Wissahickon Brewing Company runs a high-ceilinged taproom on West Schoolhouse Lane in East Falls, a family-owned production brewery the Gill family opened in 2017 after years of brewing in their mother's kitchen, now one of the steadier beer rooms in northwest Philadelphia.
Who would love it: beer drinkers who want a deep, rotating house list in a relaxed, dog-friendly room with sports on the projector. Who would hate it: anyone after cocktails or a polished dining room, because this is a brewery taproom first. The Gill family story, from kitchen homebrewing to a working production brewery, is documented on the brewery's own site, and the family connection still defines the place.
The space carries the bones of an industrial building, with high ceilings, long tables, ping pong and a large projector that draws a crowd for Philadelphia game days. The taproom keeps a wide house range on tap, from a German-style Kölsch and a Mexican lager to dry-hopped hazy IPAs and the occasional fruited sour, a spread The Infatuation notes makes it an easy room for a mixed group.
For ordering, work the house list rather than anything off it: a flight is the smart way in, and the Double IPA dry-hopped with Citra and Simcoe is the headliner, a beer that took a Bronze medal at the 2022 World Beer Cup. The Kölsch and the Devil's Pool session beer come up often in reviews as the easy-drinking picks, and the rotating taps reward a repeat visit.
Best time to go depends on the night. Weekday afternoons run quiet and conversational, while weekend evenings and Philadelphia game days fill the room and the projector becomes the focus. The East Falls location sits near the Schoolhouse Lane regional rail and a short ride from Manayunk and Germantown, which makes it a natural anchor for a northwest-Philadelphia beer run.
What sets Wissahickon apart is the combination of a genuine production brewery with a neighborhood taproom that welcomes families and dogs. The beer program is broad enough to cover lager drinkers and hop chasers alike, the World Beer Cup medal gives the IPA real credentials, and the room is built for lingering rather than a quick pint. The brewery has since expanded with a second taproom in Olde Kensington and a third location in Maple Glen, growth that Breweries in PA tracked through 2025, but the East Falls original remains the flagship. The taproom pours the brewery's own beer rather than guest taps, so every pour is brewed on site, which keeps the focus squarely on the house program and its rotating seasonal releases. For a first visit, start with a flight, settle at a long table, and check whether a game is on the projector. Compare it across the field in our guide to craft beer bars in Philadelphia, browse the rest of the city on the Philadelphia bar guide, and measure it against the global field in our best craft beer bars pillar.
Practical notes for a first visit: this is a walk-in taproom that opens daily, so no reservation is needed, and the room welcomes families and dogs. Order a flight to sample the rotation, ask what just went on tap, and time a visit to a Philadelphia game day if the projector and the crowd are the draw. The West Schoolhouse Lane address is near East Falls regional rail and a short ride from Manayunk, which makes it an easy first or last stop on a northwest-Philadelphia evening.
Sources
- Wissahickon Brewing official site — address, hours and family history
- The Infatuation — East Falls taproom review
- Yelp — 3705 W Schoolhouse Ln listing, reviews and photos
