The Best Philadelphia Breweries for a Proper Craft Beer Road Trip

On Frankford Avenue in Kensington, a lager brewery from the 19th century makes beer again. That building marks the right finish line for a craft beer road trip across Philadelphia.

Lager has deep roots here. A state historical marker in Northern Liberties credits John Wagner, a Bavarian immigrant, with brewing the nation’s first lager. Brewing grew into one of Philadelphia’s defining industries during the 19th century. Large breweries clustered near the Schuylkill River, giving Brewerytown its name. Prohibition closed most of them, and the city’s brewing industry took decades to recover.

Getting there the long way runs through South Philly, West Philly, Germantown, and the River Wards. The seven on this list all brew on site, pour in their own taprooms, and offer something besides the beer, such as the building, the kitchen, or the tour.

Before You Set Out

Seven stops fit best into two days, and a few details matter:

• Split the route by area: South Philly, University City, and Germantown on day one, then Northern Liberties, Fishtown, and Kensington on day two.
• Several taprooms open only in the afternoon on weekdays, and Evil Genius closes on Mondays.
• Bring ID to every stop, and book tour spots ahead wherever a brewery asks for it.
• Parking ranges from brewery lots to tight neighborhood blocks, so look up each address before you drive.
• Settle how you’ll get home before the first tasting. A sober person behind the wheel, public transportation, or a hired chauffeur all work, and anyone driving should skip alcohol entirely.

Stop 1: Second District Brewing, South Philadelphia

Pilsner behind roll-up garage doors

In the Newbold section of South Philly, Second District took over a former saw-and-tool-sharpening shop. A sign from that business hangs beside the bar, and the brewery takes its name from the City Council district around it.

• Location: The brewpub sits where Bancroft Street meets McKean.
• Taps: The rotating house beers usually include pale lagers, pilsners, and saisons, and the bar lists the day’s prices.
• On the plate: The kitchen balances burgers and fried chicken with a long list of vegan and vegetarian plates.

Stop 2: Two Locals Brewing, University City

Liberian roots and a backyard homebrew kit

Brothers Richard and Mengistu Koilor started with a homebrew kit in a West Philadelphia backyard. They later opened Philadelphia’s first Black-owned brewery in uCity Square, Two Locals Brewing, where HBCU plaques line the front bar.

• Entrance: The taproom at 3675 Market Street opens onto 37th Street, between Market and Filbert.
• Hours: Doors open at 3 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and at noon from Friday to Sunday.
• Parking: Garage spaces are at 3711 Filbert Street, and the taproom hands out $5 vouchers on request.
• Guided visits: Tours run by appointment on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons. Each one lasts 20 to 30 minutes and includes a pour and a souvenir glass.
• What to order: Nubian is a malty brown ale, and Good Jawn puts Philly slang on a pale ale. Liberty Kitchen West serves hoagies, bowls, and snacks inside the brewery. The menu includes a jerk chicken salad hoagie and suya-spiced snack mix, influenced by the Koilor brothers’ Liberian heritage.

Stop 3: Attic Brewing Company, Germantown

Award-winning lager in an old pencil factory

Mismatched couches and vintage chairs now fill the former Blaisdell Pencil factory, across from Wayne Junction. The look lands somewhere between an antique shop and an art gallery. Attic Brewing Company began as a homebrewing hobby for Laura and Todd Lacy.

• Where: The taproom at 137 West Berkley Street has its own lot. Doors open at 1 p.m. on weekends and later on weekdays.
• Medals: Common Nightjar won gold for international dark lager at the World Beer Cup. Bloodhound Brown Ale earlier took silver at the Great American Beer Festival.
• To eat: Rotating trucks park in the back courtyard on weeknights, and Bad Nina’s covers Friday through Sunday.

