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You officially have plans tonight. Oktoberfest at the With Love Beer Garden is tonight, Friday, September 23, from 5-8 p.m.

We’ve teamed up with the Four Seasons Hotel and Victory Brewing Company to bring back the With Love Beer Garden for one last hurrah.

Since it’s too wet outside, the celebration will be moved indoors to the Ballroom Foyer, which is just next door to the outdoor Courtyard. But don’t let that dampen your spirits.

Summer Love Ale will be on draft, for the final time this year, served along with Prima Pils and Victory’s Festbier.

The Four Seasons will also have some Oktoberfest-inspired treats from the kitchen. Chef Gonzalez will offer bratwurst with sauerkraut; Wiener schnitzel with braised red cabbage; German potato salad and hot soft pretzels with cheese or mustard.

We can’t wait. See you there.

Oktoberfest at the With Love Beer Garden
When: Friday, September 23, 5-8 p.m.
Where: Ballroom Foyer at the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, 1 Logan Square
Cost: Pay as you go
More info: www.visitphilly.com

Previously: Save The Date: Oktoberfest Celebration At The With Love Beer Garden Set For Friday, September 23; Don’t Miss Your Last Chance To Enjoy Victory Summer Love Ale In A Gorgeous Outdoor Setting

Awesome news: we're bringing back the ever-popular With Love Beer Garden at the Four Seasons Hotel for one final end-of-summer blowout — fittingly, it will be an outdoor Oktoberfest celebration in the hotel's beautiful courtyard with Victory Brewing Company supplying the brews. (Top left photo by M. Edlow for GPTMC; top right photo by M. McClellan for GPTMC)

Great news, everyone. It’s back.

We’ve teamed up with the Four Seasons Hotel and Victory Brewing Company to bring back the With Love Beer Garden for one last hurrah before the seasonal weather disappears.

So get ready, Oktoberfest at the With Love Beer Garden is right around the corner. It’s coming Friday, September 23 from 5-8 p.m.

The Beer

The Oktoberfest at the With Love Beer Garden will feature two awesome seasonal beers from Victory Brewing Company. 1) Summer Love Ale: this will be one of your last opportunities to enjoy the award-winning Summer Love Ale. And 2) Victory’s Oktoberfest-style Festbier, perfect for an Oktoberfest celebration.

The Food

The beers will be complemented with tasty Oktoberfest-inspired treats from the Four Season’s Executive Chef Rafael Gonzalez. Dishes will include bratwurst with sauerkraut; Wiener schnitzel with braised red cabbage; German potato salad and hot soft pretzels with cheese or mustard. (Note: the menu is subject to change.)

The Beer Garden

The With Love Beer Garden, which debuted during Philly Beer Week this past June (1,600 people enjoyed the experience during its five-day run), and then made a triumphant return on Thursdays in August (before rain interfered with the last two), is located in the gorgeous outdoor courtyard of the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia.

We can’t wait. See you out there.

Oktoberfest at the With Love Beer Garden
When: Friday, September 23, 5-8 p.m.
Where: The Courtyard at the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, 1 Logan Square
Note: You can enter straight from the corner of 18th and Cherry Streets; you don’t need to go through the hotel. In the event of inclement weather, Oktoberfest at the With Love Beer Garden will be moved indoors to the Ballroom Foyer.
Cost: Pay as you go
More info: www.visitphilly.com

Indulge in a nice, cold Summer Love Ale at the With Love Beer Garden tonight. (Photo by M. Edlow for GPTMC)

The With Love Beer Garden has returned to the Courtyard at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia for August Thursdays, 5-8 p.m.

There are only three left, including tonight, so take advantage!

Each Thursday’s pop-up beer garden night features live music in the courtyard, and highlights Victory’s With Love Summer Ale plus other Philadelphia native brews: Yards, Sly Fox and Dock Street. The hotel will also offer a special delicious Four Seasons Summer Sangria.

Enjoy a bite with your beer, as Chef Gonzalez has prepared a special menu showcasing his interpretations of cook-out favorites, from porl rolls to kielbasa sandwiches. For the occasion, the Four Seasons has also debuted a new Woodburning Brick Pizza Oven, preparing fresh pizzas for attendees.

It’s hands-down the perfect summer spot to grab a casual drink and seasonal bite after work, with awesome trees, lush gardens, streams and fountains. Be there.

