Celebrating America’s Shared Rye Whiskey Heritage

Leopold Bros Distillery is open Saturday, July 5th, to help you celebrate America’s shared rye whiskey heritage this holiday weekend!

While Bourbon has become America’s preferred domestic whiskey over the last decade, rye whiskey is what Americans drank when America first celebrated its independence. During the Revolutionary War, the colonies lost access to most of the rum and whisky that was imported from abroad, and American rye whiskey became the home-grown spirit of choice. It was even used as currency during this time, as dollars didn’t exist yet.

George Washington himself owned a rye distillery while serving as our nation’s first president, cranking out over 10,000 gallons of whiskey annually on five pot stills at Mount Vernon. Thomas Jefferson was also a big fan. Hence, if you want to celebrate the origins of America this 4th of July weekend, there are few locations more authentically patriotic than your local rye whiskey producer!

We still have tour slots open for tomorrow where you can witness the entire process of rye whiskey production, from floor malting to distillation to maturation. Come join us!