The Spirit of Mount Vernon: The Return of George Washington's Whiskey

[felpaluche]

Intriguing. what could the taste be?

[ladyattis]

Well I hate to burst the bubble of the visage of George Washington, but he sent troops against whiskey makers in Pennsylvania when he was President: the Whiskey Rebellion.

[sleedolfine15]

@ladyattis That's a well known bit of American history found in any standard U.S. history book. Washington was not an anarchist. He was not a Rothbardian. He believed in government and taxation and although he believed that these things should be limited,he nonetheless believed in the right of the State to obedience in the exercise of It's legitimate authority. He led an army to uphold that authority--one of the few time in U.S.history of a president actually commanding troops on the field.

[MoneyIsSilver]

I think of Washington as a douchebag.

He was a major in the British army before supposedly fighting a war against them. so he lied to someone.

[thomaserossi]

@MoneyIsSilver - And you're a moron.

[MoneyIsSilver]

@thomaserossi Nice ad hominem come back - that means you have nothing.

[sleedolfine15]

@MoneyIsSilver It's true that Washington had youthful asperations of having a career in the British military, but, it never happened. He was a major in the Virginia Militia,a military organization under the command of Virginia's British Royal Governor,but since Virginia was part of the British Empire that's hardly surprising. Besides Washington military career was well known to & respected by everyone in the colonies & was the primary reason why he was chosen to head the continental army.

[MoneyIsSilver]

@sleedolfine15 Re read your history. Apparently you don't know shit about it.

Washington WAS a major in the British Army. He was the one sent by British forces to kick the French out of the Ohio river valley and that is what started the French Indian War. At the time, the French were the Brits main enemy - and Washington is who the British sent to deal with them. What does that tell you?

[sleedolfine15]

@MoneyIsSilver You do not want to contend with me on this subject. Not only was I partially educated in Va.,but I have visited MT. Vernon and have read maybe a dozen books on the great man--including the single volume written by James Flexner & also the one by Douglas Freeman. I have'nt gotten around to Ron Chernow's new version yet,but I loved his book on Alexander Hamilton so I know it will be good. Anyway,I know of what I speak. Washington was Va. Militia & not His Majesty's regular army.

[pinegrove33]

My buddy says rye is one of the finest drinks in the world For myself i cannot say.

[LunaticFringe20]

I want Beardy McAwesome's hat. 

[littlebier8]

Does anyone else think it's awesome that Reason TV splits its time pretty evenly between political commentary and alcoholic beverage documentaries?

[megagagnon1]

@constitutionaljoke They sold fortified wine back then?

[yakyakyak69]

That traitor A-hole Hamilton pressured Washington into taxing alcohol to pay for the revolution war debts even though the war was about english taxes.

Washington went along with the Wisky Rebellion by sending 12,000 troops (more than took place in the revolution) so that he could kill off all small distillers thus sell more of his own brand.

[sleedolfine15]

@yakyakyak69 The war was not about taxes. Neither Washington nor any of the other founders opposed taxation. The issue was who has the right to tax Americans--a government in London 3000 miles away and unelected by them or their own government closer to home and of their choosing. The issue was did those moonshiners have the right to defy the tax collectors of the legally constituted American government or would the government defend its rights to exercise its legal authority.

[mikheii]

Awesome, but let's not forget that hard cider was the true drink of America- it was even part of soldiers' rations.

Great video.

[Megabyxos]

It's telling that the primary deviation from the18th century procedure is due to a pointless bureaucratic stipulation.

[modernfreestyle]

America was founded on the principles of freedom and free enterprise. Industry, not academia, made America great and will do so again.

[kainniak1]

@modernfreestyle ya your right the founding fathers where just all farmers not literate well spoken people at all. Fuck school, sweat and blood is all we need DERP DERP DERP

[modernfreestyle]

@kainniak1 You must be either a unionized worker or a left-wing academic. :D

[kainniak1]

@modernfreestyle show me the part of the constitution that set up "free enterprise" shit show me the part that set up or economics system

[modernfreestyle]

@kainniak1 Do you even know what the American revolution was about? :D

[kainniak1]

@modernfreestyle way to dodge the question it was about being taxed unfairly mainly among other things now answer the question

[modernfreestyle]

@kainniak1 The constitution allows people to pursue their own interests--yes, or no? It enshrines individual property rights--yes, or no? It states (in the Commerce Clause) that the government may "regulate" trade, and then states elsewhere that there are limits as to how far it may do so without infringing on individual and property rights--yes, or no?

The founders were free-enterprise supporters--yes, or no? Taxation AND "trade restrictions" were the root causes of the revolution--yes, or no?

[kainniak1]

@modernfreestyle so you still refuse to answer my question then ask 4 questions awesome dude

[kainniak1]

@modernfreestyle i am srry thats not even y we started talking some guy claims the free market is what made america and i diagree and i am not going to get into it again long story short thank the ppl not the economic system

[sleedolfine15]

@kainniak1 I don't believe you understand our system. Under that system anything not explicitly prohibited is allowed . The point is it is'nt the job of the constitution to set up an economic system. The system flowed naturally from the numerous free choices of free individuals going about their business. The job of the federal and state constitutions was to protect those individual going about their legitimate business.

[kainniak1]

i personaly think goerge washington wouldn't give a fuck about the whisky business i would hope he would be more concerned about the fact that now the citizens are more or less enslaved to the "free" market

[modernfreestyle]

@kainniak1 "Enslaved by the Free Market!" Sounds like a T-shirt slogan for complete losers to me! :P

[kajames2]

See, if only we could get rid of modern technology, we'd get all our manufacturing jobs back and could work as many hours as we desired. The great tragedy of this generation is the shipping of these jobs overseas and replacing them with robotics...

