I'd like to prelude this article by explaining the purpose in the simplest way possible. This is a piece dedicated to Philadelphia, the greatest city, home to the hardest working and most passionate individuals in this country.
For those of you that may or may not know, September 28th has been deemed "National Drink Beer Day". You may or may not be a beer drinker. You may or may not even drink any type of alcoholic substances. No judment is being passed here. Whatever your lifestyle choice, we all do share something in common; the passion for the city we live in.
I'm not here to make a statement to the rest of the country defending Philly or trying to patch up our reputation. That would be counterproductive. Because let's face it, no matter what happens in the realm of sports or amongst our community, we'll still be looked at as "the ones who snowed Santa" and the "fans who beat up other fans because their team beat our team".
What I'm getting at (and this is an upaid plug here) is that a Pennsylvania based company, with the richest history out of any competitor in its industry, is attributing its success to the people of Philadelphia. The generations of blue collar workers, who demand just as much out of their athletes as the effort they put forth in their every day jobs. The ones who appreciate the "hustle plays" more than the showboat celebrations.
Today at precisely 6:30pm, Pottsville, PA based brewery Yuengling will be providing over 10,000 FREE bottles of their signature lager to more than 250 participating bars across the five county Greater Philadelphia area.
Why you may ask?
Here's a message and personal "thank you" from the company's 5th generation owner, Dick Yuengling, to the city of Philadelphia:
“Ever since my great-great grandfather brewed our first bottle of beer in 1829, Philadelphians have been supporting us and pushing us to grow,” said Yuengling. “The truth is, without Philadelphia, we simply would not be where we are today. The city has truly shown our family business brotherly love, and we’d like to raise a glass to that. Now that we’re the largest American-owned brewery, it’s time we say thanks in the most appropriate way – with a Lager on us.”
Yuengling now holds a coveted new distinction: America’s largest and oldest American-owned brewery. To celebrate, Yuengling wants to thank the city that has played the most significant role in supporting the brewery -- generation after generation -- with a free lager and a sincere thank-you.
Could you say that Yuengling is more American than Budweiser? Considering it's the oldest and largest in our great nation, I'd say so.
And isn't it something that the largest American beer brewery, with the richest history, in such a competitive industry, is contributing its success to the past 5 generations of Philadelphians?
I don't think it's a coincidence. The tradition and success of Yuengling is deeply rooted in the area and culture of it's location. The passion, hard work, and history of Philadelphia and its people can be seen from our every day jobs, to the stands of every stadium in South Philly, and right down to the tradition of the beer we drink.
So whether or not you are a beer drinker, take a moment to enjoy the recognition your city is getting. It will most likely fly under the radar in the national media, but that shoudn't matter.
And if you do enjoy your lagers, I strongly encourage you to find yourself a bar, buy yourself a six pack, or even a case for your family and friends (21 years or older, of course). So at 6:30pm tomorrow, whether you're in the confines of south eastern Pennsylvania or in your extended Philadelphia rooted city, you can crack open an ice cold "Lager" and toast to the greatest city in the world.
You can find out exactly which locations are participating in the toast here. (while supplies last)
You should also follow Yuengling on Twitter if you haven't done so already.
Yuengling has always been my year-round beer of choice, even before I knew about this toast. There is nothing like an ice-cold Yueng after a long day of work.
As a Philadelphian, what more could you ask for in a company? High quality, great taste, and someone who appreciates your city as much as you do.
Comments