September | October 2013 Local Living 41 40 Local Living September | October 2013

Drinks For and By the LocalsFREE WILL BREWING COMPANY Free Will Brewing Company in Perkasie is a hometown brew, but it is not homebrew. Brewmaster John Stemler and Manager Dominic Capece call their establishment a “production brewery.” Operating from the 8,600 square foot basement level of a business complex at 410 E. Walnut St., the brewery is only wholesale or retail take-out.

Both John and Dominic grew up in Perkasie and their hometown was the perfect fit for the new business. Beyond a tiny bar, a few eclectic chairs, and a barber’s pole, is a view of the immense brewing area filled with oak barrels aging an Imperial Stout, empty bottles waiting to be filled with Community Kolsch, and a series of steel brewing vats. The Community Kolsch is the first beer most visitors taste.

“It’s Community, because it’s a style of beer that most everyone will like,” said Dominic as he took time to talk before the start of a busy Friday evening.

Community Kolsch features an artist’s rendition of the twin walking bridg-es spanning the Perkiomen Creek in Lenape Park. Since opening in Janu-ary 2013, Free Will has had the support of the community; regulars flock to the tasting room.

“The beginning is very cliché,” said Dominic. “We are longtime friends and we both homebrewed as a hobby.”

The friends started brewing together for fun, which ultimately turned into a weekly Sunday tradition. Encouraged by friends, the two formed Free

Will Brewing Company… in a mold unlike most other breweries. As their motto says, “We brew to taste, fit to style.”

“‘Free Will’ embodies our brewing philosophy,” said John. “We do not brew a certain style of beer; we just make beer. We design the beers we brew around a flavor profile we want and then try and fit the result into some sort of style for the sake of a description.”

John’s degree in biology and chemistry from Ursinus College allows the brewmaster to work without boundaries. Sometimes, branding a Free Will creation with a style is a bit tricky.

“Sometimes we brew things just for fun,” admitted John.

The guys at Free Will stop short at naming a flagship beer, but it would be Citra, a crisp American Pale Ale. “It’s what we make the most of,” said Dominic. And the bottles are flying off the shelf. Free Will is in the midst of installing new equipment, which will triple the breweries’ production. In the foreseeable future, they will outgrow the current facility.

“For now, we’re glad we are here in Perkasie,” said John.

Michael C. Upton works as a freelance writer specializing in arts and leisure covering subjects ranging from funk punk to fine wine. He currently resides in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Story and Photos by Michael C. Upton

Housed in industrial settings with little fanfare announcing their presence from the outside, neither Philadelphia Distilling nor Free Will Brewing Company appear to be hotbeds of activity in the premium spirits and craft beer worlds. However, these lo-cal businesses are making big dents in their prospective trades. Like the old adage says, “Never judge a …”

PHILADELPHIA DISTILLING With a variety of premium products ranging from Chesapeake Bay inspired vodka* to historic absinthe, Philadelphia Distilling has made quite a splash in the world of cocktails since opening in 2005. The modest company with a beautiful, hand-hammered copper still is housed in an industrial com-plex in north Philadelphia. When it opened, Philadelphia Distilling became Pennsylvania’s first craft distillery since prohibition.

After much success with their flagship spirit Bluecoat Gin, fans began to clamor for a vodka. Faced with insurmountable competition—vodka is cur-rently the number one selling spirit in the United States—company presi-dent Andrew Auwerda had an idea. If his local customers wanted vodka, Philadelphia Distilling would make a local vodka. Using 100 percent PA ingredients, including organic rye, Penn 1681 is smooth, palatable, and popular with customers who like to shop local.

“We made no effort to make this a national brand,” explained Andrew. While

Bluecoat Gin is popular in many states, Penn 1681 is reserved for locals and is only available in PA. “It’s truly a farm to table vodka. We wanted to make a vodka that fit the demands of our local customers.”

The distillery has had success with its other brands, Vieux Carre Absinthe and XXX Shine white corn whiskey (a.k.a. moonshine). XXX Shine comes with two additional twists, a salted caramel version and LiberTea—a whis-key with “a punch in the face of flavor” of black tea, lemon, and honey.

*Stay tuned for The Bay, Philadelphia Distilling’s crab seasoning-inspired vodka. It will hit PA shelves in the upcoming months. Track the spirit’s progress at www.facebook.com/TheBayVodka.

Andrew teamed up with Philadelphia mixologist Christian Gaal, from Em-manuelle, to create a local cocktail featuring Penn 1681. The result is a twist on the classic Moscow Mule originally created in 1941 and popular throughout the ‘50s.

Moscow on the Schuylkil l 2 oz. Penn 1681 .75 oz. Lemon .75 oz. Sbiten Syrup (a spiced, honey-based syrup) Ginger beer

Combine first three ingredients in a footed Collins glass, stir. Top with ginger beer.