Where to Buy Local Spirits Without Setting Foot in a State Store
Whether you’re stocking up your bar for holiday parties or shopping for locally distilled gifts, you’ve got plenty of options.
The bottle shop at the front of Enswell sells local spirits. / Photograph by Jason Varney
If you’ve ever been to a BYOB restaurant or tried to buy liquor in Philadelphia, you know the liquor laws in our state are a little wonky. The history is long and complicated, but the regulations have shifted in the last 10 years to open up alcohol sales in grocery stores, bottle shops, and distilleries — all of which has led to a proliferation of PA-made spirits.
Which is handy during the holiday season, because do you know what makes a great gift? Alcohol. And while a bottle of big-label gin or whiskey can sometimes seem like an afterthought, a local bottle — handcrafted by PA artisans — is a thoughtful and considerate gift that is also giving back to the local economy. It’s win-win. So in order to make it as easy as possible on you this gift-giving season, here are the Philly spots where residents can load up on locally made products without setting foot inside a state liquor store.
Enswell
Center City
Enswell is a collaboration between Rival Bros. and New Liberty Distillery, taking advantage of New Liberty’s distiller’s license, which allows them to sell local alcohol without buying a pricy liquor license. Through this loophole, Rival Bros. co-owners Jonathan Adams and Damien Pileggi have created an all-day cafe concept that combines coffee service with brunch and dinner services, as well as a bar that utilizes New Liberty’s line of ryes, bourbons, whiskeys and rums. The drinks list doesn’t read like it’s based on local product at all, but look closely and you’ll notice that the beer and wine are also local. It’s a smart and utilitarian collaboration between two drinks producers in Rival and New Liberty, set against the food menu designed by Andrew Farley (formerly of High Street and Pub & Kitchen).
New Liberty Distillery
Fishtown
New Liberty is best known for their line of Kinsey whiskey, which includes both rye and bourbon. Visit their tasting room in Fishtown to figure out your favorite, then check out their newer restaurant and coffee shop space, Enswell, above.
BOTLD in Rittenhouse is a treasure trove of local (and not-so-local) spirits. / Photograph by Laura Swartz
BOTLD
Center City
BOTLD owner Andrew Auwerda has long been a leader in Philadelphia’s alcohol scene — he co-founded Philadelphia Distilling in 2005. He’s now opened another innovative project that takes advantage of a simple rule from the PLCB that says a distillery in Pennsylvania can sell any liquor that is bottled in the state. Thus, Auwerda’s concept is simple. He buys barrels of liquor from companies all over the world and bottles them at a facility in King of Prussia, with branding indistinguishable from their regular labels except for the addition of the words “bottled in Pennsylvania.” This allows Auwerda to sell things like small-batch gin distilled in Finland, vodka made from sweet potatoes in Arkansas, and dark rum made in Chiapas, Mexico — all of which are made by companies that are too small to be accepted by the PLCB for sale in state stores.
While these products aren’t strictly local, this local business is bringing excellent small-batch spirits into the state, and we consider that a very big deal. For Philadelphians used to driving across state lines for a better liquor selection, BOTLD is a breath of fresh air (or a sip of cold vodka). Bonus: In addition to their Rittenhouse location, they’re opening a second location in Midtown Village on Black Friday.
Stateside Vodka
Fishtown
There’s a very good chance that if you’ve had a vodka cocktail made in Philly, then you’ve had a cocktail made with Stateside Vodka. You’ve probably also seen their extremely popular line of canned drinks, including spiked iced tea and vodka sodas. Stateside is among Philly’s most popular distillers, which is all the more reason to visit the distillery, where you can take a tour (free every Thursday at 7 p.m.) buy bottles of vodka, and sip your way through a well-assembled, not-just-vodka cocktail menu.
Buy local spirits at New Liberty Distillery. / Photograph courtesy of New Liberty Distillery
Philadelphia Distilling
Fishtown
Founded in 2005 and most famous for their Bluecoat Gin, Philadelphia Distilling was at the forefront of Philly’s distillery boom. Today, they have a shiny, spacious bar and distilling space up in Fishtown where you can tour their copper-filled operation and taste your way through their offerings. There’s also an excellent bar that turns out classic and modern cocktails made exclusively from Pennsylvania product.
Post Haste
Kensington
The team at Post Haste takes a broad definition of local, but you’ll find a bigger selection of East Coast-made liquor here than almost anywhere else in the city. The menu is long and complicated, so we recommend talking with your bartender about what you normally drink and letting them recommend something. This is a great spots to try Maggie’s Farm rum, which is made in Pittsburgh but is totally delicious in a daiquiri.
Locally made whiskey / Photograph courtesy of Bluebird Distilling
Bluebird Distilling
Phoenixville
Bluebird Vodka is where most people first discover this Phoenixville-based distiller that’s been in the game for nearly a decade. It’s a great cocktail vodka, and an excellent bottle to keep around the house in case of any spirits-related emergency. But Bluebird does so much more — everything from white sugarcane rum and barrel-rested gin to a wide selection of small-batch whiskies. Their bar and tasting room is a great place to get a sense of the variety available, but if you’re in a hurry, they’ll be releasing a brand-new 100-proof Sportsman Bourbon and their fan-favorite Winter Whiskey at their annual Black Friday release party. Check out their website for details.
Sip (and shop for) local spirits at Manatawny Stillworks. / Photograph by Valerie A. Hoffman
Manatawny Stillworks
multiple locations
Best known for their American Whiskey, Manatawny is based in Pottstown where they have a large tasting room and distillery. But the Manatawny team also have locations in Fishtown and East Passyunk where you can sample their whole line of products. Manatawny regularly releases special seasonal products like apple brandy and black walnut nocino, so keep an eye on their stock lists. And their tasting rooms are beloved for their frozen cocktails.
