PHILADELPHIA, PA (September 2, 2022) — Get your snifters ready — September is National Bourbon Heritage Month! To celebrate, we’re paying homage to some of Pennsylvania’s spirited homegrown brands that continue to innovate the category while honoring the state’s historical ties to agriculture and spirits production. Whether for educational or epicurean value, read on to learn more about the ways that hometown-ish heroes New Liberty Distillery, Bluebird Distilling, and Char & Stave, as well as Louisville-native Coopers’ Craft Kentucky Straight Bourbon, are operating at the nexus of tradition and innovation in the spirits world.
We’ve also rounded up a list of locales from Ardmore to Phoenixville to Philadelphia where the bourbon is flowing; be that neat, on the rocks, mixed into a cocktail, in coffee (yep) or in a bottle purchased to-go. See below for the best where-to’s for enjoying bourbon on-premise or brought home, with info from Art in the Age and sister distillery Tamworth Distilling, The Twisted Tail, Hyatt Centric Center City and adjacent restaurant Patchwork, Bluebird Distilling and sister shop Char & Stave, and Rex at The Royal.
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PENNSYLVANIA’S RICH HISTORY IN BOURBON
New Liberty Distillery, the South Kensington craft distillery and home to spirit lines including the now-revived heritage Kinsey brand, offers visitors a historically-minded introduction to the legacy of American spirits through tastings including Dutch Malt Whiskey, which hearkens back to the Pennsylvania Dutch settlers, Bloody Butcher Bourbon, made with heritage grains, bright-red Pennsylvania corn varietals, Millstone Rye Whiskey, a pillar in celebrating Pennsylvania’s role in the original production of rye whiskey during the country’s infancy, and more.
Rob Cassell, Master Distiller at New Liberty Distillery, is working to bring Pennsylvania back to the forefront of bourbon and whiskey prominence with these spirits alongside the revival of historic brand, Kinsey – and with Bloody Butcher Bourbon, the celebrated bourbon made exclusively with PA heirloom corn and heritage grains. In celebration of National Bourbon Heritage Month, the distillery is releasing a new take on Bloody Butcher — the highly-coveted (and limited!) Bloody Butcher Sour Mash Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
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Bloody Butcher Sour Mash Straight Bourbon Whiskey (200ml, 90 proof, $24.99) — Aged for three years, Bloody Butcher Sour Mash Bourbon pulls aromas that are reminiscent of tobacco leather pouches, pound cake, and dried leaves. The spirit presents hearty palate notes, with starting hits of spice that round off into a warm autumn reminder of an apple cinnamon donut, dusted with nutmeg and crystalized sugar.
More info on the Bloody Butcher Bourbon — In the early 1800s, European settlers in the southern United States blended their corn with a native variety. The result was Bloody Butcher corn: instantly recognizable for its striking deep red kernels and legendary fruity, buttery flavor. Unsuitable for industrial scale farming, this heirloom variety is grown by only a few farmers. New Liberty Bloody Butcher Bourbon celebrates our nation’s early agricultural heritage with the use of these low-yielding kernels and local PA ingredients; incorporating Bloody Butcher corn sourced from Castle Valley Mill in Doylestown, PA, just 25 miles from New Liberty Distillery, and combined with malted rye and barley from Deer Creek Malthouse.
Bottle shop hours: Wednesday 2 – 6 pm, Thursday to Saturday 2 – 10 pm, Sunday 1 – 6 pm.
New Liberty Distillery | 1431 Cadwallader St. | 267.928.4650 | www.newlibertydistillery.com
Twitter @NewLibertyDist • Instagram @new_liberty_distillery • Facebook/ New Liberty Distillery
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Bluebird Distilling, Phoenixville’s award-winning grain-to-glass distillery and best known for its signature Four Grain Bourbon (a bourbon crafted with red winter wheat, rye, corn, and barley, unique compared to most bourbons which only contain three grains) makes for an ideal spot for bourbon-lovers to sit, sip and savor eight types of bourbon and eight types of whiskey during National Bourbon Heritage Month.
