A new exhibition at Philadelphia International Airport is all about beer and the history of brewing beer in Philadelphia dating back to the 1600s.

From the exhibition notes:

“When William Penn came to Philadelphia in 1682, Philadelphians were already making homemade beer — molasses infused with pine or sassafras. One year later, in 1683, the first barley crop was harvested and the city’s first ale brewery opened. During the late 1700s, America’s Founding Fathers discussed the country’s two most important documents — the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, while drinking the city’s finest ale in Philadelphia taverns. John Adams wrote to his wife in Boston, “I drink no cider, but feast on Philadelphia beer.””

Lager was introduced in 1840 and after that Philadelphia became a boom town of breweries, with a cluster of breweries (at one time 94!) in an area of town that became known as – you guessed it – Brewerytown.

The beer exhibition at PHL details the city’s brewing business up through today with an extensive display of beer bottles and beer memorabilia.

Find the beer exhibit at PHL Airport between Terminals A-East and B