If you’re new here, welcome. If you followed along last year, welcome back. We’re picking things up right where we left off.
After a brutal winter by Delaware standards, it’s only right to start summer with a bang, and that’s exactly what a handful of local breweries are doing.
This week is American Craft Beer Week, an annual celebration of independent craft brewing organized by the Brewers Association.
Here in the 302, breweries are joining in on the fun with the return of the Keep The Pint program. As the name would suggest, it’s pretty straightforward. Customers pay for a pint of beer, and said beer is served in a fun, limited pint glass. Customers get to take the glass home with them when they’re done.
This event kicks off on May 15 and was coordinated by the Delaware Brewers Guild, a 501(c) non-profit advocating in government and community affairs on behalf of all Delaware craft breweries. “Keep The Pint was a huge success last year,” says Jimmy Vennard, President of the Delaware Brewers Guild and Founder of Autumn Arch Beer Project. “Customers have been asking about the next pint glass, so we’re excited to meet the anticipation this year and build off of last year’s momentum,” he adds.
Here in Sussex County, participating breweries include Bethany Brewing, Big Oyster Brewery (Lewes and Milford locations), Crooked Hammock Brewery, Dewey Beer Co (Dewey and Harbeson locations), Dogfish Head (Milton Brewery only), First State Brewing, Iron Hill Brewery, and Lewes Brewing Company.
If you’re reading this from elsewhere in the state, you can still secure one. Pint glasses can also be found at Autumn Arch Beer Project, Bellefonte Brewing, Crooked Hammock (Middletown), First State Brewing (Middletown), Iron Hill (Wilmington and Newark), Volunteer Brewing, and Wilmington Brew Works. If you jumped right into the text without looking at the pictures, A) wow B) feel free to take a peek now. Local artist Lauren Lee cooked up something pretty fun for the glass. Delaware-inspired easter eggs are scattered throughout the design, with a comical blue hen proudly front and center.
Craft beer fans will need to act quickly. Last year, most breweries sold out in just a few hours. The early bird gets the worm, or in this case, the early beer drinker keeps the pint. That doesn’t flow as well, but you get the point. Happy hunting!
