It’s Happy Hour for Craft Distillers
Normandy Farm’s third and final luxury barbeque of the season, Gatsby-Q, celebrates the big band sound of the 20’s, along with our passion for craft distilled spirits. For the first time since Al Capone and other 1920’s bootleggers cooked bathtub gin for corner speakeasies, small distilleries in our area like Bluecoat, Dad’s Hat, Stateside, and Haymaker Meadery are roaring back. Every one of these craft distillers has a story - some based on American history, some from family memories, and others simply from the love and appreciation for wholesome ingredients. Share in their stories at our summer’s grand finale.
Bluecoat is a purist when it comes to distilling spirits… gin. Bluecoat American Dry Gin is made with organic botanicals: Mediterranean juniper berries, lemon peels, angelica root, and coriander seeds. Their name is a celebration of the free-thinking revolutionaries of 1776 to the birth of their spirit.
As a tribute to his father, the distillers at Dad’s Hat had a very personal story to tell about their dad and his passion for hats and genuine rye whiskey. Indeed his dad wore hats and had lots of them. Those hats are still worn proudly by his son, Herman Mihalich. Warm summers, such as in the time of the Great Gatsby, brought out straw boaters, panamas and longhorns as well as linen flat caps. Fun fact: flat caps pair well with gin rickeys.
Craft mead is on the rise and Haymaker Meadery is leading the charge right in our neighborhood. Unlike wine that is made from fermented fruit, meads are an alcoholic drink from fermented honey. The dynamic duo of Adam and Erin has brought Haymaker Meadery to the forefront of our ever evolving quest for crafted spirits. To some, the name haymaker means “punch in the face”. To Adam, it’s more like a wakeup call, a game changer, a new chapter in distilled spirits. And in the 1920’s that’s exactly what happened. Refinements in techniques and equipment allowed distillers to experiment with flavors. Let your taste buds explore this natural and unique craft.
Stateside Vodka started as an experiment in Matthew and Brian Quigley’s parents’ basement. When his dad discovered the distilling operation, the boys had to find a new location to set up shop. Creative, tenacious, and tremendously business savvy, the boys caught the attention of an angel investor that immediately bought in to their recipe and their dream. Speaking of dreams… they are still living the American dream concentrating on doing one thing better than anyone else in the world…distilling Urbancraft Stateside vodka. Just as the Quiqley boys’ craft sparked from hidden experimentation in their basement, the most decadent period in history spurred from underground parties and bootlegged spirits during Prohibition.
Put these four local distilleries to the test at the Grand Finale of our Craft & ‘Que Series: Gatsby-Q on Friday, August 24th 7-10pm.
Normandy Farm Hotel and Conference Center is located just 25 minutes from Center City Philadelphia and situated in the heart of Blue Bell, Pa. It is more than a meticulously restored American landmark—it's a fully wired, high-tech hospitality venue. Relax on our grand terrace, sip a cocktail in America's oldest silo, play a challenging game of golf on our championship course, plan an event with us or dine on our delectable farm-to-table cuisine. It all adds up to One Historic Experience.
