Miami Presents: Rye Revolution - a Virtual Tasting with Phil Talks Whiskey Featuring Dr. Mike Crowder
Presented on: Tuesday, February 17th 2026 at 7:00 PM EST
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Join us for Winter College – five days of lunchtime webinar lectures and MUAA's famous virtual bourbon and wine tastings. All fun and no exams means this is the collegiate experience of your dreams!
Join us for a special Charter Day celebration as we pour a glass of history and explore the spicy, bold legacy of Rye Whiskey in America!
Phil Kollin and Mike Crowder return once again to the Zoom Room as our guides, but this time we are trading in bourbon for the spirit that built a nation and can trace its origins back to the mid-1700s. We will sip through three American Rye Whiskeys that define the category—bottles that are affordable, available nationwide, and absolutely worth your time.
Join us for a journey back in time to rediscover the grain that George Washington distilled and that fueled the Golden Age of Cocktails. In 2026, Rye is back in a big way, and there is more history in the glass than ever before!
Showcasing and Sipping:
Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-in-Bond
Bulleit Rye Whiskey
Sazerac Rye Whiskey
(Most viewers should be able to find these bottles to purchase on their own before the event. The Sazerac may not be available in every state - a suggested replacement is Woodford Reserve Rye)
About Our Hosts:
Phil Kollin '00, of Phil Talks Whiskey, is an Executive Bourbon Steward who celebrates his passion for whiskey, storytelling, and sharing sips all around the country. From the distillation process to the business strategies shaping whiskey, he aims to uncover the popular myths that often obscure the truth.
Dr. Mike Crowder, Miami Professor, Dean of the Graduate School, and fellow Executive Bourbon Steward, brings the science to the history. The Crowder Laboratory analyzes distilled spirits to develop a library of chemical fingerprints for authentication. Mike will help us understand the chemical 'DNA' that makes Rye unique and how it differs from its more famous cousin, Bourbon.
Please reach out to J.J. Slager at slagerjj@miamioh.edu with any questions.
The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Miami University Alumni Association.