Wirlybird Coffee - Wissahickon Brewing Company

BY WISSAHICKON BREWING COMPANY

Wirlybird Coffee is brought to you by the same family that created Wissahickon Brewing Company. What started as a private passion led to a family business and an opportunity to contribute to the community the Gill family has always called home.

As the brewery grew, it was easy to find parallels between beer and coffee—a collaborative industry with dedication to technique and a connection to the neighborhood. The brewery had the space and loyal community, so expanding into the coffee industry only made sense.

Wirlybird’s inspiration came from the Wissahickon and the nature that thrives within the park. The Pileated woodpecker—a native to the northeast—was the perfect emblem to represent the new endeavor. With a cozy atmosphere, great coffee, and a meaningful brand, Wirlybird Coffee connects the neighborhood to the ever-growing coffee industry that makes Philadelphia a unique and engaging city.

Hand-roasting specialty coffees uniquely highlight the intrinsic qualities of Coffea Arabica, capturing the labor of love wrought by skilled farmers and processors in a particular terroir over a season. Moonraker Coffee is a group of coffee cultivators and connoisseurs based in Kensington, Philadelphia. Their approach is small-holder centric, and their focus is Beyond Fair Trade, meaning access to exclusive lots of coffee, with the knowledge that the producer is being compensated for the actual value of their hard work.

This local roaster believes this is the way forward to work with some of the best coffees in the world—and because they are also coffee farmers. They’ve learned how difficult and labor intensive growing specialty coffee along steep mountain hillsides can be, and what it takes for these efforts to be sustainable at origin.

Moonraker is a local and passionate company that has been working with Wirlybird Coffee since the start. They are passionate, enthusiastic, and the perfect amount of caffeinated.

Wirlybird serves everything from drip to espresso drinks. You can ask for alternative milk and flavors to add to your favorite beverages. And if you’re feeling peckish, grab a pastry made in a local french bakery, Au Fournil—in Narberth, PA.