Pittsburgh Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival

Last updated
Pittsburgh Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival
Pittsburgh Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival logo.png
FrequencyAnnual
Inaugurated2007
Organised byPittsburgh Wine Festival LLC [1]
Website www.pittsburghwhiskeyfestival.com

The Pittsburgh Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival is an annual festival celebrating whiskey and spirits in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. [2] The festival is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. [1] Contributions to the event benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. [3] The Pittsburgh festival follows a similar one in Philadelphia. [4] The creation of the festival follows the success of the Pittsburgh Wine Festival. [1] It was conceived as an "experiential marketplace for spirits." [5] It was founded in 2007, amid growth in whiskey's popularity. [6]

Contents

The inaugural event in 2007 focused on featuring whiskeys, ryes and vodkas, which are meant to be consumed "neat." [5] The theme was the Whiskey Rebellion, an important event in Western Pennsylvania history, with information on the history of ryes and whiskeys. [5] In 2008, the offerings were expanded to include cocktails, [3] That year, the sponsors sought to reach the female demographic. [7] The 2009 event sought to reach an even broader audience, especially younger individuals. [8] [9] The 2010 event had a speakeasy decor, with a new focus on cigars. [10] [11] [12]

For the first time, the 2011 edition, which had a Mad Men theme, sold out all tickets prior to the beginning of the event. Wigle Whiskey, a new Pittsburgh distillery, was to have been featured, but federal authorities had not yet approved the brand's label design. [13] [14] The "Adult Chocolate Milk" specialty drink was well received. [15]

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whiskey Rebellion</span> Tax revolt in the United States from 1791 to 1794

The Whiskey Rebellion was a violent tax protest in the United States beginning in 1791 and ending in 1794 during the presidency of George Washington. The so-called "whiskey tax" was the first tax imposed on a domestic product by the newly formed federal government. Beer was difficult to transport and spoiled more easily than rum and whiskey. Rum distillation in the United States had been disrupted during the American Revolutionary War, and whiskey distribution and consumption increased afterwards. The "whiskey tax" became law in 1791, and was intended to generate revenue for the war debt incurred during the Revolutionary War. The tax applied to all distilled spirits, but consumption of American whiskey was rapidly expanding in the late 18th century, so the excise became widely known as a "whiskey tax". Farmers of the western frontier were accustomed to distilling their surplus rye, barley, wheat, corn, or fermented grain mixtures to make whiskey. These farmers resisted the tax. In these regions, whiskey often served as a medium of exchange. Many of the resisters were war veterans who believed that they were fighting for the principles of the American Revolution, in particular against taxation without local representation, while the federal government maintained that the taxes were the legal expression of Congressional taxation powers.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Pittsburgh Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival Hits The Jackpot With Over 350 Liquors From Around The World" (Press release). Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. October 5, 2012. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  2. Markham, Dale. "Pittsburgh Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival". Archived from the original on 2012-12-01. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  3. 1 2 "Pittsburgh Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival". Pittsburgh City Paper . Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  4. "PLCB: World's Finest Spirits to be Sampled at Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festivals in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia" (Press release). Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. November 4, 2010. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  5. 1 2 3 Karlovits, Bob (November 12, 2008). "Festival merges whiskey, lifestyle". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  6. Karlovits, Bob (October 23, 2012). "Second Whiskey Rebellion extends across Western Pa". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  7. Toland, Bill (November 6, 2008). "Manly whiskey festival reaches out to women". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  8. Guerriero, Kate (November 15, 2009). "Pittsburgh Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival draws connoisseurs". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  9. Karlovits, Bob (November 10, 2009). "Whiskey festival seeks to attract younger audience". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  10. "WHIRL Magazine > Events > January 2011 > Pittsburgh Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival - 11/12/10". WHIRL Magazine . November 12, 2010. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  11. Karlovits, Bob (November 10, 2010). "Cigars to be included in Pittsburgh Whiskey & Fine Spirits Tasting". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  12. Guerriero, Kate (November 14, 2010). "Pittsburgh Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival benefits Multiple Sclerosis Society". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  13. Toland, Bill (November 17, 2011). "Whiskey here and in India". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  14. Karlovits, Bob (November 15, 2011). "Whiskey festival will celebrate the '60s with 'Mad Men' theme". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  15. Benz, Kate (November 20, 2011). "Pittsburgh Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival held at Heinz Field". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved 2012-12-09.