Philadelphia Distilling

Philadelphia Distilling
Company type	Private
Industry	Distillery
Founded	March 2005; 21 years ago
Founder	Robert Cassell, Andrew Auwerda, Timothy Yarnall
Headquarters	Philadelphia, United States
Products	Bluecoat American Dry Gin, Penn 1681 Rye Vodka, Vieux Carré Absinthe Supérieure, The Bay vodka, Bluecoat Barrel-Finished Gin, Bluecoat Elderflower Gin, XXX Shine corn whiskey, Bartram's Bitters, Vigo Amaro
Website	philadelphiadistilling.com

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Philadelphia Distilling, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 25 July 2025

Philadelphia Distilling is a microdistillery established in March 2005, located in the Byberry area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It holds the distinction of being Pennsylvania's first craft distillery to open since the era of Prohibition.

History

The distillery was envisioned by Robert Cassell in 2003 during his tenure as the quality assurance director at Victory Brewing Company in Pennsylvania. To deepen his knowledge, he completed distillation studies at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. In 2005, Cassell collaborated with his uncle Andrew Auwerda and Timothy Yarnall, a former sales manager at Bloomberg LP, to found Philadelphia Distilling within an industrial park situated in Northeast Philadelphia.

During the process of obtaining a distillery license in Pennsylvania, Cassell influenced the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to develop a new application form, as none were previously available.

By the year 2011, Philadelphia Distilling had positioned itself among the leading 10 out of approximately 300 small distilleries across the United States, distributing close to 120,000 bottles of gin—a testament to its rapid expansion and growing market presence.

Facility

The company utilizes a hand-crafted copper still manufactured by A. Forsythe & Son from Rothes, Scotland. This equipment underscores their dedication to high-quality production and provides a competitive edge within the craft spirits sector.

Advocacy

In September 2011, Robert Cassell appeared before the Pennsylvania Senate Law and Justice Committee to advocate for amendments to the state’s 1951 liquor regulations. These laws currently restrict craft distilleries from selling products on-site, unlike wineries and breweries. He also pushed for reductions in federal excise taxes targeting small-scale distilleries.

Products

Philadelphia Distilling's portfolio includes seven primary spirits. Bluecoat American Dry Gin, introduced in 2006, is an "American-style" gin that highlights citrus notes over traditional juniper flavors and was available in 37 states by 2011. Launched in 2008, Penn 1681 Rye Vodka is crafted from rye grown locally in Pennsylvania rather than the more common potato or wheat bases. Vieux Carré Absinthe Supérieure (2009) marked the first legally distilled and marketed absinthe on the U.S. East Coast in nearly one hundred years. The Bay (2013) is a vodka infused with seasoning inspired by Chesapeake Bay. Bluecoat Barrel-Finished Gin (2014) appeals to whiskey enthusiasts by aging the gin for eight months in new American oak barrels. In May 2019, Bluecoat Elderflower Gin was introduced, blending the original gin with organic elderflowers to impart floral and tropical characteristics.

XXX Shine corn whiskey made its debut in 2011 as a collection of high-proof white whiskeys inspired by moonshine traditions; variants included Salted Caramel and LiberTea (featuring black tea, lemon, and honey), though these have since been discontinued.

In 2012, Philadelphia Distilling revived Bartram's Bitters by reproducing an eighteenth-century formula using botanicals such as prickly ash bark sourced from Philadelphia’s Bartram's Garden. The company also produces Vigo Amaro, an Italian-style amaro sweetened with muscovado sugar and named after Francis Vigo, an Italian-born supporter of the American Revolution.

Awards

Bluecoat American Dry Gin from Philadelphia Distilling received a double Gold Medal for Best Gin at the 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and earned a Gold Medal with Best In Class honors at the 2007 International Wine & Spirits Competition, underscoring the brand’s product quality and industry acclaim.

External links