The Pub on Passyunk East - Philadelphia, PA

Next stop on our Philly tour...finding some great beers we haven't seen in NYC! We had heard that the Pub on Passyunk East (P.O.P.E.) had some great craft beer selections on tap and in bottle. The pub even has rare beers from Russian River and Hitachino.

The list of beers and drink specials looked amazing, we found ourselves eyeing all the orders of spicy Bloody Mary's.

Brunch Burger ($8): We had their loaded burger with an over-easy egg, bacon and cheddar, garlic mayo garnish and crispy fries. A great way to start an afternoon of beer drinking.

The food selection is quite broad. We also could not believe that the menu carried many vegan and vegetarian items (including a seitan cheesesteak!).

Russian River Brewing's Pliny the Elder ($7.50): We had to stop at this bar to have one of the best beers made in the U.S. (possibly the world?), Pliny the Elder. This has to be one of the boldest yet balanced beers we have ever had. Just having this beer is worth the trip since it's not widely available.

The citrus spruce nose is fantastic. The full-bodied beer has light carbonation, some grapefruit, pine with a (very) long-lasting pleasant bitter finish without any alcoholic burn (even at 8%). Definitely one of the best beers we've ever had, we hope Russian River beers will be available in NY some day.

A wide mix on tap of East and West Coast beers from Left Coast, Avery, New Holland, Duck Rabbit and Sly Fox.

New Holland Dragon's Milk ($6 bottle): An strong American ale poured dark cola brown into a tulip glass. This 8.5% ABV beer had rich and sweet chocolate malt, vanilla (from the bourbon barrel aging), some hops, with a bitter coffee finish. A really good beer that was not overwhelming because of the oak aging. This could definitely replace most after-dinner drinks.

Another Pliny before we go....we could not pass this up.

The Pub on Passyunk East is located at 1501 E. Passyunk Street in Philadelphia, PA.