My fascination with American whiskey extends past the straightforward pleasure of sipping a glass after an extended day or sharing a pour with pals. Whereas I completely benefit from the sensory expertise of whiskey, I’m arguably extra captivated by delving into its wealthy historical past. A deeper understanding of whiskey’s origins and evolution undoubtedly enhances the tasting expertise. To domesticate this information, I often flip to books, primarily these backed by established publishers, although I stay open to driving self-published works.
My newest learn, My Journey Into American Whiskey: The Important Information for the Social Drinker, is a self-published effort by Poppy Bruce Potash. Potash’s credentials instantly piqued my curiosity: He’s a Licensed Bourbon Steward by means of the Stave and Thief Society, and holds the titles of Grasp Taster and Blender at Trippy Goat Distillery in Beallsville, Maryland. Nevertheless, what actually caught my consideration was the creator’s affiliation as a scholar and college member at Whiskey College. For these unfamiliar, Whiskey College is a tuition-based establishment established in 2009, structured very like a preparatory, undergraduate, and graduate faculty, providing over 120 lessons on American and world whiskey.
Previous to discovering this ebook, Poppy Bruce Potash was an unknown title to me. But, his position as a lecturer and college member at Whiskey College instantly advised that My Journey Into American Whiskey warranted a radical studying. Including to its preliminary credibility, the foreword was penned by Craig Duncan, the president and founding father of Whiskey College, who offered an overtly glowing endorsement and suggestion for Potash’s work. Such a wholehearted endorsement from the top of a whiskey academic establishment appeared a promising begin for any ebook on American whiskey.
Nevertheless, the preliminary promise of a well-researched and authoritative textual content started to unravel virtually instantly. Previous the foreword, on the copyright web page, an intriguing disclaimer from the creator states: “The data on this ebook is true and full to the perfect of my data. It’s provided with out assure on the a part of the creator. The creator disclaims all legal responsibility in reference to using this ebook.” This disclaimer, showing because the reader’s very first encounter with the creator’s voice, immediately eroded confidence. When participating with non-fiction, readers inherently assume the creator possesses a level of mastery over the topic and that the knowledge introduced is correct and verifiable. To be informed outright that the creator can’t actually vouch for the veracity of the knowledge, going as far as to deny legal responsibility, instantly raised a purple flag. Regardless of the glowing endorsement from Whiskey College’s president a number of pages later, this disclaimer compelled me to query the trustworthiness of each subsequent declare.
Approaching each ebook with an anticipation of studying one thing new, I entered the prologue with cautious optimism, hoping the ebook would overcome its inauspicious begin. Sadly, this optimism shortly diminished. The creator included a photograph of his father, purportedly taken in 1933 on the “finish of Prohibition and close to the top of the Melancholy.” This seemingly minor element contained two vital historic inaccuracies. The Nice Melancholy, which started on October 29, 1929, is basically thought of to have ended between 1939 and 1941. A photograph from 1933 is much nearer to the start of the Melancholy, and positively not close to its conclusion. Moreover, the height of the Melancholy was in 1932-33, making the creator’s assertion that it was “close to the top” demonstrably false. Whereas this would possibly seem trivial, such a elementary gaffe instantly led me to proceed to query the creator’s grasp of historical past and willingness to conduct ample analysis.
The sample of errors continued into the primary chapter and persevered all through the 91 pages. The phrase “American Whiskey” appeared numerous instances with “Whiskey” constantly capitalized. Whereas seemingly nitpicky, this constant capitalization of a standard noun suggests both an unawareness of fundamental grammatical guidelines or a failure of enhancing software program to appropriate the problem. It is a mistake I might unequivocally count on a Whiskey College college member to keep away from. As I progressed, I encountered additional situations of incorrect capitalization, similar to “Whiskey Bars.”
Chapter 4, discussing early American distilleries, continued to perpetuate inaccuracies. Potash repeats the romanticized declare that George Thorpe distilled the primary corn whiskey in America in 1620. Historic data point out Thorpe did certainly create an alcoholic beverage from corn, but it surely was way more doubtless akin to beer, not liquor. Thorpe’s 1634 property stock included a copper nonetheless, however his 1620 transport manifest didn’t, indicating no proof of a nonetheless in his possession round that earlier date.
Potash additionally states that Shenk’s Distillery, based in 1753 in Shaefferstown, Pennsylvania, was the primary distillery to carry a license. Nevertheless, present historic data constantly present Laird’s brandy in Scobeyville, New Jersey, as the primary distillery to be licensed in 1780. Whereas Shenk’s might have been distilling whiskey since round 1753, Laird’s holds the excellence of being the primary distillery registered with the federal government. Shenk’s might need been the primary whiskey distillery to register in Pennsylvania, however not the primary distillery in the USA. Many distilleries operated for years, even generations, earlier than being required to register with the federal government, as exemplified by Laird and Firm’s distilling origins relationship again to 1698, however their registration not occurring till 1780.