Stop 4: Yards Brewing Company, Northern Liberties

Ales with an English accent

A garage-sized space in Manayunk turned out the earliest Yards beers decades ago, with friends Tom Kehoe and Jon Bovit at the kettle. After stops in Roxborough, Kensington, and another Northern Liberties address, the brewery settled on Spring Garden Street, a short drive from Independence Hall. That location makes it easy to pair a pint with a few hours of sightseeing around the city.

• Address and hours: The taproom at 500 Spring Garden Street opens at 11:30 a.m. daily, and its lot backs onto Fifth Street.
• Happy hour: Select drafts drop to $5 on weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m.
• Tours: Groups leave at 2 p.m. on weekdays, at 1, 2, and 3 p.m. on Saturdays, and at 1 and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Only guests 21 and older can join.
• In the glass: Philadelphia Pale Ale (4.6%) brings citrus and a light hop bite. Brawler, a 4.2% English mild, leans on caramel and toast.

Stop 5: Evil Genius Beer Company, Fishtown

Strange names under the El

Trains rumble overhead at this refurbished auto shop on Front Street, which cofounders Trevor Hayward and Luke Bowen turned into Evil Genius Beer Company. A rotating chalkboard lists beers with playful names, such as #Adulting, a guava IPA. The seasonal Trick or Treat porter mixes chocolate and pumpkin.

• When to go: The bar opens at 4 p.m. from Tuesday to Thursday, at 3 p.m. on Friday, and at noon on weekends. Weekend nights run until midnight, so the taproom works as a first round for a night exploring Philadelphia after dark.
• Weekly events: Wednesday brings trivia, Thursday a cornhole league, and Saturday live music. Ticketed drag brunches take place on select Sundays, so check the event calendar before visiting.
• Out back: Colorful seats fill the backyard, and the kitchen turns out nachos, flatbreads, and grilled cheese.

Stop 6: Human Robot, Kensington

Czech lagers beneath string lights

On North Fifth Street, Human Robot brews European lagers on a three-vessel German brewhouse. It also pours the Milk Tube, a foamy Czech serve you finish in a few quick gulps.

• Home base: The brewery and tasting room share 1710 North 5th Street.
• Pour list: Czech 10°, a pale lager, ranks among the brewery’s best-known beers. Niebo, a Polish pilsner, joins German lagers, saisons, and hazy IPAs in the wider lineup.
• Menu: Cantina La Martina, led by chef Dionicio Jimenez, a James Beard Award nominee, serves burritos, tacos, wings, and nachos.
• Backyard: Strings of lights and flags hang over rows of picnic tables.

Visiting with children? Human Robot’s indoor tasting room is strictly 21 and older after 2 p.m., so check the admission policy when planning your stop.

Stop 7: Philadelphia Brewing Company, Kensington

Last call in a 19th-century lager house

This building started life in the 19th century as the Oriental Brewery of Weisbrod & Hess. The company struggled after Prohibition and closed on the eve of World War II. Yards took over the building decades later and brewed here for several years. When its owners split, co-owners Bill and Nancy Barton kept the building and launched Philadelphia Brewing Company.

• Setting: The brewery stands at 2440 Frankford Avenue, and its beer garden of about 2,000 square feet welcomes kids and pets.
• Getting in: The brewery lot sits on Frankford Avenue, across from the main entrance at Martha and Hagert streets.
• Free tours: Hour-long visits leave at noon and 2 p.m. on tour Saturdays, and walk-ins are welcome. Check the date before you go, since tour Saturdays vary. Guests under 21 need a parent or guardian over 25.
• Worth ordering: Ask for a tasting flight to compare a few beers. Kenzinger, a crisp, light-bodied golden lager, is the signature pour, and Walt Wit adds spice and citrus.
• Food: The brewery has no kitchen, so food trucks rotate through the front lot.

The Last Pour

By the last stop, a leisurely loop around Philadelphia has taken you from a former saw sharpener to a 19th-century lager house. A seat in the beer garden makes a fine place to look back on all of it over one more Kenzinger.