Bluebird Distilling houses a stacked bottle shop that features their full catalogue of award-winning spirits, including the signature Four Grain Bourbon, brand-new, twice-aged Double Barrel Bourbon, limited new release Four Grain Bourbon Finished in Jamaican Rum Barrels, and Four Grain Bourbon Barrel Strength – 7 Years Old, the distillery’s oldest and highest-proof spirit to date, aged for seven years and ringing in at a whopping 112 proof — and much more. All spirits are available for purchase in the bottle shop, along with merch like branded baseball caps, tees, hoodies, and more – Bottles are also available for purchase at Bluebird Disitlling’s sister store, Char & Stave, the new Ardmore café-by-day, cocktail bar-by-night, marked by the slogan “coffee made by whiskey people.”
The full catalogue of Bluebird Distilling spirits is available online here to ship across the state of Pennsylvania, with most spirits available in PLCB stores statewide.
Bar hours: Monday – Thursday 4 – 11 pm, Friday – Sunday 1 – 11 pm. Bottle shop hours: 1 – 11 pm daily.
Bluebird Distilling | 100 Bridge St, Phoenixville PA | 610.933.7827 | www.bluebirddistilling.com
Twitter @BBIRDDISTILLING • Instagram @bluebirddistilling • Facebook /Bluebird Distilling
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Char & Stave, sister shop to Bluebird Distilling marked by the slogan “coffee made by whiskey people”, is a full-service café by day, cocktail bar at night, and the area’s newest bottle shop where imbibers can purchase a bevy of spirits from sister distillery Bluebird Distilling, including Four Grain Bourbon, White Rye Whiskey, Phoenixville Whiskey, American Whiskey, and more, that make a perfect addition to any bar cart during National Bourbon Heritage Month (and beyond). Self-proclaimed bourbon nerds will savor Char & Stave’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Beans, ideal for brewing a cup of morning joe or crafting a buzz-worthy cocktail inspired by Char & Stave’s signature cocktails.
During Char & Stave’s recently launched Happy Hour (Monday – Friday, 4-6 pm) guests can enjoy special rates on libations like the Ardmore Citywide ($7 during happy hour), showcasing a serving of Char & Stave’s featured Bourbon Barrel Aged Espresso served alongside a dram of Bluebird Distilling’s signature Four Grain Bourbon.
Hours of operation are 7 am – 10 pm Monday through Tuesday, 7 am – 11 pm Wednesday through Thursday, 7am – 12 am Friday, 8 am – 12 am Saturday, 8 am – 11 pm Sunday.
Char & Stave | 21 Rittenhouse Place, Ardmore PA | www.charandstave.com
Instagram @charandstavecoffee • Facebook /char & Stave Coffee
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COOPERS’ CRAFT KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON
It wouldn’t be National Bourbon Heritage Month without Coopers’ Craft! This September, imbibers are invited to join in on a month-long celebration of the all-American spirit with Coopers’ Craft Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Brown Forman’s newest bourbon in twenty years.
Coopers’ Craft honors the company’s more than 70 years of barrel-making and wood expertise as it is the only major distiller with its own barrel cooperage. Offering not one, but two bottles of bourbon, Coopers’ Craft Original 82.2 Proof and Coopers’ Craft Barrel Reserve 100 Proof, both bourbons start with the same spirit but are matured using different wood processes and techniques from the barrel resulting in final products having distinct flavor characteristics and profiles – delicate and mild to powerful and robust.
The original Coopers’ Craft Bourbon is aged in a traditional American White Oak Barrel. After aging, the bourbon runs through a special beech and birch charcoal filter finishing process, creating a smooth and gentle bourbon that is bottled at 82.2-proof. As for the Coopers’ Craft Barrel Reserve, it is aged in a unique chiseled and charred American White Oak Barrel that allows the whiskey to interact more deeply with the wood, creating a more robust and complex flavor profile that is bottled at 100-proof.
Coopers’ Craft Original 82. 2 Proof Tasting Notes
Nose: Light toasted and fresh oak character mingle with baked apple sweetness and a citrus custard.
Taste: A true sipping bourbon with soft lemon custard and baked apple notes layered over a bed of toasted and fresh oak character seasoned with a light dusting of spice.
Finish: Rich and smooth with lingering hints of fruit.