[XCritonX]

@kajames2 Ya I am sure you would love to return to back breaking labor, frequent injuries, short life spans and general poverty. Africa is more like what you described, not exactly paradise. Our technology is not the problem, it is the solution. In GWs time 95% of the population was rural farmers struggling to get by. After the advances of the agriculture revolution only about 0.5% of the population still works in farming, and we produce more food. The unemployed farmers found work elsewhere.

[theylied1776]

You left out slave owner!

[seeker267]

This video makes me want a bacon samich...

[ghost9pm]

Cool video

[Knoss]

If it wasn't in a chared barrel would that make it vodka?

[gneissday]

@Knoss Vodka is made from potatoes.

[Megabyxos]

@gneissday Not all vodka. It can be made from anything with starch/fermentable sugars. Wheat, rye, and sugar beet are also pretty common.

[Knoss]

@gneissday Perhaps traditionally but grains like rye are often used and even sugar or fruit so long as it is pure enough to not taste like rum or brandy.

[blogegog]

Hey, didn't Washington order troops to fight other Americans who wanted to make their own whiskey?

[Fidokrab]

pretty cool

[elsquibbs]

I love me some Makers Mark.

[XCritonX]

Does drinking whiskey make you a better historical interpreter?

I am going to get some practice right now.

[blurglide]

@XCritonX Yes: everyone was drunk back then, so a stager, a slur, and an odor really takes you back to the 1700's.

[happymax1]

If George Washington was alive today... he would be extremely old....

[nhfoos]

George also grew HEMP! that also should make a come back, let us be free! free freedom with hemp!

[karenL1058]

@nhfoos --get your facts right--there are two kinds of hemp and he grew the kind used for paper making--

[nhfoos]

@karenL1058 LoL! that comment is inaccurate....how about you tell me what the other HEMP is hmmmmm?

[karenL1058]

@nhfoos look it up: wikipedia-types of hemp

[tgraham76]

Leagalize homedistilling!!!!

[freesk8]

So, did Washington put down the Whiskey Rebellion, because they were competitors to his whiskey business?

[CurtHowland]

@freesk8 Not competition to his, specifically, but to the commercial distilleries who were friends with Hamilton.

[oilhammer04]

It tastes like poison to me.

[CurtHowland]

Of course. After crushing the Whiskey Rebellion and reducing competition, he had to get into the business himself. And of course, they didn't tax George. Why is anyone surprised?

[Steve83B]

@CurtHowland That was Hamilton who wanted to the tax.

[CurtHowland]

@Steve83B George Washington was the only President to ride as Commander In Chief in front of the army, into Western Penn to enforce the tax.

[Steve83B]

@CurtHowland True. But let's be honest here, it was Jefferson, the ANTI-Federalist who abolished the tax. Because he was anti central government. I think Washington just used opportunity afterward. It's been speculated that Hamilton instigated and provoked the rebellion with the tax. We might never know....

[CurtHowland]

@Steve83B Mt. Vernon had the still long before Jefferson was president, since Washington DIED before Jefferson took office.

And yes, Hamilton was the mover and shaker behind the tax, to help his industrial friends.

I cannot recommend the book "Hamilton's Curse" by Tom DiLorenzo highly enough. Get a copy any way you can, and enjoy. It's one heck of a read.

[Steve83B]

@CurtHowland Oh, I see. Thanks for the recommendation. I'll take a look at the book, Tom DiLorenzo is great.

[MrStephenRGilman]

I hope they set SOME reserves aside to age for a few years before selling it.

[schmij8]

Where can I get some?!?!

[KagarBeardtooth]

@LordSparkisvati

I'm just glad that he suffered miserably from hemorrhoids when he rode out with the army.

[Nokhoida]

Whiskey is delicious, you guys.

[rjc071]

Great posting!!! Thanks for making this available!!!

[yojimbo81]

@LordSparkisvati Kind of ironic, eh? Hamilton influence perhaps? 

[avyanez]

Thank you for this wonderful posting

[johnycannuk]

@LordSparkisvati Yeah, my thoughts...Washington was the first statist to use the power of the state to get rid of his competitors.

[djd32791]

awesome

[Reckless3057]

@LordSparkisvati no sales tax at the time, no income tax either. I imagine he sold whiskey to those poor mountain peasants.

[boxant]

now i'm thirsty

[newengland72]

I hope for the sake of their hard labor, that Rye is worth it's salt.

[surrealnumber]

i want some, where can i get it!

[Gallowglasser]

where's the slaves?

[BillPigg]

I AM George Washington.

[crankycactus]

i want the weed that he grew on his land too... luckily i live 5 minutes from mount vernon... whiskey here i come...

[MrPloppy1]

@crankycactus Industrial hemp and marijuana aren't the same thing. The hemp Washington grew had very low levels of THC and high levels of CBD (a strong THC "marijuana high" blocker). You wouldn't want his weed, unless you needed rope, high quality ethanol, writing paper, clothing or even food. Hemp is a super-crop with a bad rap because people think that it's another name for that "evil" marijuana plant.

[crankycactus]

@MrPloppy1 yes i know he raised primarily male plants for hemp thanks to countless field trips... i was thinking it to be more of a novelty than a buzz.... well, i suppose thats where the whiskey comes in...

[bulbinking]

I was born on george washingtons birthday