• Page Table of Contents

Interpretive historical illustration: The image connects the 1938 barrel standard, wartime redirection of distilling, postwar controls, corporate concentration, and later changes in demand.

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Start here: War and changing tastes reshaped American whiskey. Distilleries supplied industrial alcohol, grain restrictions limited production, and large firms gained influence. Later, many drinkers turned to lighter spirits. Producers responded in different ways, from distinctive brands such as Maker’s Mark to new product categories.

For dates, supporting evidence, and differing interpretations, follow the links in the lesson and its research section.

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• More context: the fuller overview

The Lesson At A Glance

Interpretive historical illustration: Standards, wartime production needs, corporate concentration, and changing preferences influenced the industry together.

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History course · Lesson 7 of 8

Previous: Prohibition and Repeal · Next: Premium, Craft, and Contemporary Revival · American Whiskey History

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Questions This Chapter Answers

• When did charred new oak become part of bourbon’s federal type definition?
• How did wartime conversion actually unfold?
• Why did whiskey production return through holidays and administrative windows rather than one reopening?
• How did postwar concentration extend beyond ownership of distilleries?
• Why did American whiskey decline while lighter spirits expanded?
• What do Maker’s Mark, the 1964 resolution, and light whisky reveal about industry responses?

1938: Production Practice Becomes A National Type Standard