Uptown Beer Garden, 2017 Season, Opening

Teddy Sourias and Craft Concepts Group (BRU Craft & Wurst, U-Bahn, Cinder, Tradesman's) announce the return of Uptown Beer Garden to 1735 JFK Blvd. Starting today at 5:00pm, kegs will start to pour for Uptown's third summer season in the heart of Center City. Changes for the 9,000 square foot outdoor pop-up garden will include three exclusive beers brewed specially for Uptown guests, a new and expanded food menu, two chefs behind the giant outdoor grill, expanded bar service, and a new charity partnership with Mural Arts Philadelphia.

“Uptown Beer Garden drew big crowds and exceeded even our wildest expectations last year,” said Sourias, owner of BRU Craft & Wurst, U-Bahn, Cinder and Finn McCools. “We are so thankful to be have one of the city's best beer garden craft drafts lists, and to be one of the top spots every year for Center City SIPS. This year, we wanted to go big or go home - with expanded food, drink and beer offerings. I am especially proud of our three exclusive beers pouring this year. Our team started working hand-in-hand with some of the best local brewers all the way back in mid-winter. I can't wait to tap those first kegs today."

Uptown Beer Garden is nestled among the trees of the courtyard for the BNY Mellon Wealth Building. The 9,000 square foot urban oasis features slab communal tables, outdoor lighting, outdoor bars, rustic decor, craft cans and drafts, cocktails and sangria, a giant outdoor grill, and a menu of backyard BBQ favorites. Uptown will also offer access to adjacent private event space for larger (or more exclusive) parties in the inner atrium of the BNY Mellon Wealth Building.

Starting on Thursday, May 11, 2017, Uptown Beer Garden will return to the Philadelphia's financial district and Logan Circle neighborhood six days a week. Hours will be Mondays and Tuesdays, from 5:00pm to 10:00pm, and Wednesdays through Saturdays, from 2:00pm to Midnight.

Happy Hour will run Monday through Friday, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, and include $4 drafts (all eight choices), $3 pretzels, $4 skewers and $5 summer dips. For Center City SIPS on each Wednesday, Uptown will pouring select $3 drafts (four selections including three house exclusives), $4 house wine, $5 cocktails, plus $3 pretzels, $4 skewers and $5 summer dips. The first Center City Sips is on Wednesday, June 7, 2017 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

Uptown will also open on other days/hours for special programs, as well as for private rentals and catering events. Uptown will run through the summer and into early fall, closing in mid September.

DRINK AND BARS

Uptown will return with the expanded 40, 25 and 20 foot bars from last year, plus add on a new full, 8-tap 20 feet long bar. Bars will feature a selection of spirits, select wines, eight craft drafts and eight craft cans. Signature cocktails will include Sangria, Dark n' Stormy/Moscow Mule, frozen Margaritas, and seasonal specialty cocktails. Look for more cocktail selections than any other year at Uptown.

"Our goal is to have the best draft lineup of any beer garden in the country, highlighted by 'Uptown IPA' brewed exclusively for us with local Pizza Boy Brewing Company," said Sourias. "Plus this year we add on Solar Baby made exclusively with 2SP and Orange Creamsicle brewed with Coppertail. We'll pour three top of the line exclusives you won't be able to get anywhere else. All three were a hit during our preview earlier in the year at Cinder, and we can't wait to share them with our guests."

Eight craft taps will include the Coppertail Orange Creamsicle, 2SP Solar Baby, Pizza Boy Uptown IPA, Allagash Saison, Dogfish Head Namaste, Firestone Walker Pale 31, Lagunitas Czech Pils. Cans will be Jack's Helen's Blend Cider, Jack's Pear Cider, 2SP Delco Lager, Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour, Dogfish Head Flesh & Blood, Weyerbacher Mellow Monks, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and 21A Watermelon Wheat.

UPTOWN EXCLUSIVE BEERS

Director of Operations and Beer Director Alex Bokulich collaborated and brewed each of the customer beers with some of his favorite brewers. Quotes and descriptions from Bokulich:

"Coppertail Orange Creamsicle will be a custom Berliner Weisse finished with freshly picked Florida orange juice and zest, with Madagascar vanilla beans, for a hint of creaminess on the finish.

2SP 'Solar Baby' is Uptown's blonde IPA brewed with local wildflower honey, and a tropical, fruity blend of Galaxy, Citra, Equinox hops. We debuted this beer as a 100% Galaxy session ale in early spring, but for the summer, we increased the structure of the beer, and cut the Galaxy with complimentary hops Citra/Equinox to give a fuller palate, slightly more bitterness on the finish. With the addition of honey in the fermentation, the body of this beer is very light, with big juicy aromatics, but clean/refrishing finish, and very mild back end bitterness.

