Thompson Island Brewing Company opened its doors on Route 1 in Rehoboth Beach in 2019. Named after a nearby island in Rehoboth Bay, it has made quite a splash in its first five years of business. It has already brought home some serious hardware, winning multiple medals at the most prestigious beer festivals like US Open Beer Championships, Great American Beer Festival, and most recently, a gold medal from World Beer Cup for Never Been Wrong, a barrel-aged sour ale. As part of SoDel Concepts, its food is no slouch either. I’m personally a sucker for the coconut shrimp, washed down with a hop-forward Thompson Island IPA.
If you’re outdoorsy, in the sense that you like drinking beers outside, Thompson Island has plenty of space for you in its beer garden. Next to the outdoor bar and picnic tables you’ll find ping pong, giant Jenga, and corn hole. It also hosts weekly live music and trivia events. On special occasions, you might even see brewery yoga, movie nights, and beer dinners.
Beer dinners are a brilliant concept because they combine two of my favorite things. On Wednesday, June 19th, Thompson Island will host John Trogner, founder of Tröegs Independent Brewing, for its annual beer dinner. Hailing from Hershey, Pennsylvania, Tröegs has grown into a regional powerhouse, brewing up some of the best beers this side of the Mississippi. John will be sharing stories, as well as some of his beers paired with an exquisite four-course meal. Chef Raul Rodriguez is working up a pretty special menu and diners can also expect something sweet at the end, courtesy of Chef Dru Tevis. The dinner starts at 6 pm, and tickets can be purchased on the website for $66.
Speaking of Tröegs, Thompson Island teamed up with them once again to bring back Summer Lager (pictured). “I look forward to collaborations, they give me a chance to step outside of my brewing bubble and learn from other brewers. Working with Taylor, Justin, and Jimmy on now our third variant of this recipe has been fun… exploring a subtle but different approach to this super crispy Summer Lager” John Trogner shared when asked about the beer. Dry-hopped with Saaz and Mandarina Bavaria hops, this one is easy-drinking and completely crushable. You’ll want to snag a four-pack for the beach, or the barbecue, or the backyard, or hey, all of the above.
Zeke Ottemiller has been working in and around beer for the last decade. As a Certified Cicerone® (think Sommelier but for beer), he has covered all things craft from coast to coast, from sunny San Diego to the laid back Lower Slower. Zeke is the owner of Otter Craft Consulting, where he specializes in supporting craft breweries in their branding and marketing efforts.
