Press Release

Backgrounder
Wine, Beer And Select Spirits: Made In Philadelphia And The Countryside®

PHILADELPHIA, February 1, 2008 - In the Philadelphia region, it’s easy enough to purchase wine and spirits at a state-controlled liquor store or buy beer from a distributor, but it’s more fun to bring a newly discovered bottle directly from the winery, brewery or distillery right to the bring-your-own-bottle (BYOB) restaurant. Food and wine enthusiasts can spend an entire afternoon touring one of two vast wine-growing regions (Bucks County and Brandywine Valley) or the many breweries and brewpubs, where a new favorite is waiting just around every barrel, still or tank.

Iron Hill Brewery

Photo courtesy of Iron Hill Brewery

 

• Two former part-owners of Yards Brewing Company are getting ready to start the Philadelphia Brewing Company in the 40,000 square-foot brewery that once housed Yards. They’ll debut four mainstay beers in bottles and draft by mid-February. In the line-up: Kenzinger, a crisp and smooth golden ale; Newbold IPA, a substantial beer with high hops levels; Rowhouse Red, a French farmhouse ale; and Walt Wit, an unfiltered Belgian White-style ale. 2439 Amber Street, (215) 427-BREW, www.philadelphiabrewing.com
• The Yards brand itself has moved to new headquarters. Although the new facility is just starting to brew, co-founder Tom Kehoe promises that Yards Brewing Company’s ever-popular and award-winning beers will retain the tasty characteristics that beer aficionados have come to love. Plus, once fully functioning in its new location, Yards plans to expand production and distribution, launch several new beers, re-release some old favorites and increase tours and tastings. 901 N. Delaware Avenue, (215) 634-2600, www.yardsbrewing.com
• Dock Street Brewery and Restaurant, the newest brewpub in Philadelphia, opened in late August in an historic firehouse at the edge of University City. Rosemarie Certo, who owns the 20-year-old beer company, serves exclusively her own beers—six on tap at any given time. Alongside Certo’s more traditional award-winning brews are alternative and experimental styles such as double and triple bocks, fruit beers and IPAs. The restaurant also offers Pennsylvania wines and a wide selection of organic and locally grown foods. 701 S. 50^th Street, (215) 726-2337, www.dockstreetbeer.com
• With great food and an industrial and modern design, the huge new Old City outpost of New Hope-based Triumph Brewery is creating a foamy splash on the block. Beer enthusiasts can easily forget that they are inside of a brewery—until they taste the rich ales, lagers, stouts and seasonal specialties. Whether replicating the classic styles of the Old World or creating beers that are new and unique, the brewers hold themselves to the highest standards of quality and purity. Triumph features eight varieties of beer on tap, each boasting a distinctive flavor. Tours of the downtown brewery are offered to the public on Saturdays and by appointment. 117 Chestnut Street, (215) 625-0855; 400 Union Square, New Hope, (215) 862-8300; www.triumphbrewing.com
• The German-trained brewers at Chester County’s Victory Brewing Company have doubled their production capacity by adding eight 6,200 gallon fermentation tanks. They’ll continue to make 20 beer styles, ship to 23 states and win dozens of awards such as the silver medal for their Golden Monkey Tripel in the 2004 International Beer Competition in London. The brewery includes a full-service restaurant—and an exclusive selection of Victory brews on tap. They also offer free tours Fridays and Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. 420 Acorn Lane, Downingtown, (610) 873-0881, www.victorybeer.com
• Iron Hill Brewery, the East Coast’s fastest growing group of brewpubs, now boasts seven locations, with the newest in Pennsylvania’s Amish Country. Born in Newark, Delaware in 1996, this restaurant/brewery makes news every year by receiving gold, silver and bronze medals for beers like its Belgian Strong, Wee Heavy, Ironbound Ale and Krick de Hill. 130 N. Bridge Street, Phoenixville, (610) 983-9333; 3 W. Gay Street, West Chester, (610) 738-9600; 30 E. State Street, Media, (610) 627-9000; 1460 Bethlehem Pike, North Wales, (267) 708-2000, www.ironhillbrewery.com

