| 1840 | – | One thousand commercial distilleries operate in the Hudson Valley. |
| 1855 | – | Social pressure from the Temperance movement forces most distilleries to close. |
| 1919 | – | Prohibition begins – alcoholic beverages made illegal in the United States. |
| Early 1920s | – | Many fruit producers distill bootleg alcohol to supplement incomes decimated by the importation of cheap fruit to New York City. |
| Late 1920s | – | Local bootlegging well established in Marlborough under the control of gangsters Jack "Legs" Diamond and "Dutch" Schultz. |
| 1933 | – | Prohibition repealed, and while alcohol production is once again legal, high license fees are installed to regulate producers. Bootlegging continues as producers attempt to avoid the fees. |
| 1950-1970 | – | Bootleg distilling slowly fades as police increase their diligence and sophistication at finding hidden stills. |
| 2000 | – | The fee to operate a distillery in New York State reaches $50,800 per year. |
| 2003 | – | New York State enacts the Micro-Distillery Act, lowering the fees on small (<35,000 gallons per year) distilleries to $1,200. |
| 2007 | – | New York State enacts the Farm Distillery Act, allowing direct sales and tastings at distilleries that make their distillates from 100% New York State ingredients. It also lowers the license fee to $128. |