Chapter 4 additionally contains an oddly positioned “truth test” dialogue regarding America’s title being derived from Amerigo Vespucci. Potash apparently felt compelled to notice that the title “America” was first used round April 1507 on a map by German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller, after which bizarrely added that “states, U.S. and U.S.A. weren’t used till after 1776.” This tangent comes throughout as completely misplaced and irrelevant to the historic dialogue of whiskey.
The ebook’s transient foray into the subject of the primary bourbon distillers in Kentucky additionally contained a blatant misstatement. Potash asserts, “As you possibly can see, virtually each distillery claims to be the primary in America.” That is patently false. Whereas there may be certainly debate surrounding who first distilled bourbon in Kentucky, only a few present distilleries declare to be the primary in America. The creation of bourbon was a gradual course of, not traceable to a single particular person, and discussions of the primary bourbon distiller sometimes revolve round a choose few candidates like Elijah Craig, Jacob Spears, Joseph Davis, Evan Williams, and Wattie Boone.
The ebook’s dialogue of Jim Beam delivers one more demonstrable falsehood, showcasing a scarcity of thorough analysis and a spotlight to element. Simply sentences after a self-aware suggestion to “Present the next ineffective info to indicate off how sensible you might be,” Potash claims that “Jim Beam was one among solely six distilleries approved by the federal authorities to bottle and promote medicinal whiskey throughout Prohibition.” That is unequivocally incorrect. Other than the truth that Outdated Tub wouldn’t be generally known as Jim Beam till 1935, the Beam household distilleries weren’t even among the many six approved to promote medicinal whiskey throughout Prohibition. The six firms with medical whiskey licenses had been Brown-Forman, Frankfort Distillery, Glenmore Distillery, American Medicinal Spirits, Schenley, and Stitzel Distillery – an inventory available in quite a few historic texts and simply discoverable through a easy on-line search.
Additional demonstrating lazy analysis, the creator states that George Washington started distilling whiskey at Mount Vernon in 1798. Each the ebook Founding Spirits and the official Mount Vernon webpage clearly point out that whiskey distillation started in 1797. Whereas solely a one-year discrepancy, it clearly alerts that the 2 most important sources concerning George Washington’s distillery weren’t consulted.
In discussing Outdated Forester, Potash writes, “It was the primary bourbon to be bought in bottles.” Whereas I perceive the underlying sentiment, this assertion will not be completely correct. Outdated Forester was the primary bourbon to be bought solely in sealed glass bottles. Nevertheless, whiskey had been bought in glass bottles, albeit much less generally and extra expensively, for a few years previous to Outdated Forester. The innovation of Outdated Forester was not using glass bottles, however the standardization of the apply with sealed glass bottles for high quality management.
The inaccuracy of dates proves to be a constant problem all through the ebook. Potash states, “Initially of Prohibition, Samuel Bronfman and his brothers based Seagram Firm.” Prohibition went into impact in 1920, whereas the Bronfmans didn’t discovered Seagram till 1928. This seemingly minor element, as soon as once more, erodes belief within the historic claims introduced.
The creator additionally inaccurately describes corn whiskey, stating it “is evident in coloration, unaged, and will be saved in something that may maintain the juice.” That is incorrect. Whereas corn whiskey can actually be an unaged, clear spirit, additionally it is often aged and may purchase coloration. Moreover, it can’t be aged in “something that may maintain the juice.” If aged, corn whiskey should be matured in both used or uncharred oak containers, not new charred oak. The federal authorities’s requirements of identification for corn whiskey are clearly outlined, and the creator’s description misses the mark.
The pervasive factual errors all through the ebook are deeply regarding for any reader looking for to achieve correct data. Even when the creator occurs to offer appropriate info, the sheer quantity of inaccuracies casts an enormous shadow of doubt. As a substitute of studying with the intention of studying from a reliable supply, readers are compelled into a continuing state of fact-checking. My want is to learn a historical past ebook and confidently assume the knowledge offered is appropriate.
Past the factual inaccuracies, the writing model itself lacks professionalism. The inclusion of generic scripts for dwelling whiskey tastings and a possible tour information script for Trippy Goat Distillery feels disjointed and provides to the general discombobulation of the ebook.
I’ve learn a major variety of books on American whiskey, encountering a number of definitive duds alongside the best way. Whereas My Journey into American Whiskey is a brief, self-published work, it might be simple to easily dismiss it as a wasted buy and transfer on. Nevertheless, I’m profoundly disturbed by the truth that this ebook is authored by a college member of Whiskey College, and additional bothered by the robust endorsement it obtained from the establishment’s founder and president. Whiskey College, with its tuition-based academic applications, ought to, very like the Stave and Thief Society, signify a typical of training and data throughout the whiskey world. The query that lingers is: Is that this the extent of academic high quality provided for a charge by Whiskey College college? Whereas Poppy Bruce Potash is only one college member, the truth that the founder and president of Whiskey College provided a wholehearted endorsement of this ebook raises vital considerations in regards to the credibility and academic requirements of this system itself.
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My Journey Into American Whiskey
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