• International awards keep piling in for the husband-and-wife owner team of Chaddsford Winery. The 25-year-old winery will be constructing a new café near the picnic area to serve gourmet food and wines by the glass to visitors who flock here for Chaddsford’s many outdoor concerts, festivals, special events and regular tastings and tours. 632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, (610) 388-6221, www.chaddsford.com
• At the first vineyard/winery in the region to open an on-site bed and breakfast for guests, Folly Hill Winery’s owners are renting out rooms in a 19^th-century stone carriage house and a converted smoke house, while another suite is scheduled to open by next year in the historic farm house’s music room. In addition, owners have just received their license to produce wine on premises from the grapes they grow. Tours are offered daily. 700 Folly Hill Road, Kennett Square, (610) 388-5895, www.follyhillvineyards.com
• So named because its four principle owners are doctors, Paradocx Vineyard opened its new on-site tasting room to the public this year, while its off-site tasting room has moved to The Shops of Longwood Village. In late 2007, the vineyard also unveiled a new wine-making facility open daily for tours, where visitors can witness the process of crafting 15 different wine varietals. 1699 Fairville Road, Fairville, (610) 255-5684, www.paradocx.com
• Buckingham Valley Vineyards has recently installed an all-new, temperature-controlled red wine fermenting system from Italy, designed to craft softer, more full-bodied reds by removing seeds during the fermentation process. The system works, in part, by pumping wine over the top of the machine to oxidize it more fully. And in a nod to the earth that provides the vineyard its grapes, owners have just invested in new pressing and bottling equipment and have made the switch over to more eco-friendly screw-top bottles. Tours and tastings run six days a week and are self-guided, self-poured and free. 1521 Route 413, Buckingham, (215) 794-7188
• Although located on a 200-year-old estate less than a mile from the place where George Washington crossed the Delaware River in 1776, Crossing Vineyards and Winery prides itself on its extremely modern and sophisticated equipment. Always striving to make wine in the most environmentally responsible way possible, owners are adding solar panels to their facilities and plan to run their entire operation on solar energy within two years. In addition, Crossing offers extensive wine courses and events, along with a tasting room that’s open seven days a week. 1853 Wrightstown Road, Washington Crossing, (215) 493-6500, www.crossingvineyards.com

• Philadelphia Distilling, the first craft distillery in the state of Pennsylvania since Prohibition, has introduced Bluecoat, American Dry Gin, its first product to enter the marketplace. Using the only pot still of its size and design in the world, Philadelphia Distilling began operations in 2004, and is now selling its product in nine states and the District of Columbia. Bluecoat, so named to pay homage to the region’s history, is the brainchild of master distiller and native Pennsylvanian Robert Cassell and his two partners from across the Delaware River. Bluecoat is made using a copper still, triple-filtered water, hand-picked juniper berries and certified organic botanicals. 12285 McNulty Road, #105, (215) 671-0346
• While a trip to Mexico would be required to visit the place where Siembra Azul tequila is harvested and distilled, a trip to Philadelphia will suffice to sample the spirit and meet the company’s founder. David Suro, owner of the 20-year-old Center City Mexican restaurant, Los Catrines Restaurant and Tequilas Bar, is in his second year of selling the luxury tequila that he makes in his native homeland and is now selling it in bars and liquor stores across five states and Washington, D.C. The small-batch tequila is made with 100% blue agave in three traditional styles: Blanco, Reposado and Anejo. In place of distillery tours, Suro offers many tequila classes throughout the year at his restaurant. 1602 Locust Street, (215) 546-0181

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit our Photo Gallery.

CONTACT:

Cara Schneider, GPTMC
(215) 599-0789, cara@gptmc.com

Related RSS Feeds

Topic	XML Feeds
What's New This feed will be updated whenever any new content is added to Gophila.com’s Press Room. It includes all topics.