HISTORY & RESURGENCE OF ROSEN RYE

Before there were Philly cheesesteaks, there was Pennsylvania rye. In the 19th century, the strong, spicy whiskey developed a reputation that stretched coast to coast, as synonymous with the Keystone State as Kentucky and bourbon or California and wine…Rye has made a comebackin recent decades: It’s widely available and, for many bartenders, the go-to spirit for Manhattans and Old Fashioneds. But its Pennsylvania roots are often little more than a footnote. A network of farmers, distillers, and one particularly determined agriculture advocate/whiskey buff are working to change that. And they’re starting with the grain. -Jenn Ladd, Philadelphia Inquirer

Originally published in The Philadelphia Inquirer