Coopers’ Craft Barrel Reserve 100 Proof Tasting Notes
Nose: Fresh hewn oak with hints of smoke and char are spiced with hints of cinnamon and leather atop a layer of orchard and citrus fruit. Sweetened with a sprinkling of vanilla wafer crumbs.
Taste: Caramel and cotton candy coat fresh apple, pear and citrus fruit atop vanilla wafers dusted with sharp cinnamon.
Finish: Assertive cinnamon spice softens to a lingering apple and clean oak note.
About Coopers’ Craft Bourbon
Coopers’ Craft is a celebration of Brown-Forman’s more than 70 years of expertise raising its own barrels at Brown-Forman Cooperage. Drawing inspiration from the craft of raising barrels Coopers’ Craft offers a range of expressions leveraging our barrel making expertise. Coopers’ Craft is a product of Brown-Forman Corporation, a premier producer and marketer of fine quality beverage alcohol brands including Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Finlandia, Korbel, el Jimador, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Canadian Mist, Herradura, New Mix, Sonoma-Cutrer, Early Times, Chambord, BenRiach, GlenDronach and Slane.
Twitter @coopers_craft • Instagram @cooperscraft • Facebook /CoopersCraftBourbon
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SIP THROUGH NATIONAL BOURBON HERITAGE MONTH AT THESE PHILLY AREA HOT SPOTS
Art in the Age, Old City’s premier bar and tasting room, home bar supply, and bottle shop, stocks bourbons from the likes of sister distillery Tamworth Distilling, the rural New Hampshire distillery and brainchild of spirits maverick and local madman Steven Grasse. Imbibers interested in truly one-of-a-kind bourbons would be wise to sample – or purchase a bottle of – Tamworth Distilling’s Eau de Musc (200 ml, 88 proof, $65), whiskey flavored with beaver castoreum glands, or the brand-new (and mega-viral) Crab Trapper Green Crab Whiskey(200 ml, 92 proof, $65), made with an invasive species of European green crabs currently wreaking havoc on New England coastlines, both from the evocative House of Tamworth line. Both spirits, and more from Tamworth Distilling, are available online nationally via Seelbachs.com. Art in the Age also carries spirits from other local purveyors including New Liberty Distillery, such as its latest release, Bloody Butcher Sour Mash Straight Bourbon Whiskey (200ml, 95 proof, $24.99).
Hours of operation: Tuesday – Thursday 12 – 7 pm, Friday – Saturday 12 – 8 pm, Sunday 12 – 6 pm.
Art in the Age | 116 N. 3rd St. | 215.922.2600 | www.artintheage.com
Twitter @artintheage • Instagram @artintheage • Facebook /Art in the Age
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The Twisted Tail, Headhouse Square’s Southern-inspired restaurant, bar and music venue known for its extensive brown spirits collection and nightly live blues, offers a free-to-join Bourbon Club program, perfect for amateur and seasoned whiskey enthusiasts alike – and what better time to join than during National Bourbon Heritage Month? Members receive a membership card that is kept at the bar and contains a list of 70+ bourbons, whiskeys, ryes, and scotches, all offered at The Twisted Tail. The goal: when a member manages to drink a 2 oz. pour of every spirit on the list, they become a Bourbon Club “Finisher”, granting them a permanent 20% discount on all whiskeys and a custom engraved glass kept at the bar atop a special shelf!
As part of Bourbon Heritage month, The Twisted Tail is also hosting weekly Meet the Maker events every Friday in September, featuring two to three whiskey brands and opportunities for one-on-one conversations with experts and master blenders. The events are free to attend with RSVP and are kept intimate with limited space. Feel free to reach out for more details about these events.
Hours: Monday – Thursday 4 – 11 pm, Friday 4pm – 12 am, Saturday 11 am – 12 am, Sunday 10 am – 10 pm.
The Twisted Tail | 509 S. Second St. | 215.558.2471 | www.thetwistedtail.com
Twitter @TwistedTailPhl • Instagram @TwistedTailPhl • Facebook /TwistedTailPhl
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This Bourbon Heritage Month, Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia, the upscale lifestyle hotel nestled in bustling Rittenhouse Square, is teaming up with Bluebird Distilling, Phoenixville’s grain-to-glass craft distillery best known for its signature Four Grain Bourbon and wide catalogue of brown (and clear) spirits, for the next installment of its Maker Series, a monthly program highlighting local artists, artisans and makers.
