Philadelphia Beer History
Philadelphia, PA - It was in Philadelphia taverns that the American Revolution took hold (see City Tavern for proof), and 100 years ago, Philadelphia was known as the most magnificent brewing city in the Western Hemisphere, or the “Cradle of American Libation.” In the mid-19th through the early 20th century, 90 breweries operated in Philadelphia proper, and another 100 operated in its environs. Prohibition in 1920 brought the brewery boom to an end and the decline—and near demise—of virtually all of Philadelphia’s beer producers.