Overview: Iron City Distilling has secured approval from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to distribute its Bessemer Rye Whiskey and Bessemer Gin across fifty state-run Fine Wine & Good Spirits locations. The products are expected on shelves by late November or early December, marking a significant expansion for the East Deer-based facility.
The Full Story
Bessemer Rye Whiskey will be available in all fifty stores, while Bessemer Gin appears in twenty of those same locations. Customers can purchase both spirits together as a two-pack within the gin locations to sample without committing to a full bottle. Iron City Distilling president Peter Katz described the rollout as a milestone for the company, noting it represents the first step into the market following meetings with the Liquor Control Board in May.
The distillery joined the PLCB’s PA Proud Wine and Spirits Program, which allows Pennsylvania-based producers to select products for placement in state stores. To maintain this partnership, distilleries must sell at least one case per location per month. The distribution network covers western PA counties including Allegheny, Westmoreland, Butler, Washington, Armstrong, Lawrence, Beaver, Erie, and Mercer.
Production & Profile
The Bessemer Bourbon inaugural release is scheduled for November 19 at the Creighton facility, with general sale beginning November 20. Tickets cost $103 and include a tasting and dinner with Master Distiller Matt Strickland. For existing rye offerings, the distillery uses grain from local farms including heirloom rye seeds.
The first-ever rye release was limited to just 176 bottles at 53.7 percent alcohol by volume. A later single-barrel rye release expanded to 350 bottles priced at $75 each, sold only through the distillery’s gift shop. Additionally, Reserve Gin won gold medals at both the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the SIP Awards in 2024.
Brand & Industry History
Iron City has framed its rye whiskey as part of a wider Pennsylvania rye revival, tying the style to the region’s 1800s whiskey-making history. The distillery is bullish that distillers working together can reestablish the state’s rye tradition.
What This Means
The expansion lands amid a broader resurgence in the state’s craft spirits scene. Iron City Distilling joined the PA Proud Wine and Spirits Program, giving Pennsylvania-based producers the chance to select up to 10 products for placement in up to 10 Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores of their choosing.
Consumer Takeaway
The availability extends to Allegheny, Westmoreland, Butler, Washington, Armstrong, Lawrence, Beaver, Erie and Mercer counties among others. Shelves are expected late November or early December.
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