Bottled-In-Bond Whiskey

Almost a hundred years before Boulevard brewed its first batch of Unfiltered Wheat, the U.S. government enacted its first consumer protection law with the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. The late 1800’s were a wild time for whiskey producers, and consumers alike. America’s fascination with whiskey produced in states like Kentucky, Tennessee and Pennsylvania created an opportunity for merchants of less-than-scrupulous reputations. These merchants, called Rectifiers, would adulterate unaged whiskey with coloring agents that would mimic the color and flavor of whiskey. Often, these additions were harmful to the unsuspecting consumer, and there were few regulations in place to protect those taking the time and patience to age their spirits in American white oak barrels, producing a superior product. A handful of distillers worked with the U.S. government to set regulations that would protect the consumer’s health and add confidence that what they were purchasing, and drinking, was what the la