The Philadelphia producer talks gin, craft spirit trends and the expanded new distillery set to open in a few months.

By Kelly A. Magyarics, CSX Editor-in-Chief

Bluecoat Gin is great in a Vesper cocktail. Photo credit Philadelphia Distilling.

Philadelphia Distilling is in the midst of a major transition. The distillery is moving to a new location twenty minutes away in Center City that’s bigger, better and with way more options for spirits enthusiasts entering its doors.

In other words, it’s a transition that pretty much sums up the distillery’s philosophy since it was founded in 2005. In 2006, they launched their flagship offering, Bluecoat Gin, the first to be called “American gin”, a wildly popular (and distinctively packaged) spirit. It was followed by offerings in other categories, all aimed to be true “American spirits”—even if their base materials or botanicals hail from other places around the world.

“Bluecoat caters to the American palate,” says president Andrew Auwerda. “It has softer, rounder juniper highlighted by American-grown botanicals including sweet orange and lemon peel.” The juniper source by the distillery is not as pungent as others—meaning it has wider appeal, even for those who don’t like the “Christmas tree” aromas and flavors of traditional gins. Auwerda especially likes Bluecoat Gin in a Vesper, with vodka and Lillet Blanc.

A few months ago, the company launched Bluecoat Barrel Reserve Gin, which is aged in #3 charred new American oak barrels. In just three to six months, the spirit picks up a butterscotch color from the cask, as well as caramel and vanilla aromas and flavors; yet the juniper and other botanicals shine through, making it perfect for a Barrel-Aged Negroni, a Martinez, or even a whiskey cocktail. “We didn’t want to make a ‘whiskey gin’,” notes Auwerda. “We wanted to make a gin with a little whiskey flavor.” He admits that it’s still a somewhat unknown category (“friends say ‘Brown gin? What’s that?’”), but that it’s growing because bartenders understand how to use it in cocktails, and because when people taste it, they like it. Even non-cocktail drinkers may enjoy it with a cube or two, or straight out of the freezer.

Speaking of cocktails, Philadelphia Distilling’s Vieux Carré Absinthe is made for them. Named for New Orleans’ French Quarter, it was the second legal absinthe in the United States. It is made with natural botanicals, and Auwerda calls it “incredible, delicate, nuanced, sweet”—a bar spoon is perfect in a Sazerac or in other cocktails that benefit from a whiff of that distinctive anise aroma.

Try The Bay Vodka in an Oyster Shooter. Photo credit Philadelphia Distilling.

Even though gin if the flagship product, vodka gets its fair shake at Philadelphia Distilling. Penn 1681 Vodka uses Pennsylvania rye for a spicy, black pepper character; The Bay Seasoned Vodka is something else entirely. Savory, spicy and what Auwerda calls a “seasoned vodka” rather than a “flavored vodka,” it’s made from a mixed grain base and an infusion of essential oils distilled from Chesapeake-style Old Bay seasoning: black pepper, red pepper, nutmeg and cardamom. A no-brainer in a Bloody Mary, the briny beverage also works with bivalves, and Auwerda loves it as an oyster shooter with a little Bloody Mary mix in a glass rimmed with sea salt. “We wanted it to be a simple spirit for people at home to up the game for their Bloody Mary with a regional flair.”

Guests will get the chance to taste all of their products—and much more—at the new location, which is set to open in early 2016. “We built a stage for our distillers,” Auwerda explains. There will be lots of engagement for visitors, a literal window into the heart of the fermentation, distillation and aging process. There will also be opportunities to grab a cocktail and some appetizers to pair alongside, or perhaps attend a spirits pairing dinner, as the new spot has a full kitchen.

Auwerda and nephew Robert Cassell (who serves as master distiller) were inspired to launch the company in part by the rise of craft brewing (and to a lesser degree at that time) craft distilling, as well as by people’s willingness and openness to try new things. As they celebrate their tenth anniversary, Auwerda notes that much of what they predicted about the American craft spirits industry has come true. The number of distilleries has increased, some smaller operations have been purchased by portfolio companies, and cocktails are still king.

Philadelphia Distilling has more to offer and a captive audience willing to support what they are releasing, says Auwerda, and he’s thrilled about where the industry is headed. “It’s exciting to see that flavored vodka has slowed down and whiskey has picked up,” he notes. “Gin works better with that crowd than the gummy bear vodka crowd.”

Kelly Magyarics, DWS, is CSX’s Editor-in-Chief. She can be reached by email at kelly@drinkCSX.com, or on Twitter and Instagram @kmagyarics.