Brian Rothbart has always loved working in the beverage industry.

He’s been a sommelier and a winemaker out in California. He’s slept in vineyards and picked fruit for wineries in San Francisco and Australia. For a while, he worked at high-end bars in New York City before owning his own wine and cheese bar in New York City.

Then, eight years ago, “a lot of life happened at once,” he says. His wife got sick; he sold his wine and cheese bar and got sober. He tried different gigs, including construction management, but the beverage industry was where he wanted to be. He loved making drinks for people. About five years ago, he saw more and more non-alcoholic spirit options entering the market, so he decided to try his hand at mixing cocktails.

In April 2024, he opened East Passyunk’s Nutmeg

See Full Page