From its humble beginnings in 1996, Iron Hill Brewery has grown into a regional brewpub powerhouse with 20 locations spread up and down the East Coast, from Philadelphia to Atlanta, and just about everywhere in between. In college, I spent many a night at their West Chester brewpub with nachos and beers in hand.
The Olympics may have just wrapped up, but it’s worth noting that Iron Hill has more medals than Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky combined. It’s become an annual occurrence to bring home hardware from the most prestigious beer competitions like the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup. So, it makes sense why they call themselves “the most award-winning brewery east of the Mississippi.” While they have burgeoned in every sense in the beer world, their roots are still right here in Delaware, with their OG location opening its doors in Newark almost thirty years ago. They’ve since opened on the waterfront in Wilmington and, lucky for us, opened a brewpub in Rehoboth Beach on Route 1 in 2018.
Their food menu has a little something for everyone; – think salads, burgers, pizzas, tacos, and a variety of vegetarian options. The kitchen and brewery work in tandem, so you’ll see tons of beer-inspired dishes on their menu like the Homestead Mussels, which features Prince Edward Island mussels cooked in their Homestead Farmhouse Ale. You’ll also find their beer in their dressings, stocks, and sauces, like the Philly Phavorite IPA mustard served alongside their Jumbo Bavarian Pretzel.
These pretzels are making me thirsty. Let’s wash ‘em down with something award-winning. First up, I recommend the Vienna Red Lager – a clean, crisp, amber lager that has won multiple medals at the Great American Beer Festival over the years. Next, we’re switching to the dark side with their rich, full-bodied Imperial Stout. I’d list all of the awards this beer has won in competition, but I would run out of space on the page… just know it is A LOT. Looking for hops? Try their hometown tap Breakwater IPA, a brewpub exclusive with notes of citrus and pine that can only be found at this Iron Hill location. It’s also worth noting they will be releasing their seasonal fan-favorite Pumpkin Ale on August 30th and their Oktoberfest Lager on September 6th. I’ll prost to that.
Any specials going on? Glad you asked. Iron Hill offers a happy hour menu Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 pm. Take $2 off all draft beers and find food specials, like their dangerously delicious fried chicken sandwich for only $3.50! On Tuesdays, kids eat free! Get the little one in your life a free kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult entree. In addition to that, on Wednesdays they host Buck-a-Shuck night from 5 to 9 pm. $1 oysters anyone?
With Labor Day right around the corner, Iron Hill is bringing a sudsy sale to the holiday weekend. They’ll be running a BYOC (Bring Your Own Cooler) promo from August 30th to September 2nd. As the name would suggest, you bring your own cooler and they’ll fill it with ice, as well as $10 four-packs and six-packs of beer. Send Summer off with a bang.
Zeke 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.