Every Thursday from September 8 to September 29, Bluebird Distilling will be offering complimentary tastings of its flagship spirits, plus new and limited releases, from 4-6 pm in the second floor lounge at Hyatt Centric. Guests will also be able to purchase bottles of Bluebird Distilling spirits, including the signature Four Grain Bourbon, Four Grain Bourbon Finished in Jamaican Rum Barrels, and Four Grain Bourbon Barrel Strength, the distillery’s oldest and highest-proof spirit to date, aged for seven years and ringing in at a whopping 112 proof.
Additionally, Hyatt Centric’s in-house modern American restaurant, Patchwork, will be featuring two Bluebird Distilling cocktails for the month of September, created by Lead Bartender Owen Priickett, including: Maple Bourbon Smash ($16), a fall-flavored twist on a whiskey sour, crafted using Bluebird Distilling Four Grain Bourbon, maple syrup-infused simple syrup, nutmeg, cinnamon and egg white, and an effervescent Sage of Enlightenment ($14), a riff on a gin fizz made with Bluebird Distilling Juniperus Gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, St. Germain, and muddled sage.
Hyatt Centric Center City | 1620 Chancellor St. | Hyatt Centric Center City website | Facebook/HyattCentricPhiladelphia • Instagram: @hyattcentricphiladelphia
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On-site at Bluebird Distilling, Phoenixville’s award-winning grain-to-glass craft distillery, imbibers can catch some rays on the sunny patio, cool off underneath the veranda at the expansive outdoor bar, or relax inside at the rustic, high-ceilinged bar and tasting room, all while sipping their way through the extensive list of brown (and clear) spirits offered by the Chester County distillery in a snifter or a craft cocktail. The distillery offers a robust list of whiskey and bourbon-based cocktails, see below:
- Phoenixville Old Fashioned ($12) Phoenixville Whiskey, Sugar, Bitters, Citrus
- Keep Summer Safe ($12) Four Grain Bourbon, Dark Rum, Pineapple, Tiki Bitters, Luxardo Cherry
- Led Balloon ($12) Four Grain Bourbon, Bitter Italian Soda, Grapefruit, Lemon, Angostura Bitters
- Blackberry Smash ($12) Straight Rye Whiskey, Blackberry, Mint, Lemon
- Cool Cool Cool ($12) Straight Rye Whiskey, Strawberry, Lemon, Mint, Ginger beer
- Pamplemousse & Circumstance ($12) Four Grain Bourbon, Grapefruit, House Bitters Blend, Torched Rosemary
Bluebird Distilling also houses a stacked bottle shop that features their full catalogue, including the brand-new, twice-aged Double Barrel Bourbon, limited new release Four Grain Bourbon Finished in Jamaican Rum Barrels, and Four Grain Bourbon Barrel Strength – 7 Years Old, the distillery’s oldest and highest-proof spirit to date, aged for seven years and ringing in at a whopping 112 proof — and much more. All spirits are available for purchase in the bottle shop, along with merch like branded baseball caps, tees, hoodies, and more – Bottles are also available for purchase at Bluebird Disitlling’s new sister store, Char & Stave, the new Ardmore café-by-day, cocktail bar-by-night, marked by the slogan “coffee made by whiskey people.” The full catalogue of Bluebird Distilling spirits is available online here to ship across the state of Pennsylvania, with most spirits available in PLCB stores statewide.
Bar hours: Monday – Thursday 4 – 11 pm, Friday – Sunday 1 – 11 pm.
Bottle shop hours: 1 – 11 pm daily.
