Philly Taps 250 Years of American History with Commemorative Beer Debut

I brought you a peek at this beer back in Feb 2026, and now this update:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Philadelphia is about to raise a glass to 250 years. The Brewers Association has announced the official commemorative beer for the 2026 Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America® (CBC®), coming to Philadelphia this April. It is a true beer born in the birthplace America. ‘Of the Brewers. By the Brewers. For the Brewers.’ is a 4.7% ABV pale lager brewed as a true industry collaboration across every tier of the brewing community. Yards Brewing Company in Northern Liberties was tapped to produce the beer, which is now in production in time for the event. The public can enjoy an exclusive limited release at the Yards Brewing taproom, at 500 Spring Garden. Supplies for the public first come first served.

‘Of the Brewers. By the Brewers. For the Brewers.’ is a beer that celebrates both the American craft brewing industry and Philadelphia’s foundational role in American history. Prepared by the Brewers Association – the national trade organization representing more than 9,000 small and independent American craft breweries – the commemorative lager arrives ahead of CBC, scheduled for April 20–22, 2026, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

The conference coincides with America 250 and Philly 250th, the 250th anniversary of American independence, and is expected to draw more than 10,000 attendees from across the country. This will mark the first time the event has returned to Philly since 2016.

 The Beer

The 2026 CBC commemorative beer is a single malt, single hop lager, often referred to as a SMaSH beer. Clean, focused, and intentionally simple in structure, the beer showcases both ingredient quality and technical precision.

It features Spalter Select hops, donated by IGN Hopfen, delivering herbal, grassy, and gently hoppy aromatics. Bestmalz Heidelberg Malt, provided by The Country Malt Group, was selected for its exceptional performance in pale lagers. At 4.7% ABV, the beer offers a crisp, highly drinkable profile designed for industry colleagues to enjoy together.

The result is a pale lager that highlights raw ingredient excellence and brewing craftsmanship – an expression of the care and collaboration that define the American brewing industry.

A True Industry Collaboration

This commemorative beer represents more than a recipe; it reflects coordinated support across the brewing supply chain.

Hart Print is donating and digitally printing the cans using its emerging direct-to-brite digital can printing technology, enabling advanced gloss, matte, metallic, and texture capabilities that push packaging innovation forward. Zuckerman Honickman is providing the can ends, and The Royal Group (TRG) is donating the can trays. Hach is supplying dissolved oxygen testing to ensure quality and stability throughout the process. IGN Hopfen and The Country Malt Group contributed the core brewing ingredients.

From raw materials to packaging technology, the project demonstrates the interconnected strength and collaborative spirit of the brewing industry.  

Design & Concept

The can design draws from Philadelphia’s revolutionary history and deep brewing heritage. The name, Of the Brewers. By the Brewers. For the Brewers, reflects brewing as a craft shaped by its practitioners and sustained by its community. This beer was created by brewers, for brewers, to be shared during one of the industry’s most significant annual gatherings.

The artwork references early American woodblock-print aesthetics and bold block-style typography, inspired by Philadelphia’s printing history and by Benjamin Franklin’s press. Printing served as a revolutionary vehicle for spreading ideas, just as taverns and public houses were gathering places where those ideas were debated and refined over pints.

A subtle nod to Franklin’s “Join, or Die” serpent reinforces the spirit of unity and collaboration that defines today’s brewing community. Just as early Americans united around shared purpose, modern brewers thrive through cooperation, mentorship, and mutual support.

The illustrated cityscape centers on a colonial-era tavern surrounded by Philadelphia landmarks, underscoring the public house as a historic meeting place for community and conversation. Beer has been woven into Philadelphia and Pennsylvania culture since before the United States existed, and this design connects that revolutionary past to today’s craft brewing movement.

The label was intentionally developed to leverage Hart Print’s digital can capabilities, exploring texture and contrast within the woodblock-inspired visual language.

Partnership with Brewers of Pennsylvania

Each year, breweries from the Craft Brewers Conference® (CBC®) and BrewExpo America® host city collaborate on a one-of-a-kind commemorative beer. For 2026, the Brewers of Pennsylvania played a significant role in bringing this collaboration to life. The organization represents more than 300 member breweries and works to promote, protect, and advance Pennsylvania’s craft beer industry through education, legislative advocacy, and industry support.

Pennsylvania is home to 533 breweries, making it the third largest beer-producing state in the country, behind California and New York. According to the 2024 Brewers Association dataOpens in new window, craft beer contributes $72.5 billion in economic impact in the United States, and Pennsylvania plays a significant role in the national success of craft beer, producing the second-highest volume in the U.S. at more than 2.6 million barrels annually. It also ranks second in overall economic impact, contributing $5.2 billion to the national economy.

Brew Day & Distribution

Yards Brewing Company proudly hosted the Pennsylvania collaborative brew day on Friday, February 27 at its brewery located at 500 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123. Brewers, industry partners, and representatives from affiliated organizations united and helped brew the official CBC 2026 commemorative beer.

Every registered attendee of the Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America® in Philadelphia from April 20–22, 2026 can pick up a can of beer at the conference in the Grand Hall of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, next to the Brewers of Pennsylvania  booth.  

For those unable to attend the conference, the beer will also be available on draft at Yards Brewing Company during CBC week.

ABOUT THE BREWERS ASSOCIATION

The Brewers Association (BA) is a not-for-pro fit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 9,000-plus U.S. breweries, and its independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers from small and independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events, including the World Beer Cup®, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference™ & BrewExpo America®,  and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The New Brewer® magazine and Brewers Publications® is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.  

The Brewers Association is an equal-opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 13672 and the Secretary of Labor’s rules, regulations, and appropriate orders.  

  

ABOUT YARDS BREWING COMPANY

Founded in 1994 by Tom Kehoe and Jon Bovitt in a garage in Philadelphia’s Manayunk neighborhood, Yards Brewing Company has been brewing beer in Philadelphia for more than 30 years. What began as a small, garage-sized operation has grown into a full-scale brewery and taproom at 500 Spring Garden Street in Northern Liberties.

Since its early days, Yards has represented the spirit, grit, hospitality and humor that define this city. The taproom on Spring Garden Street serves as a community hub where families, friends, and fans gather to enjoy classic beer, comforting food, and warm service. Yards continues to champion its Made By Phila identity by celebrating the people and neighborhoods that make Philadelphia what it is.

Yards’ philosophy is simple: they do not believe things are made in Philadelphia – they believe they are made by Philadelphia. “Made By Phila” reflects the people, neighborhoods, and communities that have supported Yards since its founding.Yards Brewing Company is Philadelphia’s brewery.

To learn more reach out to info at yardsbrewing dot com or visit Yards on social media @yardsbeer.

ABOUT THE BREWERS OF PENNSYLVANIA

The Brewers of Pennsylvania (BOP) is a 501c6 trade association that brings together Pennsylvania breweries and businesses that support brewing in order to promote and protect the brewing industry in the commonwealth. The BOP strives to advocate for and promote awareness of its members; to increase the visibility of local beers through marketing, events, competitions, and consumer education; and to foster a healthy, ethical, and growth-focused beer industry.

zzubreebym