Three New Jersey natives say their product, now available in Princeton area, is a standout
By: Lauren Otis
Area residents whose cocktail spirit of choice is vodka, or those who savor fine brandy or whiskey, have an impressive array of brands to choose from in local restaurants and liquor stores, everything from major labels to boutique producers of small batch specialty spirits. But for devotees of the gin martini, or other gin-based cocktails, the choices are far more limited. Up until now.
Bluecoat gin, a hand-distilled high-end gin with certified organic botanicals, crafted and marketed in Philadelphia by three partners, all natives of the Garden State, has recently become available in New Jersey, giving Princeton-area gin lovers something to raise a glass over.
Philadelphia Distilling has only been licensed to produce Bluecoat gin since the beginning of the year its first shipment of the product was in May and only recently signed a distribution deal to make its gin available in New Jersey. Locally, among other outlets, gin lovers can order a Bluecoat gin at Tre Piani restaurant in West Windsor, or pick up one of the distinctive cobalt blue bottles of the spirit at the Joe Canal’s liquor outlet in Lawrence.
Patrons are still learning about the new, locally-produced gin and don’t request it by name yet, said Alan Hallmark, general manager of Tre Piani, which carries Bluecoat gin at its bar. "Right now it is more of a cool thing on display. They say, ‘Hey, what’s that bottle?’" Mr. Hallmark said.
Whenever a traditional gin martini drinker is at his establishment, Mr. Hallmark says he tells them: "Let me turn you on to something new here that I think is good. They always like it."
Offering Bluecoat gin, an artisan-crafted product, "is something we want to support at the restaurant, we like to buy local," Mr. Hallmark said.
Philadelphia Distilling is one of the newest entrants into the nascent American craft-distilling movement, a small group of distillers who are seeking to shake up the sedate American alcohol industry much as micro-brewers shook up the bland market-driven American beer industry a generation ago by producing hand-crafted distinctive spirits. Craft distillers have until recently congregated along the West Coast, and have concentrated on brandy and vodka.
Upwards of three-quarters of the American gin market is concentrated in three brands, Beefeaters, Tanqueray and Bombay the so-called London dry gins, according to Andrew Auwerda, 38, Philadelphia Distilling’s president, a native of Sparta and a former cosmetics entrepreneur. "Because it is so concentrated we thought it would be a good challenge to take a swing at those guys," said Mr. Auwerda.
Bluecoat gin is named after the uniforms worn by the colonial rebels in the American Revolution, "including the first president, who was also a distiller," said Mr. Auwerda. Bluecoat, an American gin seeking to break free of the tradition of British gin, pays tribute through it’s name to American history, where the colonies successfully broke free of the British "something people should be proud of and are proud of," Mr. Auwerda said. "Of course, we thought it was a catchy name, too," he added with a smile.
"We are making what we think is the premier American dry gin," said Robert Cassell, 27, Philadelphia Distilling’s master distiller. Bluecoat gin’s distinctive citrus nose comes from the certified organic American citrus peels he buys, said Mr. Cassell who was born in Flemington. Its juniper essence considered the tasting mark of a gin is softer and less biting than other gins thanks to a special kind of juniper berries from the Eastern Mediterranean he has found, added Mr. Cassell, who before studying to become a distiller was a brewer at the craft breweries Victory and Harpoon.
"Everything was designed around making a very pure product," said Mr. Cassell, who uses only unadulterated, preferably organic ingredients and distills them in a hand-hammered 1,500 liter custom-made Scottish copper still at Philadelphia Distilling’s unobtrusive 7,500-square-foot space in an industrial park in northeast Philadelphia.
So far, consumer response has been good.
"Sales have been growing every month which is obviously a very encouraging thing," said Tim Yarnall, 31, Philadelphia Distilling’s vice president who handles the sales end of the venture. "People are starting to get behind it, and are tasting it and sampling it," said Mr. Yarnall, a native of West Milford who previously worked for Bloomberg LP in New York and Montgomery, living in Lawrence at the time.
Chris Sletvold, store manager at Joe Canal’s in Lawrence, concurs, noting that Bluecoat gin "is selling well." Joe Canal’s has carried Bluecoat gin since mid-September and "it has actually taken off pretty good for a specialty gin," Mr. Sletvold said.
All of which is good news for Philadelphia Distilling’s three principals, who are hoping that the sales momentum and market visibility they have achieved so far will help them achieve strong sales heading into their first winter holiday season, traditionally the biggest time for sales of spirits. Beyond that, their plans are to get Bluecoat gin currently available only in Pennsylvania and New Jersey "fully distributed in the colonies," according to Mr. Auwerda. "We have high hopes," he said.
For more information on Philadelphia Distilling and Bluecoat gin go to www.philadelphiadistilling.com and www.bluecoatgin.com.

