Looking for a last-minute gift? Step away from the tchotchkes at Target! You can do better. Check at least a few names off your list with stylish, unique and unexpected adult beverages (and bar accessories) that are brimming with Pennsylvania pride. We’ve found seven practically no-fail presents — from unique PA spirits to limited-edition ciders — for the discerning drinker:
Quantum Spirits Amaro: Fact: you can never have too many bottles of amaro. Half the fun of these herbal-based liqueurs, which are traditionally enjoyed pre- or post-meal, is building a collection. Many commercial types of amari hail from Italy, but more and more US distilleries are beginning to dabble in the fine-tuned art of amaro-making. One local brand that’s a winner is Carnegie, PA-based Quantum Spirits’ Amaro, made with a rye and rye malt mash bill and a heap of botanicals to create a heady, layered sipper with Mascarpone, stone fruit, vanilla, beet, cola and spices on the nose, bitter gentian, citrus and herbs on the palate with a pleasant bitter grapefruit finish. $35
Upper Reach Meadery Parlor: Even the most knowledgeable beverage aficionados have gaps in their experience. Mead, made from fermented honey, has been a slow-growing craft category, often misunderstood as super-saccharine stuff swilled only at Renaissance Faires. But a new wave of meaderies is changing all this, and a number of them are based in PA! Upper Reach Meadery is based in Perkasie, with a bottle shop in Phoenixville, and was formerly called Haymaker Meadery, a name which it still uses on some products. The brand was founded in 2014 by Adam Crockett to explore what it calls “modern mead” in various styles, ranging from traditional and sweet and semi-sweet, to bone dry and barrel-aged. Parlor is part of its Mixologist Series that riffs on classic cocktails, and is Upper Reach’s take on an Old Fashioned. A base of wildflower honey is blended with orange and grapefruit zest and spices, and is rested in a bourbon barrel for six months. Dry, aromatic and complex, Parlor will shake up any expectations of what mead can be. $22
Old Overholt 114 Proof – This special limited-edition bottle, which is only available in Pennsylvania and Ohio, comes from the iconic whiskey brand that was born in West Overton, Pennsylvania in 1810 (it’s now made in Kentucky). Old Overholt 114 Proof Straight Rye Whiskey is a four-year-aged rye that pays homage to the taste profile one would have found in pre-Prohibition and Prohibition-era cask-strength ryes. At that time, distillers were in the practice of distilling and barreling spirits at a low proof that wouldn’t require the addition of much water at bottling. The full-flavor rye is a lovely golden-brown/burnt-orange, with oak, sweet grain and rye aromas. In the glass, it’s got a cozy warmth from the higher proof and balanced notes of vanilla and rye with a lingering oaky finish. $29.99
Two-toned tumbler from Remark Glass: This zero-waste, woman-owned company in Philadelphia produces handblown, artisan glassware made from upcycled glass beer and wine bottles. Remark transforms these common recyclables into beautiful, delicate items, like decanters, reusable straws, Champagne flutes and pint glasses. Our favorites, though, are these stylish two-toned tumblers, which come in four different jewel-tones and each holds 12 ounces, perfect for your favorite PA beverage. Bonus: They’re dishwasher safe! $35 for a pair
The Plenum Vermouth from Ploughman Cider: You may know Ploughman for its incredible farm ciders, but it occasionally branches out into other beverage categories, like wine and, in this case, vermouth. The Plenum combines an apple eau de vie and Montmorency tart cherry juice with bold, bittering herbs, for a gorgeous, flavorful vermouth that can be mixed into cocktails, like Negronis or Manhattans (see above), or it can be sipped straight for a very sophisticated post-dinner drink. The first batch of The Plenum is small and is only available at the Ploughman Cider Taproom in Gettysburg, at farmers markets, and it is also shipping to Ploughshares members. $35
Mission Mezcal Club: Mezcal, an agave-based spirit indigenous to Oaxaca, Mexico, is beloved by many for its beguiling, smoky flavor profiles. The folks at Philly’s Mission Taqueria have long-since Stanned this beverage and, in lieu of an in-person Mezcal club they had hoped to start in 2020, have launched a monthly subscription that sends the members two, 4-oz. sample bottles of different Mezcals, two custom ceramic copitas (small ceramic Mezcal cups) handmade in Philadelphia by ceramic artist Domenic Frunzi, and an art card by graphic designer Nate Harris displaying information about each Mezcal printed on the back. Send this to a curious cocktail-lover in your life, either as a one-time gift or as a monthly shipment. $90-$120
Threadbare Cider X Moop Tote and Sweet Cherry Cider Bundle: Pittsburgh power! These two awesome brands teamed up to create a gift bundle that will bring some very cheerful vibes to the dark winter. Wendy Downs, the founder and owner of Moop, an artisan canvas bag and purse brand based in Downtown Pittsburgh, designed a custom bag inspired by Threadbare’s seasonal Cherry Cider release. The clay-colored tote with a cross-body strap announces “Booze” in a retro font, screen printed by Commonwealth Press. The bag comes with two bottles of said cider, which is inspired by traditional Belgian strong beers brewed with cherries. Sweet cherry cider is made with local apples and Balaton and Montmorency cherries, fermented with Belgian Trappist beer yeast. $55
What hidden gems from PA’s beverage scene are you gifting this year? Let us know in the comments or on the PA Eats Facebook page!
- Feature photo: Threadbare Cider
- Amaro photo: Quantum Spirits
- Mead photo: Upper Reach Meadery
- Old Overholt product shot: Old Overholt
- Tumblers photo: Remark Glass
- The Plenum photo: Ploughman Cider
- Mezcal Club photo: Mission Taqueria