Bluebird Distilling | 100 Bridge St, Phoenixville PA | 610.933.7827 | www.bluebirddistilling.com
Twitter @BBIRDDISTILLING • Instagram @bluebirddistilling • Facebook /Bluebird Distilling
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Char & Stave, the sister shop to Bluebird Distilling marked by the slogan “coffee made by whiskey people,” is a full-service café by day and cocktail bar at night that features Bluebird Distilling spirits available in pours, cocktails and citywides, with coffee beverages and mocktails crafted using Char & Stave’s own beans (roasted at Bluebird Distilling!). Bourbon nerds and newbies alike are invited to cozy up at rustic wooden tables, or on the plush velvet couch, inside Char & Stave to enjoy spirited coffee-centric libations (with or without the booze), including the Ardmore Old Fashioned ($13) made with Bluebird Distilling Four Grain Bourbon, light roast coffee, angostura bitters and chicory pecan bitters, or the Ardmore Citywide, featuring a serving of Char & Stave’s featured Bourbon Barrel Aged Espresso served alongside a dram of Bluebird Distilling’s signature Four Grain Bourbon.
In addition to selling bags of premium roasted coffee beans, available in 5+ roasts including premium BourbonBarrel Aged Espresso Beans, Char & Stave also serves as a bottle shop featuring a bevy of spirits from Bluebird Distilling, spanning signature products such as the Bluebird Distilling Four Grain Bourbon, Phoenixville Whiskey, American Whiskey, Juniperus Gin, and more. The full catalogue of Bluebird Distilling spirits is available online here to ship across the state of Pennsylvania, with most spirits available in PLCB stores statewide.
Hours of operation are 7 am – 10 pm Monday through Tuesday, 7 am – 11 pm Wednesday through Thursday, 7am – 12 am Friday, 8 am – 12 am Saturday, 8 am – 11 pm Sunday.
Char & Stave | 21 Rittenhouse Place, Ardmore PA | www.charandstave.com
Instagram @charandstavecoffee • Facebook /char & Stave Coffee
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Rex at The Royal, Philadelphia’s home for elevated Lowcountry fare housed in the historic and newly rejuvenated Royal Theater, is home to one of the more expansive selections of bourbons and brown spirits in the city – and totes a libations menu that boasts top-tier bourbon and whiskey-based cocktails ideal for sipping during National Bourbon Heritage Month. See below:
- Puddle Wonderful ($15) made with rye whiskey, Eda Rhyne Oscura, lemon, blueberry, and peach
- Royal Old Fashioned ($18) crafted with 10 year old whiskey, demerara, orange, angostura bitters, luxardo maraschino cherry
- Royal Boulevardier ($18) made with Templeton rye whiskey, Faccia Bruto Aperitivo, Antica Carpano sweet vermouth
- Royal Sazerac ($19) comprised of Vieux Carre Absinthe, Templeton rye whiskey, Remy Martin 1738 Cognac, demerara, bitters
Additionally, Rex at The Royal will be participating in Imbibe’s tenth annual charitable Negroni Week from September 12 — 18, where the bar team will feature the classic beverage as well as premier riffs, including a Boulevardier made with Coopers’ Craft Bourbon, the official bourbon of Negroni Week. The Coopers’ Craft Boulevardier is available exclusively during Negroni Week, while supplies last.
The Graduate Hospital locale has also sweetened the deal on its revered Burger, Shot + Beer special, a carry-over from Rex at The Royals’ former self, REX 1516. The Burger, Shot + Beer special, available on Sunday and Monday nights, exclusively in the bar area, is comprised of Rex’s signature all beef burger served with a crisp Sojourner Lager (Sojourn Philly’s signature brew crafted in collaboration with Neshaminy Brewing) and a shot of well whiskey, now available at the reduced priced of $19.
Hours of operation: Sunday — Thursday 5 – 9 pm, Friday — Saturday 5 – 11 pm, brunch available Sunday 11 am – 2:30pm, with 5 – 10 pm.
Café hours: Opens 9 am, Tuesday — Saturday.
Rex at The Royal | 1524 South St. | 267.319.1366 | www.rexphl.com
Twitter @rexphl • Instagram @rexphl • Facebook /Rex at The Royal
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Coopers’ Craft Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 41.1-50% Alc. by Vol., Brown-Forman Beverages, Louisville, KY.
COOPERS’ CRAFT is a trademark of Brown-Forman Corporation. ©2022. All rights reserved.
To find out more about responsible consumption, visit Responsibility.org and OurThinkingAboutDrinking.com.
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-Kira Cappello