Five Saints Distilling
Norristown
'Tis the season to try a Poinsettia – Five Saints' handcrafted vodka, Manatawny Creek Winery's white sparkling wine, cranberry juice, and triple sec. Make your friends choose the next round, among the Candy Cane Martini, North Pole Nog, and the Mistletoe Kiss. Five Saints makes their alcohol from corn and rye grown in Elverson, PA, and they're happy to show you how in-person of in their virtual tasting tours.
Manatawny Still Works
Pottstown
In mid-November, Manatawny Still Works is releasing three small-batch powerhouses – Four Grain Whiskey, Batch Rum 10, and Four Grain American Whiskey. The Batch Rum 10 is the perfect addition to your holiday eggnog or coquito. See if you can detect the notes of caramel and cinnamon in the Batch Rum 10 and savor the aroma of French oak in the Four Grain.
Boardroom Spirits
Lansdale
Santa is done with milk. This year he's only drinking hot chocolate spiked with Boardroom Spirits' Nocino, a black walnut liqueur from the owners' Hungarian family recipe. (Santa's drinking habits couldn't be verified at the time of publication, but we can confirm that Boardroom also offers 4-packs of Moscow mules and flavorful cranberry vodka.) If you'd like to taste the Nocino and their other spirits for yourself, check out their cocktail workshops at the distillery.
Conshohocken Brewing Company
Conshohocken
Like the family recipe for latkes or sugar cookies, you don't mess with success at Conshohocken Brewing Company, which features consistent winter holiday beers. The first returning hero is You Can't Catch Me gingerbread ale, brewed with sugar, spice, everything nice, and gingersnap cookies. You can also sample 2 Hour Delay Hazy Winter IPA, with hints of citrus, coconut, and pine. Order 4-packs online once the winter packs release, or visit their taproom, which has sister properties in King of Prussia, Bridgeport, Phoenixville, and Havertown.
Boyd's Cardinal Hollow Winery
Lansdale
Cranberry wine, raspberry mead, and roasted red pepper/garlic wine could each flow into your glass this winter. Yes, you read all of those right. The cranberry wine contains over a pound of berries per bottle with no additives. Owner Christopher Boyd used it to craft turkey sausage with cranberries (only available at the main winery). They also just released a line of ciders including a pumpkin flavor. With tastings only $1 each, Cardinal Hollow can be your new Saturday tradition.
Celebrate with Boardroom's cranberry vodka. Photo by Matt Seaver
Well Crafted Beer
Lansdale & Ambler
Well, Crafted Beer tries to live up to their name, with new releases each week on tap and to go. Savor the remainder of fall with an imperial pumpkin ale called Punch in the Pumpkin or get ready for a trek through the snowy woods with Gone Squatchin', a sweet and invigorating brew made with alder-smoked malt. Their menu changes daily and features an array of cocktails, wines, ciders, and non-alcoholic drinks to please the whole crowd.
