The 8 Best Breweries in Philadelphia
Take a trip on Philadelphia’s brewery tour via our top 8 breweries in all of the city of brotherly love.
Contents
Philadelphia’s Beer History
Yards Brewing Company
Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant
Tired Hands Brewing Company
Crime and Punishment Brewing Co.
Urban Village Brewing Company
Evil Genius Beer Company
Dock Street Brewery
Philadelphia Brewing Company
The 8 Best Breweries in Philadelphia
When you are looking for a town that offers everything, a town that is bustling with freshness, spirit, and buddies ready to chug back the best locally brewed beers, you need look no further than Philadelphia.
Philadelphia has carved its name as one of the top destinations for beer lovers. The city is rich in culture and history, and it leads with some of the earliest craft breweries who have become globally recognized names. Today, the total number of craft breweries in Philadelphia spans into hundreds.
Here is a quick look at Philadelphia’s Beer History.
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Philadelphia’s Beer History
Courtesy of Thrillist
Philadelphia is widely known as the birthplace of America and local taverns were the very places where the American Revolution was born. Our founding fathers and the common folk used these taverns as their meeting grounds .Philadelphia has always embraced the beer culture from the beginning and by the 20th century, over 90 breweries thrived in this growing city. This spread to the surrounding region where up to 100 breweries soon stood.
In 1920, the brewery boom came to a sudden halt when Prohibition almost eliminated all Philadelphia’s beer producers. But Philadelphians never forgot their beer culture and during the early 1980s, it was steadily introduced again. A few decades after, Philadelphia has claimed recognition and several craft breweries have become known for producing some of the country’s best beers.
If you are wondering where to start for a spectacular time in Philadelphia and mostly the finest beers, we can point you in the right direction.
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Yards Brewing Company
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Courtesy of Visit Philadelphia
Yards Brewing Company was formerly located in Manayunk but recently relocated to Northern Liberties to make use of more space. It is a cheerful space offering a family-friendly taproom and a firsthand exciting experience for Yards enthusiasts. Yards can be traced back in history to as early as 1994.
Its president, Tom Kehoe was one of the pioneers of the craft beer revolution in Philly. He has maintained the same standards in Yards beer all these years. The facility is powered by green energy and pours 20 beers on tap alongside taproom food from the popular Chef Jim Burke. Yards brews different styles of beer but also retain some signature beers that are a compulsory part of the menu in the taproom.
Hours of Operation :Sun 11AM–10PM Mon, 11:30AM–10PM Tues, 11:30AM–10PM Weds,11:30AM–10PM Thurs, 11:30AM–11PM Fri, 11:30AM–11PM Sat, 11AM–11PM
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Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant
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Courtesy of The Isle
If you love to enjoy a pint or more on an outdoor deck in a busy side of town, Manayunk Brewing has you covered. Manayunk is a brewpub with one of the largest outdoor decks in Philly and an indoor space as well to savor your moments and relax just how you like it. This brew has been in the Philly beer scene for over 20 years constantly delivering on innovative beers and a restaurant to match. Manayunk is a family-friendly space.
The kitchen serves a variety of dishes that can go with a beer in most cases. They include cheesesteak dumplings, truffle ravioli, pork ribs, fresh sushi, and more. There’s a special kid’s menu as well. Ten taps at the pub serve the brewery’s finest and variety of beers and ales such as Coconut Crunch chocolate porter, Hopgasm IPA, and Morning Fix coffee cream ale. Manayunk says they have produced over 600 beers over the years.
Hours of Operation :Mon, 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM Tues, 11:00 AM - 12:00 AM Weds, 11:00 AM - 1:00 AM Thurs, 11:00 AM - 1:00 AM Fri, 11:00 AM - 2:00 AM Sat, 11:00 AM - 2:00 AM Sun, 10:30 AM - 11:00 PM
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Tired Hands Brewing Company
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Courtesy of Tired Hands
Tired Hands is one brewery you won’t mind reaching the limits of the city for a visit. They focus on small-batch brews and are all about giving back to their community, staying local, and sourcing raw fresh ingredients. Since adding its 12-tap roomy Ardmore Fermentaria, Tired Hands has experienced an increase in production. A brew café serves local cheeses, seasonal produce, meat, and house-baked breads. The Fermentaria serves ceviches and composed plates and tacos.
