The Top 50 Bars in Philadelphia

Philly Weekly has published a ranking of the top 50 bars in Philly, as judged by a panel of staff writers. The timing is excellent, as Philadelphia is also in the midst of of its fledgling Philly Beer Week, a celebration of the growing respect the city is attaining for it's beer culture.

From the website:

What makes Philly the best beer-drinking city in America?

Tradition. We've been crafting it for more than 300 years, since the days of William Penn. Our forefathers wrote the Declaration of Independence in colonial taverns. We brewed America's first lager. We practically invented porter. We were already famous for beer when Milwaukee was a cow pasture.

Diversity. While most American craft breweries focus on regional interpretations of one or two styles of ale, Philly-area brewers produce more varieties of beer than any other region in America. Everything from bock and pilsner to extreme beer and wild ale is made within 50 miles of City Hall.

Neighborhoods. Instead of plastic pubs in non-descript shopping centers, Philadelphia’s taverns are the real thing. Good beer is served in old-time corner bars and newly rehabbed saloons in the very neighborhoods in which people live. Beer is not some fad; it is a social lubricant of our daily life.

The People. Philadelphia is known around the world for its savvy beer-drinkers. Many of the best imported German lagers and Belgian ales are shipped first to Philadelphia, while the rest of the country has to be satisfied with meager leftovers. Meanwhile, every American microbrewery either sends its kegs to Philadelphia, or wishes it could.

The Choices. There are more than 400 great places to grab a great beer in the city and near suburbs.

The Philadelphia Daily News also has a report on why Philly ranks among the best in the world in terms of beer drinking respect.

For a city that has been thirsty for a professional sports championship for over 30 years, Philly deserves a world class beer scene.

Hmmm... perhaps the connection is not pure coincidence?