Philadelphia Weekly

Pennsylvania has long been a beer lover’s commonwealth. Generations ago, lager-crazed German immigrants brought their hop knowledge to the Keystone State and Irish coal miners brought their unquenchable thirst. Nowhere is this fermented marriage more evident than in Philadelphia and its surrounding areas. This week we threw our livers to the wind and went in search of some serious suds pubs.

If Your Thirst is Sustainable
The local/sustainable bug has spread faster than swine flu and at Earth Bread + Brewery (7136 Germantown Ave. 215.242.6666) in Mt. Airy, they’ve got a serious case. That ideology bleeds into their house brews like the lambicy Alehoof Grut made with local herbs or their Blind Oyster Ale that gains a mineral quality from a brewing with old oyster shells. Outside the brewery, spent grain is used as compost at a local farm. Their wood oven-fired flatbread pizza menu is simple and stupendous. G B E K 6

If Your Head’s Nodding Cause Your Neck Knows It’s Phat
You’ll keep nodding your head in approval at Nodding Head Brewery & Restaurant (1516 Sansom St. 215.569.9525) as you experience the simple joys of a Monkey Knife Fight. This aromatic beer spiced up by the presence of ginger and lemongrass is a clean and crisp addition to a summer afternoon. On the unusual tap try their Ich bin ein Berliner Weisse, a low alcohol tart beer balanced with a drop of German traditional woodruff syrup. We prefer it au natural. G E C K 6

If You’re Sitting on the Dock of Baltimore Ave.
The Dock Street (701 S. 50th St. 215.726.2337) bohemians in West Philly are filling pints, bottles and growlers with beers to suit all tastes. The flagship Dock Street Amber Ale is a well-balanced American ale. The Satellite Espresso Stout, brewed with 50 pounds of fair trade espresso beans, would be a nice addition to a ham and eggs breakfast. And the assertive Simcoe and Amarillo hops give the Rye IPA an aggressive bite. Try one with a BBQ chicken pizza straight from their wood-burning oven. G E C K 6

If You Need a Doggy Bag
Conan O’Brien was the first to let Triumph the Insult Comic Dog off his Harry Potter fan bashing leash to shit on the rest of the world. We’re happy to report that at Triumph Brewing Company (117 Chestnut St. 215.625.0855), the only thing for you to poop on might be the hordes of Jerseyites that flood the stylized brew pub each weekend. Triumph’s beer runs the gamut from the oh-so-high gravity limit, two-per-customer Le Cirq, a “Belgian style ale with loads of fruity, earthy flavors.” When paired with fish and chips, the clean honey wheat beer made with local wildflower honey that adds an exceptional airiness. G B E C 6

If You’re Big in Media
The pro-wrestler-sized head brewer atIron Hill (30 E. State St., Media. 610.627.9000) was kind enough to give us an insider’s look at the beer making process. We stood in suds and stuck our noses in hops, then poured some mainstay beers down our throats—including their award-winning, bready but clean-finishing Vienna Red Lager. We were also privy to an early taste of their deliciously sour Berliener Weisse and rumor has it the brewer is also working on a porter aged in a framboise lambic barrel … should be tasty. G E C K 6

If You’re Doing Your Residency
The General Lafayette Inn (646 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill. 610.941.0600) is doing a brewer-in-residence program with Sly Fox later this summer, but don’t leave town for just that. Try the General’s signature brews like the Germantown Blonde, an accessible Kolsch style beer made with imported German malt and Dusseldorf yeast, or the caramel-y Sunset Red Ale or one of their ever-changing, cask-conditioned ales. G B E C K 6