With Love Beer Garden
When: August 11, 18, 25, 5-8 p.m.
Where: The Courtyard at the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, 1 Logan Square
Note: You can enter straight from the corner of 18th and Cherry Streets; you don’t need to go through the hotel
Cost: Pay as you go
More info: www.visitphilly.com

Previously: The With Love Beer Garden Returns! Four Seasons To Bring Back The Popular Beer Garden For Thursdays In August

Summer Love Ale is officially a Philadelphia star. (Photo by M. McClellan for GPTMC)

Wow. The good news just keeps coming in.

Philadelphia Magazine has just released its 2011 Best of Philly® awards, and we’re very happy to report that our own Victory Summer Love Ale was named Best Local Beer!

Definitely a very impressive achievement, especially when you consider how awesome so many of Philadelphia’s local beers and breweries are — we’re looking at you Yards, Sly Fox, Philadelphia Brewing Company, Troegs, Stoudts, Flying Fish, et al.

With peers like these, any type of recognition is amazing. And a Best of Philly® nod is just incredible.

But then again, and like we’ve said all along, Victory Summer Love Ale is great; it’s a deliciously crisp brew that makes for a perfectly satisfying sip in the summertime. Philadelphia Magazine calls the beer “extremely drinkable,” and says it satisfies “craft-brew newbies and serious hopheads alike.”

As a testament to its popularity, after first doubling, then tripling batches of the golden brew in 2010, Victory is now distributing the ale at bars, brewpubs, restaurants and grocery stores in 29 states nationwide.

Want to try some yourself? Check out our thorough guide to bars and restaurants where you can find the beer throughout Philadelphia. And be sure to consult Victory’s online beer finder for the most up to date locales.

Also keep in mind that this year, Summer Love Ale is available for purchase in bottles at beer distributors, so you can enjoy the beverage at home and at your next barbecue, tailgate, party, etc. And you’ll also be able to enjoy it when the With Love Beer Garden returns to the Four Seasons in August.

So a huge congratulations to Victory Brewing Company! We couldn’t be happier to be associated with such an awesome local beer and brewery. Huzzah!

Bonus: To celebrate their nod for Best of Philly burger, Pub & Kitchen is giving away a free Summer Love Ale to anyone who orders the Churchill burger this weekend.

Victory Summer Love Ale [Visit Philly]

The With Love Beer Garden is back in August with ice cold local beers, rocking music and delicious food in the gorgeous Four Seasons Courtyard. (Photo credits: top and bottom left by M. Edlow for GPTMC, top right by M. McClellan for GPTMC)

The Summer of the Beer Garden continues!!

The With Love Beer Garden is returning, by popular demand, to the Courtyard at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia every Thursday in the month of August from 5-8 p.m.

The Beer Garden made its glorious debut during this year’s Philly Beer Week, when the gorgeous outdoor patio at the Four Seasons was transformed into PBW Headquarters, featuring a daily rotation of featured beers, freshly grilled food and live music.

Each Thursday’s pop-up beer garden night will once again feature live music in the courtyard, and will highlight Victory’s With Love Summer Ale, in addition to other Philadelphia native brews: Victory, Yards, Sly Fox and Dock Street. For a primer on these local suds, you can check out our Q&As with the brewers from Philly Beer Week.

The hotel will also offer a special delicious Four Seasons Summer Sangria.

For visitors who would like a bite with their beer, Chef Gonzalez will prepare a special menu showcasing his interpretations of cook-out favorites. Dishes may include (subject to change): “Philly Beef Slider” with Taylor pork roll, American cheese and grilled onions; Port Richmond Kielbasa Sandwich with Polish mustard; Shrimp Soft Tacos with avocado, jalapeño and pickled cabbage and fresh Philadelphia Soft Pretzels.

In addition, the Four Seasons will debut a new Woodburning Brick Pizza Oven, preparing fresh pizzas for attendees.

It’s going to be the perfect summer spot to grab a casual drink and seasonal bite after work, with awesome trees, lush gardens, streams and fountains upping the vacation feel (it is a hotel, after all).

In the case of inclement weather, the event will be moved inside to the swanky Swann Lounge.

With Love Beer Garden
When: Thursdays in August, August 4, 11, 18, 25, 5-8 p.m.
Where: The Courtyard at the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, 1 Logan Square
Note: You can enter straight from the corner of 18th and Cherry Streets; you don’t need to go through the hotel
Cost: Pay as you go
More info: www.visitphilly.com

Stop into Independence al Fresco to cool off with a Summer Love Ale — with a free With Love beer koozie. (Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC)

It’s summertime and the living — and drinking — is easy.

