Cartesian Brewing is coming soon to Philadelphia, with a projected opening in the summer of 2021. The brewery will be located at 1324-26 East Passyunk Avenue, walking distance to Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks.
We spoke to owner Evan Roth about his plans for the brewery and building, and what beer fans can expect with Cartesian Brewing. Evan was a homebrewer and moved to Philadelphia in 2011. In 2015, he realized south Philadelphia was an untapped market, and there was a real lack of breweries outside of Center City.
He told us that Cartesian Brewing will be “local origin brewing”. This means their mission is to make beers and ciders with as many local ingredients as they possibly can. They will be brewing both simple and complex styles that showcase these local ingredients. Cartesian Brewing will be working with local city and regional agricultural non-profits as well, to assist however they can.
Read our Q&A with owner Evan Roth below:
BIPA: What stage are you currently in?
Evan: We are in construction. We have both our federal license and a conditional license with the state.
BIPA: Can you describe the space you are opening?
Evan: The building we are in is 3500 sq/ft, and we are on the 1st floor, with apartments above on the 2nd. It used to be an auto body shop more recently, but in the 50s it was a fruit/vegetable warehouse. So it’s fitting for us to move in and have a local agriculture theme. The taproom will be able to hold about 50 people (outside of the pandemic restrictions). The bar will seat about 10 with about 40 table seats. We will also have some outdoor seating with a courtyard for a beer garden.
The theme we are going for is “rustic rural meets urban industrial” – Evan Roth, Owner of Cartesian Brewing
We have a 10bbl brewhouse with 3 fermenters and 1 brite tank. The system will be visible for all customers to see as well. At the bar, we will have 8-12 taps, including seltzer water, cold-brewed coffee, and cider.
BIPA: What styles of beers will you focus on?
Evan: We will have a wide variety of styles. We will not be following any real consistency or rigid style guidelines.
We will be making ciders and mead as well, as smaller batches and more one-offs. These will mostly be served in-house, to support local agriculture and to provide gluten-free and alternative options.
We will be working with mobile canners for 16 oz cans, and have crowlers available as well.
BIPA: Will there be food offered?
Evan: Just snacks will be available. Since we are so close to Pats and Geno’s, and there are a lot of amazing local restaurants that do delivery/takeout, it doesn’t make sense for food right now.
BIPA: How can the community support you?
Evan: We will be selling discounted gift cards before our opening this summer. We will also have merchandise and pre-orders of canned beer on our website as well in the next couple of months.
Make sure you stay up-to-date with Cartesian Brewing’s progress, by following them on Facebook and Instagram. As always, we will update you on the brewery’s opening as it gets closer.
