Cheers for Beers

What goes better with some of Philadelphia’s favorite foods, like cheesesteaks and soft pretzels, than a cold beverage? Our locals have crafted some of the best beers in the country. In fact, we’ve been doing it for more than 300 years - before William Penn even arrived! It didn’t take long before his colony started up a brewery in 1683 near Bristol, PA.

Beer drinking was popular during Colonial times not only for taste, but also for health benefits. The water wasn’t safe to drink so many of the settlers substituted beer. The first lager in the U.S. was also brewed here in 1840 by John Wagner. Since then, the city has become one of the premiere brewing destinations in the country.

Yuengling, Yards, Victory, and Triumph as well as many microbreweries can be found in and around Philadelphia. Our breweries are rich in history and rich in taste. Philadelphia’s pubs and taverns offered the people a taste of home and a way of gathering for meetings and sharing news during the Revolution. They are just as popular today, with more than 400 bars in the Philadelphia area you’ll be sure to come across an original Philadelphia pint.

If you're in the mood to have your beer served with a side of history, try the Tippler's Tour - a weekly tavern tour of Colonial and modern day watering holes - where a Colonial guide shares historical facts about the traditions of drinking and leads guests in Colonial drinking songs and toasts.