A Week of Opportunity; a Year of Possibility by Lew Bryson

Kicking off Philly Beer Week...

Top: Brian O’Reilly of Sly Fox Brewery (left) and Tim Donnelly of Origlio Beverage (right).

Center (left to right): Don Russell, Bruce Nichols, Mayor Michael Nutter and Tom Peters.

Bottom (left to right): Mike Fava and Rosemarie Certo of Dock Street Brewery and Jim Meiers of Origlio Beverage.

Philly Beer Week wasn't just a festival, it wasn't just a tasting, it wasn’t just a ten-day extravaganza of almost 300 beer events all across the five-county area and into New Jersey and Delaware. It was something completely different and new in beer retail, and one of the best things that could have happened for beer in this area.

Beer on Parade

Think about the great press beer got. Philadelphia mayor, Michael Nutter, the media darling, officially started things by tapping a ceremonial keg. Philly Beer Week stories ran in newspapers as far away as New Zealand. The Inquirer ran multiple stories on it, as did the Daily News, and the Daily News Philly Beer Week insert was the largest non-sports insert they've ever done…and the ad space sold out! There was television and radio coverage all week. Beer stepped onto center stage in this town, didn’t stumble and people celebrated it at hundreds of events.

Brewers came to town, people went to stores and restaurants and bars for the first time (I know, I spoke to some of them) and everyone was impressed. It wasn't just about craft beer, either.

It was so good that you've already benefitted, whether you participated or not. How?

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