Pizza Boy Uptown IPA batch this year is dialed up from last year, as we have rounded out or list with many smaller beers- this one is our big daddy. It was brewed on 3/31 at Pizza Boy, and we heavily bittered and dry hopped this one with Simcoe, Amarillo, Citra, and brewed to roughly 6.8% ABV. This beer will be bigger, more of a traditional IPA than the other one, but we kept the malt bill to a clean Pale/Pils malt, with a touch of Cara. IPA lovers will rejoice with this beer, and the light malt body will play well to the heat of the summer."

Uptown Beer Garden, 2017 Opening, New menu

FOOD

Uptown Beer Garden welcomes two new faces behind the grill for 2017, including Executive Chef Craig Meyers from BRU Craft and Wurst and his Sous Chef Steve Lindabury. Building on the success of last year's food program, chefs will bring you even more elevated backyard BBQ favorites cooked on the giant outdoor grill. Look for more skewers that include more rounded options of meat and vegetables (and vegetarian offerings), an Uptown Burger, more sandwiches, and a new focus on seasonal vegetarian starters.

OPENING MENU

APPS & SNACKS

Warm Pretzel $5 - pilsner mustard
Grilled Broccoli $6 - hop salt, lemon-garlic aioli
MexiCorn $5 - queso fresco, ancho, cilantro-crema
Grilled Flatbread $7 - béchamel, corn, scallion, tomato
Smoked Drumsticks $7 - plum-stout bbq, pickles
Summer Dip $8 - zucchini hummus, corn salsa, avocado, flatbread

KABOBS $9

Grilled Watermelon - feta, mint pesto
Mojo Shrimp - poblano, cherry tomato
Korean Beef - scallion, broccoli
Porter-Glazed Pork Belly - peach, red onion
Blackened Tuna - zucchini, cherry tomato
Queso Tropicál - pineapple, poblano, red onion

SANDWICHES
served w/ chips & pickles

Veggie Burger $11 - bibb, tomato, pepper jack, corn salsa
Chicken Gyro $11 - cucumber salad, lettuce, red & white sauce
Crabcake $13 - bibb, tomato, red onion, old bay-aioli
ALT Burger $12 - avocado, bibb, tomato, garlic mayo
Uptown Burger $14 - tasso, pepper jack, long hots, tomato

Uptown Beer Garden, Opening, 2017 season

FURNITURE

Uptown will add even more lounge furniture and seating to supplement the new furniture added mid-summer of 2016. Once again, many of the slate benches in the courtyard have been removed and replaced with more picnic style seating than the prior two years.

CHARITY PARTNER

Each year, Uptown Beer Garden partners with a local charity to give back to the community. This year, Uptown Beer Garden is pleased to announce the 2017 partner, Mural Arts Philadelphia.

"While Mural Arts Philadelphia will be the beneficiary of a financial donation from Uptown, this year the partnership will go deeper than ever before," added Sourias.

Mural Mile walking tours will end at Uptown Beer Garden on Saturday afternoons. Tour participants will enjoy five dollar priced drafts, with a portion of those draft proceeds going back to Mural Arts Philadelphia. Uptown customers will enjoy discounts on Mural Mile walking tours. Mural Arts Philadelphia and Uptown are working on program collaborations and special paint days at the garden. Stay tuned for more information about this unique and exciting partnership.

EVENTS

Opening Day - Tonight from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, look for specially discounted drinks and food, including selections of beer for $3, wine for $4, cocktails for $5, and appetizers for half price. Complimentary food samples will also be passed around the garden for a first taste of the new menu.
Philly Beer Week Official Garden - During every night (except Wednesday; including weekends) of PBW2017, Uptown will host the official Philly Loves Beer Garden, with special attention devoted to breweries located within 100 miles of downtown Philadelphia. Philly Loves Beer Week runs Friday, June 2 through Sunday, June 11, 2017.
Philly Loves Beer Uptown Luau BBQ - On Saturday, June 3, 2017 Jolly Pumpkin and Coppertail Brewing will headline the Uptown Luau BBQ, a sour beer extravaganza with a Hawaiian-inspired theme and live entertainment from a solo ukulele singer. The event will feature a whole-roasted suckling pig and Spam sculpture, along with plenty of fruit-forward beers and tropical collaborations, including Sobrehumano Palena’ole.
Sips Opening Night Party at Uptown - For Center City SIPS on each Wednesday, Uptown will pouring select $3 drafts, $4 house wine, $5 cocktails, plus $3 pretzels, $4 skewers and $5 summer dips. The first Center City Sips is on Wednesday, June 7, 2017 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. Look for SIPS opening night party details coming soon.
Our Night Out - Uptown Beer Garden will host Our Night Out for the third time this year. The benefit party to support the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund will return in mid to late June. Each year, DVLF has filled Uptown with hundreds for their summer networking parties. Look for a date to be announced for 2017 coming soon.
Other Programming - Uptown will host a series of summer parties and tap-takeovers on Saturdays starting in June. Look for new events that incorporate special menus, rare beers, entertainment and games.

HOURS