Starting today, July 26, the Independence Visitor Center’s new Independence al Fresco, a casual outdoor garden cafe, is running a great Foursquare/Facebook Places promotion.

Check into the cafe using Foursquare or Facebook Places and show your mobile device to an employee to redeem a free With Love beer koozie.

You’re going to need a cold beer to make use of it; make sure you order some Victory Summer Love Ale.

All summer, the café will stay open until 7 p.m. on Wednesdays for Center City Sips. Take advantage of $3 wines, $2 beers and half-price appetizers, outdoors against a beautiful architectural backdrop.

Independence al Fresco
1 N. Independence Mall East
www.independencevisitorcenter.com

Beat the heat this summer in Philadelphia with totally original refreshing treats served With Love, like Capogiro's delicious Philly Cheesecake gelato. (Credit: GPTMC)

This summer, Philadelphia locals and visitors can enjoy sweet treats and cool sips served with love. That is, With Love, Philadelphia XOXO.

Which is especially appreciated considering the temperatures we’re going to see this week.

With the continued success of the With Love, Philadelphia XOXO® campaign, Visit Philly has teamed up with Victory Brewing Company, The Franklin Fountain, Le Méridien Philadelphia hotel, Capogiro and Stephen Starr’s SquareBurger to give residents and visitors a taste of the love.

Here’s a look at some of the With Love-themed treats available this summer:

• Summer Love Ale: Due to overwhelming success in 2010, GPTMC and Victory Brewing Company have rereleased the wildly popular Summer Love Ale, officially launched at the With Love Beer Garden this past June. After first doubling, then tripling batches of the golden brew last year, Victory is now distributing the ale at bars, brewpubs, restaurants and grocery stores in 29 states nationwide. Summer Love Ale will also be available in bottles at beer distributors, so you can enjoy the Chester County-brewed beverage at home. We’ve got a thorough guide to bars and restaurants where you can find the beer throughout Philadelphia.

• With Love Cocktail: Philadelphia magazine called Le Méridien’s Amuse “the best bar for grownups,” and it delivers with a strong and serious specialty cocktail menu created by Tim Laird. One notable liquid creation is the With Love Cocktail, made with vodka, ginger liqueur, passion fruit, fresh lime juice and champagne.

• With Love, XOXO Stawberry Sundae: After a round of mini-golf in Franklin Square, hungry putters can cool off at Stephen Starr’s SquareBurger with the With Love, XOXO Sundae. The summer delight features creamy vanilla ice cream topped with strawberries and whipped cream. The perfect sweet treat if a Tastykake Cake Shake is too much to handle.

• Philly Cheesecake gelato: The gelato masters at Capogiro have brought back their delicious With Love concoction: Philly Cheesecake swirled with luscious Amarino cherries. The totally original new gelato flavor — one of more than 375 flavors produced by Capogiro since they first opened in 2002 — is crafted from scratch in small batches each morning using the most fresh, natural and seasonal ingredients. Check the Capogiro website to see if the flavor will be offered the day you plan to go; flavors rotate daily! It’s available through August.

• Victory Strawberry Summer Love Ice Cream and Sorbet: Beloved Old City ice cream parlor Franklin Fountain joined forces with Victory Brewing Company’s Summer Love Ale to create an organic Strawberry Summer Love Ice Cream and sorbet. The two were a smash hit, so unfortunately supplies have run out; but fingers crossed they’ll be back on the menu for summer 2012!

Summer Love Ale was a Philly Beer Week star, and you can continue to enjoy it all season long. (Photo by M. McClellan for GPTMC)

The praise for Summer Love Ale keeps rolling in — Complex Magazine, Esquire, Chicago Tribune, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, etc. — and for good reason.

The Chester-County brewed specialty craft beer — brewed by Victory Brewing Company in partnership with the With Love, Philadelphia XOXO® campaign, and made with pale malts, German hops and Brandywine Creek water — capitalizes on our region’s rich brewing history. And it’s delicious. The specific style of beer was chosen because it has a broad appeal; it’s accessible for casual beer drinkers, but still retains exciting hop notes.

Visit Philly has a helpful Foodspotting guide to all the Summer Love Ale spottings in the entire country. Capitalize on that guide in your summer travels near and far, and contribute your own sightings.

