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“What is rye that we should be mindful of it?”
Noted whiskey and beer writer Lew Bryson answered that and other “spiritual” questions during a Feb. 17 whiskey tasting at West Overton Museums near Scottdale.
The Bucks County resident, who has addressed those issues fulltime since 1996 for thedailybeast.com, thewhiskeywash.com and other online and print publications, discussed the Whiskey Rebellion, Prohibition and the art of distillation while guests sampled four rye whiskeys and a bourbon.
The bill of fare included Wigle Rye and Wigle White Rye from the Pittsburgh Strip District distiller; Wild Turkey 101 Rye, available in Pennsylvania only by special order; Crown Royal Northern Harvest from Canada; and for contrast, Buffalo Trace Bourbon.
Bryson was introduced by new West Overton board member and Whiskey Advocate magazine editor SamKomlenic, who told about the time the pair were thrown out of a Wilkes-Barre bar before they even had a drink. It seems the bartender took umbrage when they questioned his knowledge of the products he was serving.
The event was a dream come true for over-21 Seton Hill University students in professor Jim Bosco's HT420 distilled spirits class: a school-sanctioned party road trip. Joining them was professor Paul Mahady, who objected to the term “chaperone”: “No, we're here to drink whiskey!”
Also present were Jim Clayton andMary Catherine Motchar, Barbara Ferrier, Sharon Bartolotta, Corey and Lauren Churilla, Matt andBreanne Lockhart, Ed andSusan Stoner, Ryan Heming andElizabeth Bagdon, Jami Rutherford andTodd Owens, Jared Squires andJarod Craig.
Event organizer and managing director Jessica Kadie-Barclay was assisted by servers Dana Frund and Logan Holmes.
Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-836-5750 or smcmarlin@tribweb.com.
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