.
By 1791, resourceful Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton recommended imposing a luxury tax on the increasingly popular whiskeys to cover the federal government’s debt from the Revolutionary War. Western Pennsylvania farmers who had served in the American Revolutionary War did not take kindly to the idea.
They and other farmers rebelled and refused to pay the tax. Symbols of the American Revolution, liberty poles, arose again throughout Western Pennsylvania counties as the rebels harassed federal tax collectors. Violence and deaths ensued on both sides.
President George Washington, who himself distilled whiskey at Mount Vernon, would have none of the random violence and refusal to pay the taxes. He led federalized state militias westward from Philadelphia, then the nation’s capital city. The massive force caused most rebels to flee into the mountains without another shot fired. The result disappointed Hamilton, who wished to see the rebels arrested and imprisoned.
Even so, collecting the taxes remained problematic. President Thomas Jefferson eventually repealed the despised excise tax. Monongahela rye whiskey production continued to flourish throughout Western Pennsylvania well into the 20th century. But the decline of agrarian culture and the disastrous experiment with Prohibition led to the demise of independent producers.
Modern Renaissance
Today, updated Pennsylvania law has created a renaissance of independently owned whiskey producers specializing in Monongahela rye. Producers may sell through Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board stores or privately owned retail outlets such as Pennsylvania Libations in the Strip District, which gives consumers convenient browsing of over 20 rye whiskeys. The retailer also has locations in Shadyside and in Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal.
“Rye whiskey sales, especially Monongahela ryes, have been killing it,” says Zach Fischer, retail manager at Pennsylvania Libations’ Strip District store. For example, he notes that Ponfeigh Distillery’s “Westsylvania Rye” ($55 at palibations.com) from Somerset County has been especially popular.
The name “Ponfeigh” comes from a Welsh term referring to the watering hole of stags. It is apt given that the owners of the farm where the distillery is located have long maintained a hunting cabin where the fearless huntsmen are known to savor a sip of good ol’ Monongahela rye.
The whiskey comes from a mash bill of 95% rye grown naturally with neither pesticides nor herbicides in counties within the Monongahela River Basin. The whiskey’s dark amber color offers enticing aromas of baking spices and plums with hints of rye.
The palate offers flavors of vanilla, caramelized sugar, dark plums and a hint of peppery rye. The velvety texture carries through the robust finish with 45% alcohol by volume. Zach Fischer recommends it as a solid base for a classic Manhattan cocktail
Washington County’s Liberty Pole Spirits distillery makes a Rye Whiskey ($47) and Old Monongahela Full Proof Rye ($64 at palibations.com). In this county, back in the early 1790s, members of the Mingo Creek Society were instrumental in raising Liberty Poles and burning effigies of Alexander Hamilton in protest over the hated excise tax.
Today these tasty whiskeys come from a mash of 61% Pennsylvania rye, 13% red winter wheat, 13% rye malt, and 13% malted barley. According to the distillery, the wheat and malt help to mellow the spice of the rye, yet the whiskey remains bright and spicy. The spirit ages for around four years in charred new oak barrels before bottling.
The whiskey’s light amber color delivers aromas of brown sugar and brown baking spices. The palate offers flavors of earthiness, spicy rye and light fruitiness. Slightly spice notes linger delightfully. Zach Fischer recommends sipping this beautifully balanced whiskey straight up. I concur! They are 54% and 46% alcohol by volume, respectively.
Cheers!