George Washington opened a whiskey distillery after his presidency.

Famous Figures

S hortly after departing the presidency in March 1797, George Washington set out on an entirely new endeavor. The founding father was encouraged by his farm manager James Anderson to use the vast expanse of the Washington family estate, Mount Vernon, to open a whiskey distillery. Anderson believed that the estate's extant gristmill and plentiful water supply would make for a thriving operation. Sure enough, the prediction came true, and the distillery blossomed into a highly profitable business venture for Washington.

In October 1797, construction began on a stone house large enough to contain five whiskey stills, and 50 mash tubs were added over the next two years. By 1799, the distillery was producing nearly 11,000 gallons of alcohol annually, valued at $7,500 (roughly $185,000 today). Other Virginia-based distilleries, by comparison, produced an average of around 650 gallons each year. The Mount Vernon distillery was known for its cinnamon whiskies as well as apple and peach brandies, and rather than bottle, brand, or age its whiskey, the distillery quickly delivered its product to local merchants in 30-gallon wooden barrels, which meant a rapid influx of cash. Washington died on December 14, 1799, just as the business reached its apex. The former President's nephew Lawrence Lewis inherited the operation and ran it until around 1808; six years later, the original distillery burned down in a fire.

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By the Numbers

Years that Prohibition lasted in the United States

Year of the first written record of whiskey

1324

Did you know?

Alcohol was the first domestic product taxed by the new U.S. government.

In 1791, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton proposed taxing domestic-made alcoholic spirits in an attempt to pay off debts incurred during the American Revolution. The resulting tax marked the first time that the U.S. government imposed a levy on domestic goods. Though the tax charged a modest 6 cents per gallon for large producers and 9 cents for smaller operations, it was met with extreme backlash, especially among the small distilleries in Western Pennsylvania. This furor led to the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794, which saw violence between American citizens and tax collectors. In response, President George Washington assembled a militia to quell what many now consider the first uprising against the U.S. federal government. The militia captured approximately 150 people and tried the group for treason, though those convicted were later pardoned by Washington. The whiskey tax was ultimately repealed in 1802 by President Thomas Jefferson.