Philly Beer History, Abridged

More than 300 years of beer — in timeline form.

Facts courtesy of beerhistory.com, philadelphia.about.com, the Pennsylvania Brewery Historians (pabreweryhistorians.tripod.com) and Don Russell's forthcoming Joe Sixpack's Philly Beer Guide: A Reporter's Notes on the Best Beer-Drinking City in America (Camino Books), out March 15. Editorial interns Nate Adams and Joe Pelone contributed research for this piece.

1682: William Penn begins constructing a brewhouse on his Bucks County estate.

1683: William Frampton builds city's first brewery on what is now Dock Street in Old City.

1775: Philadelphian Robert Hare brews the nation's first porter; it becomes George Washington's favorite beer.

1793: Philadelphia leads all other American port cities in beer production.

1819: Vine Street-based Frances Perot becomes the first brewer to use a steam engine to produce beer.

1829: Yuengling Brewery founded in Pottsville.

1840: John Wagner brews the country's first lager in Northern Liberties — a milestone often disputed by beer historians.

1860: McGillin's Olde Ale House, the oldest operating bar in Philadelphia, opens as the Bell in Hand.

1931: Shibe Park fans, incensed over Prohibition, chant "we want beer" to President Herbert Hoover during World Series game.

1961: State OKs beer sales at Shibe Park, which was then known as Connie Mack Stadium.

1980: Pennsylvania Brewery Historians founded.

1984: Charles Stone III, creator of Budweiser's "Whassup?" campaign, graduates from Central High.

1987: Schmidt's Brewery, founded in 1860, closes. Stoudt's, the state's first craft brewery, opens in Adamstown.

1988: Samuel Adams Brewhouse, Philly's first brewpub, opens on Sansom Street.

1990: Dock Street Brewing Co. opens.

1994: Yards Brewing Co. founded.

1995: Dogfish Head, Flying Fish and Sly Fox founded.

1996: Victory Brewing Co. and Manayunk Brewery founded.

1997: Monk's Café opens. Troegs Brewing Co. founded.

1999: Red Bell Brewery closes after three years of operation.

2000: Nodding Head opens in former Samuel Adams space.

2001: More than 200 arrested after booze-fueled Mardi Gras riot on South Street.

2004: Real World: Philadelphia castmate Landon Lueck realizes he has "a problem" after drunken incident involving a kitchen knife.

2006: Women's beer club In Pursuit of Ale founded. Forbes.com names Philadelphia the nation's ninth drunkest city.

2008: Co-Ed Magazine names Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard the fifth drunkest athlete in America. Philadelphia celebrates its first-ever Beer Week.