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Former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin and Yards Brewing Company team up on a new beer

On Tuesday, former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin took a tour of Yards Brewing Company. Yards and Barwin's Make the World Better (MTWB) foundation are currently teaming up on a new brew, the Make the World Better Beer, to raise awareness about MTWB's mission.

Connor Barwin poses for a portrait at the Yards Brewing Company holding his "Make the World Better" beer on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. The ale is designed to raise awareness for Barwin's foundation, whose mission is to connect people and inspire stewardship through public space revitalization projects.
Connor Barwin poses for a portrait at the Yards Brewing Company holding his "Make the World Better" beer on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. The ale is designed to raise awareness for Barwin's foundation, whose mission is to connect people and inspire stewardship through public space revitalization projects.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer

Former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin took a little field trip to Yards Brewing Company on Tuesday morning.

After driving down from New York, where he now plays for the Giants, Barwin put on a pair of safety glasses, and set out for a tour of the facilities — currently processing a beer he helped to inspire.

Yards and Barwin's Make the World Better  foundation have teamed up to create the Make the World Better Beer, a new brew designed to raise awareness about MTWB's mission.

Barwin founded MTWB in 2013, during his fifth year with the Eagles. The nonprofit strives to strengthen neighborhoods and inspire stewardship through community-based, public space revitalization projects. Its latest endeavor involves the re-envisionment of Waterloo Playground in West Kensington, which will soon house Philadelphia's first two basketball court surface murals.

"There may be a brand-new playground at the end of a project, but the most important part of the process is connecting people together in the community," Barwin said. "And that's what beer does, too — it brings people together, and creates a starting point for conversation and change."

Designed to be low in alcohol, the Make the World Better Beer can be classified as a purl — or spiced ale — and will feature rye malt and bitter orange peel. It's set to be released on Nov. 5 as part of a beer dinner at Monk's Café, an event that both Barwin and Jason Kelce will attend. Following the launch, the beer will be available by draft at select bars and restaurants in the Philly area and at the Yards Brewing Company taproom.

Ten dollars from each keg sold to Philly bars and restaurants will be donated towards MTWB, as will $1 from each pint sold at the Yards taproom.

"One of our core values is building community and giving back to the community that supports us," said Yards CEO Trevor Prichett.

The collaboration is part of Yards' The Good Fight program, intended to support and raise awareness around local organizations making a difference to the lives of Philadelphians. Over the past two years, The Good Fight has worked with such groups as Tree Philly, Action Aids, and the Garces Foundation.

"When we were thinking about what would make sense for this collaboration, I thought of a purl right away. It's not flashy. It's not another in-your-face IPA. Purl is the working man's beer," said Yards founder Tom Kehoe. "It symbolizes hard work — the kind of hard work that builds strong communities, just like Barwin's foundation has been doing right here in Philly."