On my way back to Paris... quick stop in Philadelphia, PA.

Philadelphia has always been a place that I have wanted to visit, for several reasons. It just so happens that one of the most common and direct flights to Paris happens to be from Philly. Knowing I would have a couple of days to kill before catching my flight across the pond, I contacted a fellow BA and trading partner of mine for some suggestions and he was generous enough to give me a place to stay and show me around town before heading off to Paris.

They certainly looked a lot larger in the movie, but they were still awesome to see.

The "Rocky stairs"

One of the most famous skatespots in the world is in Philadelphia; Love Park...which unfortunately is now illegal to skate...good thing I didn't have my board because I would have been very tempted!

 A favorite television show of mine is based out of Philly; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

I was hopeful that Mac and Dee might be at their pub "Mac's"...as close as I was gonna get.

Big surprise, Philly also has an amazing beer scene. Between it's numerous Belgian beer bars, extensive distribution both domestic and international, and a handful of local breweries, Philly is most definitely a craft beer city.

A pretty epic tasting with a beer trading buddy of mine

Definitely the highlight, an amazingly rich and complex raspberry beer from Founders.

Despite the time crunch, we even managed to make a visit to Philadelphia's largest brewery, Yards. Paying homage to our founding fathers and the styles of ales they drank, Yards managed to have an eclectic and interesting take on British styles.

Yards Brewing Company: Philadelphia, PA.

Pub style tasting room with an excellent view of the brewery.

The keg had just kicked, so I opted for a bottle of their double Ipa.

And what would a trip to Philadelphia be without a  cheese-steak or two...which happened to be the only thing I ate while there!

An interesting pairing; cheesteak and a Pretty Things Quad!

Finally, I am back in Paris and writing this post as we speak. I'm glad that my summer has come to an end but it certainly was full of great beers. As usual, Stateside! will come to an end and AmericanBeerGeekinParis will be back in action; hopefully for quite some time. CHEERS!