Here’s Everything We Know About the New Philadelphia Distilling Complex

Philadelphia Distilling, home of Bluecoat Gin, Penn1681 Vodka, Vieux Carre Absinthe and a different vodka that tastes like Old Bay, is getting some new, fancy digs at 25 East Allen Street in Fishtown, in the former home of the Ajax Metal Company.

This is a big expansion — a serious investment by one of our largest local distillers that will be both a fully-functioning production facility and a showcase for its product. So here’s everything we know.

For starters, the space itself is huge — part of the enormous Live Nation / House Of Blues entertainment complex. Philadelphia Distilling’s part of it covers 15,000 square feet, housed in a space once used as a foundry (which is extremely metal) and is now called a “heritage manufacturing facility” (which bothers me for reasons I don’t entirely understand).

The renovation cost millions of dollars. And while it maintains its industrial feel (that being one of four acceptable restaurant design formats these days, alongside Old Barn, Grandma’s Kitchen and Zombie Apocalypse), the shiny new space now has vaulted ceilings, a nice view of the distilling equipment, and a bunch of environmentally-friendly additions (like a reduced carbon footprint, water recycling, LED lighting and not being a foundry anymore).

While the bulk of the space is being used for production (as it should be), the new Philadelphia Distilling location also has a 3,000 square foot cocktail bar and lounge that can seat 120 people, a tasting room that can seat 40, and a large outdoor patio with room for another 100. There’s also a retail store selling Philly Distilling swag. And they’ll even give you a $3 merchandise credit for every full-size Philadelphia Distilling bottle you bring back to them.

The way things are looking right now, the grand opening of the new space will be February 19 and 20, with public tours and such beginning on February 23. Once things get settled, the hours will be Thursday-Sunday from 1pm-9:30pm. Tours and tastings will happen Thursday and Friday at 4pm and 6pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm.

Oh, and the good news? Even though they recently did a very good collaboration whiskey with Yards called Tough Broad, that’s not the only new product they have coming. Once they get settled into their new home co-founder Andrew Auwerda says that “new spirits that continue to reflect our distillers’ talents are on their way.”

Written by Jason Sheehan; Published by Philadelphia Magazine