The scare didn’t even last 24 hours, but that was enough to throw the Philly Beer Week community into a tizzy. On Saturday afternoon, the Hammer of Glory went missing from the Fishtown Festivale. After no one was able to locate the mallet, PBW executive director Don Russell and co-chairman William Reed filed a police report and considered the hammer stolen.

The mallet, which is perhaps the most-recognizable symbol of Beer Week, had been posing for fan photos, as is its usual duty after being used by Mayor Nutter to tap PBW’s first keg. Someone must have walked off with it — not all that difficult considering the crowds at the block party put on by Fette Sau, Frankford Hall and Johnny Brenda’s — but also very not cool.

Some we spoke with speculated that only a tourist would have pulled such a stunt, that no self-respecting, beer-loving Philadelphia would have tried such a heist. Others pointed out that getting silly drunk on beer can lead to a lot of bad decisions.

Whatever the reason, we no longer have to speculate, because on Sunday afternoon, the Hammer of Glory was turned in at Frankford Hall. The couple who delivered it said they found it under I-95. The HOG is now safely back in the hold at Standard Tap, where it will sit until the Opening Tap relay of Philly Beer Week 2014. After this year’s successful week of events, we can’t wait.

Photo by Danya Henninger