Are you ready? It’s almost time for Philly Beer Week 2013, the nation’s largest celebration of beer! The brew-filled fest will take place Friday, May 31, through Sunday, June 9.
Started in 2008, PBW is the largest beer celebration of its kind in the United States, featuring hundreds of festivals, dinners, tours, pub crawls, tastings and meet-the-brewer nights throughout greater Philadelphia. PBW highlights the region’s world-class breweries, neighborhood taverns, trend-setting restaurants and rich beer culture and history. For a full list of PBW happenings, visit the event website.
Opening Tap ceremonies will kick off the event at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 31, with the traditional “first tap” by Mayor Michael Nutter on Independence Mall, adjacent to the Independence Visitor Center. Doors will open at 7:30 p.m. for a strolling beer tasting of more than 30 regional breweries on two levels. General admission for this event is $45 per person; VIP tickets are $90 per person. Purchase tickets online.
One of the many highlights of Opening Tap is the debut of one of PBW’s special collaborative brews. The Manneken-Penn, a Belgo-American Dubbel, was brewed in Belgium as part of PBW’s annual “Win a Trip to Belgium” event and raffle. This past winter, raffle winner (and Main Line local) Matt Hohorst, along with head brewer Chris Wilson of Weyerbacher and Tom Peters of Monks Café, traveled abroad to brew with Yvan De Baets at Brasserie de la Senne. Weighing in at 7.5 percent ABV and made with oats, molasses and a combination of American and European hops, this beer should definitely be on the top of your must-try beer lists for 2013’s celebration.
PBW has teamed up again with Xomo Digital, Inc., to build an all-new app for this year’s celebration. Apps are available for both iPhone and Android and can be downloaded here.
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