Philadelphia has a long tradition of distilling that has evolved from colonial rum and whiskey-making into a new generation of small producers experimenting with local ingredients, unusual grains, and that Philly punch. Here are some of the local distilleries and bottle shops carrying that tradition forward.
New Liberty Distillery (South Kensington)
For the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, New Liberty made a limited edition Kinsey Liberty Bell Decanter, each signed by master distiller Robert Cassell — who also co-founded Philadelphia Distilling — and filled with Kinsey’s custom 100-proof bourbon blend. If you don’t make it to the distillery, you can also pick up New Liberty bottles at Enswell’s bottle shop on Spruce Street.
BOTLD (Rittenhouse, Midtown Village, and King of Prussia)
BOTLD is not your typical liquor store — and that’s kind of the point. The Philly-born shop — the brainchild of the other Philadelphia Distilling co-founder, Andrew Auwerda — works directly with distillers around the country and world, then uses a loophole in Pennsylvania’s quirky liquor laws that says you can sell spirits out of a non-state-run liquor store as long as they're bottled in Pennsylvania. Auwerda imports the spirits in bulk containers and bottles them at BOTLD, making it a particularly good place to hunt for bottles you’re unlikely to see on the average state-run store shelf.
Stateside Vodka (Norris Square)
Stateside Spirits took Philadelphia — and America — by storm over the last year. You can’t go to any concert, festival, or sports game without running into a sea of people holding canned Surfside Iced Tea + Vodka cans or Stateside Vodka cans. Getting the naming rights to Xfinity Live! secured its position as one of most well-known alcohol brands in the country, but its roots are still in Philadelphia, and you can take a free distillery tour Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
Red Brick Craft Distillery (East Kensington)
This tiny Kensington operation makes its spirits the old-fashioned way: locally sourced ingredients are brewed, fermented, distilled, aged, and bottled in Philadelphia. Owner and head distiller Brian Forrest specializes in small-batch bottles, and you can buy Red Brick at the distillery and at local farmers markets.
Philadelphia Distilling (Fishtown)
Philadelphia Distilling is home to the famous Bluecoat American Dry Gin — a bright, citrus-forward gin — which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. More than 20 bars and restaurants — including Bok Bar, Parc, the Ranstead Room, and The Library Bar — are serving Bluecoat anniversary cocktails. And starting Sept. 24, the distillery’s tasting room is debuting 20 Cocktails for 20 Years, a collaborative menu with one drink dedicated to each bar and restaurant that helped build the brand. The distillery also offers cocktail-making classes and tours.
