History and education infuses everything Dad’s Hat does since opening almost 15 years ago.

Herman Mihalich and John Cooper at their Dad’s Hat distillery / Photography by Todd Trice

Sometimes when Herman Mihalich is giving tours of Bristol distillery Dad’s Hat, he’ll sprinkle some historic knowledge onto the group. He might say, “Hey, did you know there were something like 200 whiskey distilleries in Pennsylvania before Prohibition?” Or maybe, “Pennsylvania really is the birthplace of American whiskey.”

“They’re like, ‘Oh, we had no idea,’” says Mihalich. “‘We thought whiskey started in Kentucky.’”

Mihalich’s commitment to education at Dad’s Hat has been present for the past 15 years, crafting the finest rye whiskey in the state. This rye is characterized by its grassy, peppery notes, making it ideal for enjoying straight or in classic cocktails like the old-fashioned or Sazerac.

Living above his family’s bar in Monessen, south of Pittsburgh, as a child, Mihalich seemed destined for Dad’s Hat. His grandfather often tasked young Herman with pouring him some rye whiskey. “I still remember the smell,” he nostalgically shares. Not far from home was the former location of Gibson Distillery, once the largest rye whiskey distiller globally. In 2006, after reading a New York Times article on rye’s resurgence, Mihalich – a chemical engineer at the time, was given 10 different rye whiskeys by his wife as a Christmas gift. This sparked his interest in contributing to rye whiskey’s revival.

Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania rye whiskey

The mid-20th century experienced the decline of rye due to the popularity of bourbon and single-malt scotches, along with the dwindling of Northeast distilleries, rye’s original habitat. Regardless, Mihalich and former Penn fraternity brother, John Cooper, were resolved to resurrect its prominence.

The two soon quit their jobs, drove 700 miles to take classes at Michigan State’s artisan distilling program, and built a business model. They tested old Pennsylvania rye recipes and learned to get choosy about yeast strains. When Kentucky and Indiana distillers told them it would be impossible to find good American rye grain to use, the unfazed duo headed back to Pennsylvania and teamed up with Bucks County farmers to grow it.

“I enjoy the fact that we had a part to play in bringing rye whiskey back to its historical home,” Mihalich says. Make that all of us.

Published as “Hat’s Off” in the April 2024 issue of Philadelphia magazine.

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