Be Here for the Beer – Part 2
Recently I wrote the first of a two-part series on one of Delaware’s most beloved products – homemade craft beer. Because there are so many breweries and restaurants that specialize in both local beer and fun cuisine, I focused on those in New Castle and Kent County in that post. Today, I’m spotlighting the brewers and brews found in Sussex County.
In Milton and Rehoboth
It feels like Delaware’s most famous beers are those brewed by Dogfish Head because the small (at that time) entrepreneurial company was among the very first in the state. With its motto built around “off-centered” experiences, Dogfish has sustained its bold impact with nearly 40 different brews. Its Milton brewery is a great place for a fun family day trip, with a tasting room for the grownups and frequent events featuring games and live music for the whole family.
If you head a few miles south to Rehoboth you can enjoy more beer and a wonderful meal at Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats. The menu is full of flavorful pub-style items, including some amazing off-season specials, and there’s often top flight entertainment. Dogfish also crafts various spirits and canned cocktails. Get all the details at https://www.dogfish.com/.
In Harbeson and Dewey
Dewey Beer Company in Dewey Beach is a very popular restaurant for people who love great food and beer. You can go to its homebase and production facility in Harbeson https://www.deweybeerco.com/ to sample different brews in its tasting room and bring in popular fare from The Pizza Machine, which is right across the street https://www.pizzamachinede.com/.
If you’re in Dewey https://www.deweybeerco.com/deweybeach you’ll get the full experience, emphasizing the “local” theme in a restaurant that boasts that “your beer will travel 30 feet or less from the barrel it was brewed in to your glass.” You’ll also enjoy great appetizers, salads and sandwiches and all of those wonderful beers in a festive setting amid other favorite bars, including The Starboard, Bottle & Cork, and Hammerheads.
In Lewes and Milford
Located just outside Lewes’ lovely historic district, Big Oyster https://www.bigoysterbrewery.com/ offers “core” year-round selections, seasonal selections, and limited edition brews all fashioned by a brewer that’s become well-known for wonderful food https://www.bigoysterbrewery.com/lewes-menu, live entertainment, and its sponsorship of community events. You’ll find those same great qualities at its Milford location
https://www.bigoysterbrewery.com/milford-menu.
Located just a bit farther out of downtown Lewes is Crooked Hammock https://www.crookedhammockbrewery.com/ – which actually does have a back yard full of hammocks for relaxing alongside a playground for your kids and ping pong tables and corn hole boards for family games. It also offers close to 20 different kinds of beer and lots of picnic-themed sandwiches, salads and party foods https://www.crookedhammockbrewery.com/location/crooked-hammock-brewery-lewes/.
In Rehoboth and Georgetown
Conveniently located near popular outlet mall shops, Iron Hill https://ironhillbrewery.com/ is a well-established company dating back to the early 1990s. It offers well over 30 brews, each of which is succinctly described on its beer menu https://ironhillbrewery.com/drink-menu/rehoboth-beach-de-beer-wine-and-cocktails-menu/, and a wide range of sandwiches, salads and entrees https://ironhillbrewery.com/food-menus/rehoboth-beach-de-menu/.
Revelation Craft Brewing Company https://revbeer.com/ is another local Rehoboth favorite, with lots of beers on tap https://revbeer.com/brewery/revelation-rehoboth/, wood-fired pizza, sandwiches and other great food items and special events. NOTE: There are two locations – one in Rehoboth and one in Georgetown.
Thompson Island Brewing Company https://thompsonislandbrewing.com/ is another popular independent craft brewery and restaurant. It’s named after an island in Rehoboth Bay, and sources its food menu from local farms and waterways https://thompsonislandbrewing.com/restaurantmenu. There are lagers, IPAs and a stout and wheat beer on tap and in cans https://thompsonislandbrewing.com/draftbeer.
Located at Gary’s Dewey Beach Grill, 38-75 Brewing https://3875brewing.com/ is a perfect addition to your beach day, with nearly 20 beers from several different breweries and great casual food – including sushi – offered in a fun family atmosphere.
In Millsboro
Brick Works Brewing and Eats https://brickworksmillsboro.com/ is another great place if you want fabulous foods to go with your ice cold beer. There are 17 different brews, including some with lower alcohol content https://brickworksmillsboro.com/long-neck-brick-works-long-neck-drink-menu, and a robust menu with appetizers, salads, sandwiches and entrees https://brickworksmillsboro.com/long-neck-brick-works-long-neck-food-menu.