We have some excellent news for all of the Philadelphia whiskey lovers out there! The American Whiskey Convention will be back in town on Friday, April 5th (repeat after me, "WOOHOO!"). This year's event will be held at the University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, a venue that yours truly hasn't set foot in since Mrs. G-LO graduated from Penn's School of Nursing in 1996. College graduations are fun and all, but I'm guessing that sampling whiskey amongst the antiquities will be even better!
Anyway, without further ado, below is information about this year's event. We look forward to seeing you there!
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This spring, attend the American Whiskey Convention and immerse yourself in luxury. The world's largest event dedicated entirely to American whiskeys will be returning on April 5th to Philadelphia. "It's the fourth year for this convention and we are proud to say that we grow and improve every year with more vendors and whiskeys," remarked event founder, Laura Fields.
Sample from a collection of over 250 American whiskeys while taking in golden Egyptian artifacts, priceless sculptures, and classical art at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Then, pair a luxury bourbon with a cigar in a private tobacconist's lounge or pamper yourself with an old-fashioned straight-razor shave and shoe shine. "We designed this event to be a fully immersive experience," said Fields. "We want you to enjoy a luxurious evening."
With over 80 intriguing vendors, guests will have access to every style of American whiskey and hundreds of whiskey-inspired gifts. Attendees find beverage accessories, whiskey-themed furniture, and even bespoke clothing. Guests are invited to browse and shop, visit VIP lounges or observe demonstrations of everything from grain milling to bartenders mixing classic cocktails.
"The museum is so awe inspiring and it's filled with so many wonderful archeological discoveries, that we thought it would be the perfect place to dig into the archeology of some of our favorite drinks."
Event Admission
General admission opens at 6:30pm. VIP ticket holders enter an hour earlier, at 5:30pm.
Tickets are available at AmericanWhiskeyConvention.com. Guests who use promo code SAVE10 through February 10th receive 10% off ticket purchases.
Explore Whiskey Archaeology as a VIP guest
VIP guests gain exclusive entry to the event an hour before the general public. Your VIP pass gives you access to limited release bottles and the opportunity to reserve seats for one of our interactive discussion panels.
VIP Panel 1 - Private Forum and Tasting
Bourbon Pompeii: Exploring Whiskey Archaeology at OFC Distillery with Nicolas Laracuente
Archeologists discovered a long-forgotten distillery buried beneath hundreds of years of dirt, dust, and concrete in Frankfort, Kentucky. Whiskey archaeologist Nicolas Laracuente will share details of their ground-breaking work. Attendees will sample EH Taylor whiskeys and experimental distillates from Buffalo Trace.
VIP Panel 2 - Private Tour
Ancient Alcohol Tour: Explore the Archaeology of Booze!
Meet the "Indiana Jones of Ancient Ales, Wines and Extreme Beverages," Patrick McGovern. The renowned beer archaeologist will lead a tour through the museum's ancient drinking vessel collection while he shares intoxicating tales of drinking in the ancient world.
Meet the Masters
The American Whiskey Convention creates a relaxed atmosphere where every guest, from whiskey novice to aficionado, can mingle with the experts in modern-day craft distilling. "From farm to glass, you are going to learn about every step of the distilling process. You can meet farmers and grist millers, chat with maltsters, and, of course, sample the fruits of their labor," said Fields.
America's first president, General George Washington, had a long-forgotten distillery in Mount Vernon, Virginia. In 1999, archaeologists uncovered details that allowed them to reconstruct that distillery. Steve Bashore, Director of Historic Trades at Mount Vernon's Distillery and Gristmill, will not only have some of the items recovered from the distillery's archeological dig on display at the event, but he will be pouring whiskeys that were recreated using colonial era techniques from George Washington's own recipes!
Steve Beam, President and Master Distiller at Limestone Branch Distillery, will mingle with guests. Craft distillers like Lisa Roper Wicker of Saints and Monsters, Vince Oleson of Widow Jane and Herman Mihalich of Dad's Hat and more will be able to answer all your distilling questions. Master distiller Greg Metze, best known for his 38 years of distilling at Seagram's Distillery (now known as MGP Products), will also be featuring whiskeys from his new distillery project, Old Elk. It was his many years of hard work as master distiller in Lawrenceburg, Indiana that earned one of America's most prolific distilleries the Whiskey Advocate's Distillery of the Year Award in 2015. "Greg is a legend and he's going to lead a forum, which is incredibly exciting," said Fields. Metze is the skilled hand behind many brand favorites including Bulleit Rye, Angel's Envy, High West Whiskeys and Smooth Ambler whiskeys.
After his discussion forum, Metze will be available to interact with guests in Old Elk's VIP lounge. You will be able to sample his Old Elk products in a master tasting class, many of which are only available in their tasting room in Colorado. There will also be an Old Forester Bourbon master tasting class. This will feature Old Forester's Whiskey Row Series of bourbon whiskeys. Seatings for both classes are at 7pm and 8pm.
Celebrity Chef
There will also be plenty to eat. Food Network Star and Chopped Grill Master, Chef Chad Rosenthal (who owns The Lucky Well in Ambler, PA), will host a barbeque pig roast complemented by a selection of locally sourced sides. Each dish is designed to pair perfectly with select bourbons and rye whiskeys.
Event Proceeds Help Local Farmers
Proceeds from the 4th Annual American Whiskey Convention go to the non-profit Delaware Fields Foundation, which works alongside farmers and other local non-profits to bring attention to the vital role small farms play in our communities. The foundation works to educate the public through events with broad appeal, such as the whiskey convention.
To find out more about this fantastic event and to follow the American Whiskey Convention on Social Media, click on the following linksWhere to Buy Tickets: Delaware Valley Fields Foundation: The Lucky Well: Chef Chad Rosenthal: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWCphillyhttps://www.instagram.com/americanwhiskeyconvention/https://www.facebook.com/americanwhiskeyconvention/http://www.chadrosenthal.com/http://www.theluckywell.com/http://www.delvalfieldsfoundation.org/https://americanwhiskeyconvention.ticketleap.com/2019-awc-tickets/
