The first whiskey distillery since prohibition is set to open in Pittsburgh.
Wigle Whiskey, located on Smallman Street in the Strip District, hopes to bring modern innovations to the classic beverage, while respecting the rich tradition of Pennsylvanian distilleries.
"Our challenge is Pittsburgh's challenge," says Eric Meyer, who co-owns Wigle Whiskey with his father, Mark Meyer. "We want to embrace the past but we also have to adapt to the modern age that we live in."
Wigle Whiskey will be a grain to bottle distillery, using only local, organic grains. Meyer says tours of the distillery will be given, allowing customers to taste, touch, and smell the whiskey in all stages of production.
Wigle has partnered with
EDGE studio and MM Marra Construction to design and build an environment that will be welcoming for whiskey newcomers, Meyer says. Bright orange, green, and blue colors are used in the distillery, as a direct contrast to the dark hues often found on mainstream whiskey labels.
Although whiskey is most often associated with Kentucky, Meyer says the Pittsburgh region played an important role in developing the beverage, as evidenced by the Whiskey Rebellion of the 1790s. Paying homage to that history, Wigle Whiskey is named after Philip Wigle, an important figure in the whiskey-tax uprising.
The building which houses the distillery was most recently an engine repair shop. But years ago, the warehouse was connected via an underground tunnel to the Phoenix Brewery just across Smallman Street. Meyer says in this way, the building is returning to a historical use.
The family-owned business will also serve as a museum of the Whiskey Rebellion, told through the experiences of Philip Wigle. Tours of the distillery will be given Thursday through Sunday.
Meyer hopes to be fully operational by the fall, once the necessary federal and state permits have been received.
Writer: Andrew Moore
Source: Eric Meyer, Wigle Whiskey