At the end of prohibition the first alcohol to legally be distilled in the state of Vermont was produced using pure maple syrup as its base sugar instead of cane sugar or corn or grain. Soon after the production of alcohol for consumption was again made legal, the Green Mountain Distillery in Burlington began using maple syrup, a locally available commodity and well-loved food item, to create a unique and rum like liquor as well as a sweet liqueur.
The story of the Green Mountain Distillery’s beginning, short life, and ending are the focus of my latest contribution to the June 2023 edition of the Maple Syrup Digest (Vol. 62, no. 2). For those that may not be familiar with the Maple Syrup Digest, it is the official quarterly publication of the North American Maple Syrup Council. You can read the article at this link or by clinking on the accompanying image.