Table of Contents
Known as “The First State,” Delaware is home to several beautiful beaches, healthy marine life, and fun watersports. You can also find plenty of restaurants offering delicious food and breweries serving quality brews.
If you are up for beer hopping, visit these six popular breweries serving award-winning brews in Delaware.
1. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Dogfish Head is probably among the most popular establishments in Delaware, with its brewery, distillery, inn, and restaurant businesses. It has served hundreds of thousands of people with great food, beer, and service since its founding in 1995. And Dogfish Head has received numerous recognition for its exceptional beers.
When you visit Dogfish Head’s tasting room, you’ll enjoy 20 varieties of beer available on draft and flight of four. The place also offers excellent food, atmosphere, and music. Moreover, Dogfish Head offers brewery and distillery tours where you can visit its production facilities and taste fresh beers and spirits. The brewery also offers cheese and beer pairings, a partnership program with Cabot Creamery.
- Crowd Favorite: 60 Minute IPA. A robust and citrusy East Coast IPA with 6% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: 90 Minute Imperial IPA
- Hop-py Note: Live music. Non-beer options. Vegetarian and vegan food options.
- Fun Fact: Dogfish Head is the first brewpub to operate in Delaware.
Hours: Open Mon – Sat 11am – 7pm, Sun 12pm – 7pm.
Address: 6 Cannery Village Center, 6 Village Center Blvd, Milton, DE 19968
Contact: (302) 684-1000 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
2. Dewey Beer Co.
Operating as one of the most popular breweries in Delaware, Dewey Beer offers noteworthy craft beers in the state. The place features freshly brewed beers and mouthwatering food from scratch. If you want pizza, Dewey Beer has a store called Pizza Machine where you can order tasty pizza and sandwiches.
Dewey Beer’s pizza shop is just near Harbeson’s production facility and taproom. This location doesn’t serve food, but food trucks are available outside. Moreover, the place offers around 20 taps of beer but mostly fruited drinks. There are also fridges displayed where you can see a variety of beers in cans that you can purchase, as well as some merch goodies.
- Crowd Favorite: Swishy Pants. A robust Double Dry Hopped American IPA with 7.4% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Secret Machine
- Hop-py Note: Indoor and outdoor spaces with firepits. Dog-friendly. Bike and street parking.
Hours: Open Sun – Thur 12pm – 9pm, Fri 12pm – 10pm, Sat 11am – 10pm.
Address: 2100 Coastal Hwy, Dewey Beach, DE 19971
Contact: (302) 227-1182 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
3. Crooked Hammock Brewery
Boasting two visited locations in Delaware and one in South Carolina, Crooked Hammock is the perfect spot for a fun drinking session. It hosts “302 Beer Drinkers’ Choice Awards” every year, where several Delaware breweries are invited to showcase their specialty beers and win awards.
Crooked Hammock’s original location is in Lewes, and it offers a variety of year-rounders, seasonals, and limited beers. Its taproom has a full bar showcasing around ten taps of beer and several wines. Here, you can enjoy various delicious food items cooked freshly from its in-house kitchen.
- Crowd Favorite: Mootzy’s Treasure. A bright Pale Ale with solid hop aromas and 6.5% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Beach Escape
- Hop-py Note: Live music. Wheelchair accessible. Free Wi-Fi. Bike parking.
- Fun Fact: Crooked Hammock has a Backyard Beer Club, which you can purchase annually and receive many benefits.
Hours: Open Sun – Thur 11am – 9pm, Fri & Sat 11am – 10pm.
Address: 36707 Crooked Hammock Way, Lewes, DE 19958
Contact: (302) 644-7837 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
4. Iron Hill Brewery
Iron Hill is a restaurant-brewery serving Delaware since 1996. Iron Hill immediately made a name as a brewery when just a year after it opened, one of its beers won a gold medal in GABF. And in its second year, Iron Hill opened another location in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Both of its sites offer the same beer and food menu, all crafted freshly on-site.
Today, Iron Hill is among the most successful breweries in Delaware and actively gives back to the community. It holds charitable events and has a Give 20% event where non-profit organizations can get a 20% donation when they dine in at Iron Hill.
- Crowd Favorite: Philly Phavorite IPA. A tropical and piney Hazy IPA with 6.7% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Pig Iron Porter
- Hop-py Note: Offers delivery and takeout. Vegan and vegetarian options. Kid-friendly.
- Fun Fact: Iron Hill’s restaurant has wall murals painted by internationally praised artist Jeff Schaller.
Hours: Open Mon – Thur 11am – 11pm, Fri & Sat 11am – 12am, Sun 11am – 10pm.
Address: 620 Justison St, Wilmington, DE 19801
Contact: (302) 472-2739 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
5. Big Oyster Brewery
Big Oyster is another local favorite in Delaware that has been serving delicious craft beer since 2015. It was named the second fastest-growing brewery in 2018 by the Brewers Association. Since then, it has continued crafting special brews and gained thousands of fans.
Big Oyster Brewery boasts excellent indoor and outdoor spaces with an in-house kitchen. Its taproom is the star of the show, with a full bar featuring 16 taps of beers, a great selection of wines, and beers in cans, crowlers, and growlers. The place also serves a full menu with various items from appetizers to main courses to desserts and vegan options.
- Crowd Favorite: Hammerhead IPA. An aggressively hopped West Coast style IPA with 6.3% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Solar Power
- Hop-py Note: Bike and private lot parking. Happy hour specials. Offers takeout.
Hours: Open Mon – Thur 11:30am – 8:30pm, Fri & Sat 11am – 9pm, Sun 11am – 8:30pm.
Address: 1007 Kings Hwy, Lewes, DE 19958
Contact: (302) 644-2621 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
6. Thompson Island Brewing Company
Located in Rehoboth Beach, Thompson Island Brewing is the perfect place to get a drink after a long day at the beach. It is a restaurant and brewery offering mouthwatering food items made with fresh ingredients from local farms in Delaware.
Thompson Island Brewing’s taproom offers a rotating list of its flagship and award-winning beers and brews from local breweries. You can enjoy these beers in pints, flights, or cans to take home. Moreover, Thompson Island prepares daily food for lunch and dinner, as well as delicious weekly specials.
- Crowd Favorite: Thompson Island IPA. A bright and hop-forward American IPA with 6% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: No Bad Days
- Hop-py Note: Offers takeout. Vegetarian options. Service dogs are allowed.
- Fun Fact: Thompson Island has been named “Delaware Brewery of the Year” at the NY International Beer Competition 2021.
Hours: Open Sun – Thur 11:30am – 9pm, Fri & Sat 11:30am – 10pm.
Address: 30133 Veterans Way, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
Contact: (302) 226-4677 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
