The celebrated quote, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to prosper” was said by none other than famous Philadelphian Benjamin Franklin. Home to nationally-recognized breweries and festivals, and historical brewpubs and tours, it is no surprise that Philadelphia is one of the best beer drinking cities in the United States and where you will find top U.S. craft brewery, Yuengling. Philadelphia invites those who love a sip to come discover some of its local breweries.

Local Breweries
2nd Street Brewing Company
With a growing selection of bottles, cans and 14 diverse rotating taps, there is always a brew for visitors to love at 2nd Street Brewing Company, located in the Pennsport section of South Philadelphia. Offering a fresh menu of delicious burgers, flatbreads and the age-old favorite fried pickles, patrons can indulge at this relaxing establishment. 2ndstreetbrewhouse.com

Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant
A relatively young establishment, Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant tapped its first batch of fresh-brewed beer in 1996 in an old textile mill. Four years later, they expanded their outdoor seating with a deck overlooking the Schuylkill River and soon added a Stone Pizza Oven and a Sushi Bar to enhance the food selection on the menu. With 10 beers on tap and over 30 past seasonal beer options, this young brewery and restaurant is anything but underdeveloped. manayunkbrewery.com

 
McGillin's Olde Ale House
Home to the oldest continuously operated tavern in Philadelphia, McGillin's Olde Ale House has kept the beer taps flowing since 1860, outlasting the Civil War and even Prohibition. Dubbed one of the “Best Irish Pubs in America” by Complex magazine and “Coolest bars in the U.S.” by Gourmet, this popular pub is family-owned and operated by the Mullins family, who purchased the bar from the McGillin family in 1958. Visited by celebrities from Ethel Merman, to Will Ferrell, to the late Robin Williams, this famous bar is frequented by Philadelphia hockey, baseball, football and basketball players amongst its regulars, making it the fictional “Cheers.” Serving up a large selection of regional microbrews, Stoudt's Brewing is the brewery of the tavern's two house specials, McGillin's Real Ale and McGillin's Genuine Lager. The McGillin's 1860 IPA was launched in 2010 for the pub's 150th Anniversary and is unfiltered just as it would have been in the 1800s; it is also made from a secret recipe with multiple hop varieties. mcgillins.com

Yuengling
As the oldest (and family) operating brewing company, and top craft brewery in the country, Yuengling was established in 1829 and continues to be one of the largest breweries, by volume, in the country. With headquarters in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Yuengling operates two Pennsylvania facilities along with a brewery in Tampa, Florida producing about 2.5 million barrels annually, including its popular Traditional Lager. This popular brew can be ordered in Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley by simply ordering a Lager. Guided tours are available in Pottstown for visitors to discover America's Oldest Brewery by tasting history. Yuengling survived  the Prohibition era by producing “near beers” (0.5% alcohol content) and story has it the brewery celebrated the repeal by sending a truckload of their symbolic Winner Beer to the White House to show their thanks to President Roosevelt. yuengling.com

Yards Brewery
Outgrowing three different facilities due to high demand for their high quality beer, Yards Brewery has found its home nestled on a scenic spot overlooking the Delaware River complete with a Tasting Room and tour options. With five signature ales including Philadelphia Pale Ale, Yards Brawler, Extra Special Ale, India Pale Ale and Love Stout, Yards also produces seasonal brews and Ales of the Revolution which includes a special Strong Golden Ale, created with help from Philadelphia's historic City Tavern to recreate the recipe that emulate the beer Jefferson made at Monticello.  yardsbrewing.com

Victory Brewing Company
Victory Brewing Company was established 1996 in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Its most popular brands are HopDevil, Prima Pils, Headwaters Pale Ale, Golden Monkey, DirtWolf and Storm King distributed in over 30 states and 9 countries. High demands required Victory to open another brewery (doubling the size of its headquarters) location just 17 miles down the road in Parkesburg. Tours of the facilities are now available at both locations. victorybeer.com

Philadelphia Brewing Company
Located in a beautifully-designed 19th century facility in the industrial neighborhood of Kensington, Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Brewing Company has been serving up beer and representing the city it's named after for over 125 years. This oldest and largest brewing facility in Philadelphia serves up five year-round beers including the Kenzinger, Walt Wit, Pennsylvania Pale Ale, Newbold India Pale Ale and the Schwarzinger Black Lager, as well as seasonal brews. Tours and tastings are available on Saturdays. philadelphiabrewing.com

Barren Hill Tavern & Brewery
With an impressive 30 craft beer selection list on draft, Barren Hill Tavern & Brewery is considered a hot new addition to the historic and colonial General Lafayette Inn building, located just outside of Philadelphia in Montgomery County. barrenhilltavern.com

Beer Tour
Learn the history and traditions of Philadelphia while sipping a brew during Tippler's Tour Colonial Pub Crawl, located in the heart of Philadelphia's historic district. With stops at three modern-day watering holes and famous reconstructed Colonial tavern where servers are head-to-toe in traditional garb, City Tavern, visitors immerse themselves in 17th century Philadelphia. Now complete with four seasonal varieties including Dr. Benjamin Franklin's Birthday Tour in January, Ben's Kites & Flights, Colonial Tales & Ales, Ghosts & Toasts, and Yuletide Cheers & Beers. historicphiladelphia.org/tipplers-tour

Beer Event
Known as the largest beer celebration, Philly Beer Week is a 10-day celebration of beer in “America's Best Beer-Drinking City.” Since 2008, hundreds of festivals, dinners, tours, pub crawls, tastings and opportunities to meet the beer masters themselves have drawn visitors from all over the world. Pioneering for thirsty beer fans everywhere, nearly 100 other cities worldwide have attempted to duplicate with their own beer weeks, but none can compare to that of Philly Beer Week – May 29 to June 7, 2015.  phillybeerweek.org

For further information on Philadelphia, go to www.discoverPHL.com.