Center City Tap Room Hosts Contest For Belgian Brewing Trip

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philly Beer Week is still months away, but a special contest gets underway this week related to the June festivities that could find some lucky winner sipping some beer "across the pond."

Don Russell is executive director of Philly Beer Week.

"On Wednesday we are going to select a brewer and a local beer drinker to participate in our 2011 Collaboration Beer Brewing," he explains.  "We are going to be sending a brewer and a local beer drinker over to Belgium to brew the beer."

That beer will later be available in the United States.

A number of local breweries will be competing at McGillin's Olde Ale House, 1310 Drury Street in center city.  The fun begins Wednesday at 7 PM.  Beer lovers will be able to buy a raffle ticket to cast their ballot for the best brew there.   Raffle tickets cost $5 each.  One person will be selected at random for the trip.

And what is "collaboration" beer?  Russell explains:

"Collaboration beers are sort of the hot trend in beers today.  It involves brewers from different breweries getting together and designing a special beer."

Russell says Philly is a true beer town, and thanks to so many Belgian-style bars the city has earned the nickname of "Brussels on the Schuylkill."

Philly Beer Week will run June 3-12, 2011.  For more information, go to phillybeerweek.org.

Reported by Michelle Durham, KYW Newsradio 1060.