The Independence Brew Pub at the Reading Terminal is a real "find." Within a block, its neighbors include the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the Hard Rock Cafe, China Town and the Reading Terminal Market. It's hard to imagine this comfortable pub exists amidst the tourist traps.

The first impression of the Independence Brew Pub-Terminal is that this place is enormous. The bar is off to the right and it winds around glass enclosed beer vats. If push came to shove, you could probably fit about 50 people at the bar. Keeping the well watered are taps that ooze not only the in-house brews but a couple other local talents (like Victory Hop Devil).

Being a micro brewery, they have the luxury of changing the on-tap brews about every month or so - depending upon the popularity of each libation.  Some of the regulars in the rotation are: India Pale Ale, Porter, Irish Red, American Amber and a German Kolsch. When you belly up to the bar, be sure to look up to the chalkboard for the current brews on-tap.

The dining area is dimly lit, the way a pub should be. The walls are decorated with photo's from the 1920's of Center City Philly. The burgundy colored booths provide a nice place to observe the happy hour clientele. Speaking of which, the crowd at Independence varies from 20somethings on up to 50somethings. Since the pub is in an awkward location, you're just as likely to get conventioneers visiting as you are locals and center city commuters. 

For entertainment, Independence has about 20 televisions mounted around the place. Also upstairs there are pool tables, dart boards (real bristle board), a few video games and foosball tables. Up on the 2nd floor, there is another mini-bar (only open if the place gets crowded) and a nice balcony where you can ogle the room where they charge the hops into the mix tanks and the golden elixir is born. On weekend nights it's not unusual for the Independence to host a live act to keep the drinking public tipping their elbows in a drunken salute.

If you haven't been to Independence Brew Pub, put it on the short list for your next journey into the city. If you're a micro-brew fan, I don't need to tell you that this place is one of the best places to have a beer fresh out of the cask.