Hours of Operation :Sun, 12–11PM Mon, 4–11PM Weds, 4PM–12AM Thurs, 4PM–12AM Fri, 4PM–1AM Sat, 12PM–1AM
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Crime and Punishment Brewing Co.
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Courtesy of Crime and Punishment Brewing Co.
You can tell by its name that the Crime and Punishment Brewing Co. is a 21st-century brewery. It shows off a Russian personality and décor. Opened in 2015, this brewery is Philly by heart and offers creatively named craft brews. As expected, it is popular with locals and young visitors. Grab a pint of Space Race IPA, Dostoyevsky, Darvaza, or Raspberry Ghost Station. It’s delightful. There are lots of activities to draw in crowds while you enjoy your beer.
Hours of Operation :Mon-Weds, 4 PM-12 AM Thurs-Fri, 4 PM-1 AM Sat, 11 AM-1 AM Sun, 11 AM-12 AM
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Urban Village Brewing Company
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Courtesy of Urban Village Brewing Company
For the love of contemporary breweries, you cannot skip this mention. Urban Village Brewing Company is one of the newer pubs. In fact, it is as new as 2017. The brewery is a craft beer brew paired with a brick oven pizza. They literally recommend pizzas for your beers giving you that pub-restaurant feel.
Urban Village Brewing Company has produced many fine beers including popular ones such as Land Down Under Poppy Saison, Huntington Drive IPA, and the most unique of all Beets by J. The Beets beer has a red color and of course with a beet flavor that satisfies both beets and non-beets lovers.
Hours of Operation :Sun-Thurs, 11 AM-12 AM Fri, 11 AM-2 AM Sat, 11 AM-2 AM
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Evil Genius Beer Company
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Courtesy of Evil Genius Beer Company
With a memorable slogan ‘Very Silly Names for Very Serious Beers,’ Evil Genius Beer Company is one of the breweries marked for innovative beers with literally silly names. They own a tasting room known as the Lab in Philly’s Fishtown area offering a laid back, serene environment for guests to enjoy.
Sometimes, the tasting room is packed with enthusiasts who can’t get enough of the brewery’s great beers. Expect to hear silly names with tremendous tastes such as Might Delete Later, Felt Cute, Santa! I Know Him, Purple Monkey Dishwasher, Bye Felicia IPA, I Love Lamp Hefeweizen and #icanteven.
Hours of Operation :Sun, 12–9PM Mon, 3–9PM Tues, 3–9PM Wednesday, 3–10PM Thurs, 3PM–12AM Fri, 2PM–12AM Sat, 12PM–12AM
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Dock Street Brewery
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Courtesy of Wikipedia
In 1985, the first Dock Street Brewery was opened thus standing out as a long-running predecessor of craft beer in Philadelphia. It is a brewery and restaurant built on the belief that good beer should be American-made. The Dock Street South opened in August 2019 comes with a 10,000-square-foot, 20-barrel brewhouse, and taproom. It offers 12-taps for beer, hand-pumped cask beers, and almost 24/7 service. The restaurant serves some of the best pizzas in all of Philly. Guests are entertained with more than great beer on their visits. Here, you can expect parties, incredible cocktails, and impressive performances.
Hours of Operation :Mon-Thurs, 4 PM-11 PM Fri-Sat, 12 PM-12 AM
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Philadelphia Brewing Company
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Courtesy of TodayTix
This brewery opened its doors in 2007. It operates in the oldest and largest brewing facility in Philadelphia. It is proudly local and produces up to 15, 000 barrels annually. They offer a mix of the brewery’s beers in 10-taps produced on-site and served at Peacock Room Bar and Garden. At the Peacock Room Bar and Garden, there are multiple sitting spaces allowing guests choose their favorite spot to enjoy the local beer. Their varieties include Pennsylvania Pale Ale, Broken Bell Double IPA, and Rowhouse Red. The spot is not open on Mondays.
Looking to save a bit of money the next time you hit the bars with friends and family? Check out our top happy hour spots in Philly.
Hours of Operation :Mon, 5 PM-12 AM Tues-Sat, 11 AM-12 AM Sun, 11 AM-11 PM
- 1. Philadelphia’s Beer History
- 2. Yards Brewing Company
- 3. Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant
- 4. Tired Hands Brewing Company
- 5. Crime and Punishment Brewing Co.
- 6. Urban Village Brewing Company
- 7. Evil Genius Beer Company
- 8. Dock Street Brewery
- 9. Philadelphia Brewing Company