In addition to the Foodspotting guide, we’ve rounded up some of our top picks for local spots in and around Center City where you can visit for a sip of Summer Love Ale. If we forgot any of your favorites, let us know in the comments!

Disclaimer: while all of these bars have or will have Summer Love Ale in stock at some point soon this summer, we can’t guarantee they’ll have it on tap all the time. For the most up-to-date list, visit Victory’s super-handy online beer finder to find Summer Love Ale at a bar, restaurant or distributor near you. And call before you go.

• Oyster House – Stop by for happy hour (Mon-Fri, 5-7 p.m.) and enjoy a Summer Love Ale on draft with a few dollar oysters. The crisp, refreshing ale complements a good oyster very well.

• Kennett – Check out this awesome and relatively new bar in Queen Village. It’s all about sourcing locally, from the meat and produce to the beer and cocktails. Recommendation: enjoy a Summer Love Ale at the bar and order up one of the sinfully delicious, wood-fired Porchetta pizzas, with slow roasted pork, farmer’s cheese and honey.

• Pub & Kitchen – Pub & Kitchen has awesome outdoor seating. Snag a table outside, a Summer Love Ale on draft, and make room for their famous Churchill Burger.

• Four Seasons – Summer Love Ale made its debut at the With Love Beer Garden at the Four Seasons Hotel. Fittingly, you can now enjoy a Summer Love Ale at the Swann Lounge as well.

• McGillin’s Olde Ale House – The oldest bar in Philadelphia is still holding it down on Drury Street. And now they’re offering Summer Love Ale as well. So grab some friends and a pitcher of Summer Love and maybe it’s time you show off some of those karaoke skills.

• Varga Bar – Varga Bar rocks one of the best beer lists in the Wash West neighborhood so it’s no surprise that they’re serving Summer Love Ale. Grab a table outside, a pint of Summer Love and dig into an order of Varga’s famous Jumbo Lump Crab Cheese Fries.

• Chifa – Did someone say Pork Belly Bun? Yes, please. Victory’s head brewer, Bill Covaleski himself espoused how well Summer Love Ale pairs with Jose Garces’ famous Pork Belly Buns at Chifa.

• Kyhber Pass Pub – Kyhber Pass Pub has an awesome menu, but the Bacon Grease dusted popcorn truly had us at “hello.” Saddle up to the bar with a Summer Love Ale and an order of said popcorn and you’ll be in for a treat.

Below, we have a bunch more…
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The most perfect summertime treat is doubly refreshing when infused with cold craft beer. (Photo courtesy Franklin Fountain)

In honor of the recently concluded Philly Beer Week, beloved Old City ice cream parlor Franklin Fountain teamed up with two local breweries to craft deliciously beer-infused ice cream flavors.

Franklin Fountain used Triumph Brewing Company’s Imperial Chocolate Stout to make a Dark Chocolate Stout Ice Cream, and used Victory Brewing Company’s Summer Love Ale to create a Strawberry Summer Love Ice Cream and Strawberry Summer Love Sorbet, both organic.

Opened in 2004, this ice cream shop hearkens back to the soda fountains of yore in both appearance and approach. That means each scoop of carefully churned and frozen ice cream will be lovingly spooned onto cone or into bowl for your enjoyment; just keep in mind the treat’s got alcohol content before you down several servings.

The three ice cream flavors are only available until supplies last; Franklin Fountain won’t be producing more. So head to Old City this weekend for the perfect sticky-fingers summer excursion.

Franklin Fountain
116 Market Street
www.franklinfountain.com

More accolades for our Summer Love Ale, a truly great beer for summertime. (Photo by M. McClellan for GPTMC)

Complex Magazine just released its ranking of the 10 best seasonal beers for summer 2011 and our very own Summer Love Ale, brewed in partnership with Victory Brewing Company, came in at #3.

Complex writes, “If you’re new to hoppier beers, this would be a great introduction.” They’re spot on. The Chester-County brewed specialty craft beer — made with pale malts, German hops and Brandywine Creek water — capitalizes on our region’s rich brewing history. The specific style of beer was chosen because it has a broad appeal and is accessible for casual beer drinkers, but still retains exciting hop notes.

Visit Victory’s super-handy online beer finder to find Summer Love Ale at a bar, restaurant or distributor near you.

The 10 Best Summer Seasonal Beers of 2011 [Complex]