Deep in the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania, where corn and rye once fueled both stills and rebellion, a state senator is pushing to give the Commonwealth something it’s never had: an official state spirit. Republican Senator Camera Bartolotta from the 46th District wants Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey crowned as the one drink that best tells the state’s story – from the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 to the small craft distilleries firing up copper pots today.
If the bill passes, Pennsylvania would join states like Tennessee (Jack Daniel’s home) and Kentucky in giving one of its native spirits the official nod. But Bartolotta insists this isn’t just symbolism. Her proposal comes with strict rules that would protect farmers, honor old recipes, and keep every drop made right here in the Keystone State.
What Exactly Would Count as “Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey”?
Not every bottle labeled “rye” would make the cut. Under the senator’s plan, a whiskey has to check several boxes before it can carry the official Pennsylvania name:
- At least 60% of the grain bill has to be rye.
- At least 75% of ALL grains used (rye, corn, barley – everything) must be grown by Pennsylvania farmers.
- It has to be sweet-mashed – the traditional way Pennsylvania distillers did it centuries ago (no sour mash shortcuts allowed).
- It can’t go into the barrel stronger than 110 proof.
- Every step – mashing, fermenting, distilling, aging, and bottling – has to happen inside Pennsylvania’s borders.
Those rules aren’t arbitrary. They’re designed to support local grain, keep historic methods alive, and give the state’s roughly 130 craft distilleries a marketing boost that’s rooted in real standards.
A Quick History Lesson Most Pennsylvanians Only Half Remember
Back in 1794, farmers west of the Allegheny Mountains were mad as hell. The brand-new federal government had slapped a tax on every gallon of whiskey they distilled – a tax that hit small frontier producers harder than the big boys back east. What started as tar-and-feathering tax collectors turned into outright armed rebellion across Washington, Allegheny, and Fayette counties.
President George Washington – yes, that George Washington – eventually marched the largest American army assembled up to that point right through Pennsylvania to put the uprising down. In the end, only two men were convicted of treason, and Washington pardoned both. The Whiskey Rebellion became the first real test of whether the new United States could actually enforce its laws.
Even today, the little city of Washington in Washington County throws an annual Whiskey Rebellion Festival every summer, complete with period costumes, musket volleys, and plenty of rye flowing legally.
One spot tied forever to the story is Whiskey Point in Monongahela, where 226 rebels met at the corner of Main Street and Park Avenue to finally stand down. Sen. Bartolotta’s memo points out that historic marker as proof the drink in your glass tonight is the same one those farmers risked everything to protect.
Why Now?
Pennsylvania already ranks as one of the top states for craft distilling licenses, and rye is having a national moment. Bartenders from Philly to Pittsburgh are putting rye Manhattans and rye old-fashioneds back on the menu the way their grandfathers did. Meanwhile, distilleries like Wigle in Pittsburgh, Liberty Pole in Washington County, and Dad’s Hat down in Bucks County are winning national awards with 100% Pennsylvania rye expressions.
Giving rye official status would give tourists another reason to follow a “Pennsylvania Rye Trail” the same way they chase the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky. It would also give farmers a guaranteed buyer for rye grain that’s often tougher to sell than corn.
The Bill’s Status
As of now, Senator Bartolotta has circulated the co-sponsorship memo but hasn’t dropped the actual legislation yet. That usually means she’s rounding up support from fellow senators before the formal introduction. In a state that loves its Yuengling, Iron City, and now apparently its rye, the idea already has plenty of fans raising a glass in advance.
So the next time you pour two fingers of local rye – maybe a Liberty Pole Peated Rye or a Wigle straight – you might just be drinking what will soon be the official spirit of Pennsylvania. For a state that literally fought a war over the stuff, that feels about right.
