The Blog
Welcome to the Whistling Andy blog, while we are craft distillers by trade, we are passionate about many things. Here you will find stories about things near and dear to us. Such as great cocktails, food, nature, history, and made in USA goods! Enjoy!
The Role of TTB and ATF: Why This Simon & Garfunkel of Regulatory Bodies Split
Simon & Garfunkel were arguably one of the greatest duos of all time – until they split up. Paul Simon had a successful career as a respected and popular singer/songwriter, while Art Garfunkel focused on traditional opportunities for soundtracks, Broadway shows, and other technical compositions. Both were successful in their own ways, much more than they ever could have been together. In the same way, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was great at having taxes and regulations under one roof, but splitting them into two separate entities makes each division more successful on its own. Here’s the story of the ATF and how tax collection activities were transferred to the new Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in 2003.
The Role of TTB and ATF: Why This Simon & Garfunkel of Regulatory Bodies Split
Simon & Garfunkel were arguably one of the greatest duos of all time – until they split up. Paul Simon had a successful career as a respected and popular singer/songwriter, while Art Garfunkel focused on traditional opportunities for soundtracks, Broadway shows, and other technical compositions. Both were successful in their own ways, much more than they ever could have been together. In the same way, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was great at having taxes and regulations under one roof, but splitting them into two separate entities makes each division more successful on its own. Here’s the story of the ATF and how tax collection activities were transferred to the new Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in 2003.
The History of Kelvin Cooperage: Aged to Perfection
Cooperages are not new to the world. In fact, they have been around for ages, supplying various wooden containers to fulfill many different needs worldwide. Today, one of the most prominent cooperages in the world is the family-owned and operated Kelvin Cooperage, based out of Louisville, Kentucky.
The History of Kelvin Cooperage: Aged to Perfection
Cooperages are not new to the world. In fact, they have been around for ages, supplying various wooden containers to fulfill many different needs worldwide. Today, one of the most prominent cooperages in the world is the family-owned and operated Kelvin Cooperage, based out of Louisville, Kentucky.
The Second Life of American Whisky Barrels — From Spirits and Food to DIY
American bourbon is unique because distilleries only use the charred oak barrels used to age it one time. What happens to those barrels when they have been emptied after aging? There are a surprising number of uses these barrels can be repurposed for once they are no longer suitable for bourbon production!
The Second Life of American Whisky Barrels — From Spirits and Food to DIY
American bourbon is unique because distilleries only use the charred oak barrels used to age it one time. What happens to those barrels when they have been emptied after aging? There are a surprising number of uses these barrels can be repurposed for once they are no longer suitable for bourbon production!
What Is a Controlled State? — Why and How 17 States Control The Amount And Price of Alcohol Retai...
Every state has laws regulating the sale of alcohol, both in retail stores and establishments that sell alcohol for on-premises consumption. Off-premises alcohol sales are those that take place at a retail store that will be consumed in another location and are subject to these controlled state laws.
What Is a Controlled State? — Why and How 17 States Control The Amount And Price of Alcohol Retai...
Every state has laws regulating the sale of alcohol, both in retail stores and establishments that sell alcohol for on-premises consumption. Off-premises alcohol sales are those that take place at a retail store that will be consumed in another location and are subject to these controlled state laws.
Vendome Copper & Brass and Prohibition: How Elmore Sherman Stayed in The Game
From the time it was incorporated in 1911, Vendome Copper & Brass was a standard in distillery equipment. Unfortunately, their success was seemingly short-lived when “wartime prohibition” effectively ended alcohol production in the United States in 1917. This was followed not long after by the passing of the 18th amendment on January 16, 1919, establishing prohibition. Only a year later, prohibition was officially enforced starting January 17, 1920.
Vendome Copper & Brass and Prohibition: How Elmore Sherman Stayed in The Game
From the time it was incorporated in 1911, Vendome Copper & Brass was a standard in distillery equipment. Unfortunately, their success was seemingly short-lived when “wartime prohibition” effectively ended alcohol production in the United States in 1917. This was followed not long after by the passing of the 18th amendment on January 16, 1919, establishing prohibition. Only a year later, prohibition was officially enforced starting January 17, 1920.
Early American Farming: Growing a Nation One Crop at a Time
From the time that immigrants settled in what would become America, farming was a way of life for a multitude of reasons. Not only did it give farmers and their families the ability to trade and barter for their basic daily needs, it also allowed them to live off the land, offering them sustenance and a form of income. For centuries, farming in America was much more than a job. It was a lifestyle that produced hardworking, salt-of-the-earth men and women committed to their families, crops, and land.
Early American Farming: Growing a Nation One Crop at a Time
From the time that immigrants settled in what would become America, farming was a way of life for a multitude of reasons. Not only did it give farmers and their families the ability to trade and barter for their basic daily needs, it also allowed them to live off the land, offering them sustenance and a form of income. For centuries, farming in America was much more than a job. It was a lifestyle that produced hardworking, salt-of-the-earth men and women committed to their families, crops, and land.
