Just as old as Philadelphia’s colonial roots is its 300-year-old beer history and culture. Benjamin Franklin is popularly believed to have said that “beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
Well, then, Philly Beer Week must be proof that the brewery owners, distributors and restaurant owners who organize it must love us as well.
The 10-day celebration of the city’s beer scene attracts enthusiasts and casual participants alike from around the greater Philadelphia area and beyond. More than 180 local bars and restaurants participate, often featuring special prices and menus for visiting patrons, and more than 1,000 events expose these eateries to Philadelphians when they may otherwise have gone unnoticed.
The influx of people, as well as the publicity Beer Week presents for participating restaurants and bars, promotes Philadelphia’s tremendous beer culture, as well as the Philadelphian economy.
And the participation of local establishments such as City Tap House and New Deck Tavern, as well as Thursday’s Philly Beer Week-affiliated Night Market event in University City, do well in providing a local Penn flavor to the celebration.
Philly Beer Week has spawned imitators in 50 cities across the country, but none of them compare in size and scope to ours. Beer is, after all, in Philadelphia blood.
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