Explore the spirit world in the Cape Region

The James Beard Foundation, along with the Wine Spectator, TripAdvisor, the National Restaurant Association and the Michelin Guide have all paid tribute to our culinary culture here at the beach. But bubbling (or maybe brewing…) just under the surface is a siren song that lures even more food and drink enthusiasts to the Delaware coast: craft breweries, wineries and distilleries.

When Dogfish Head’s pocket-size brewery first opened on Rehoboth Avenue, legislation sparked by the owners and others blazed a trail for an army of home brewers to make their foamy contributions to the budding craft market.

Rehoboth’s own Revelation Craft Brewery is putting the finishing touches on its second location in the former 16 Mile complex in Georgetown. And it’s not going to be just about beer – the Revelation partners are bringing a kitchen and event space to that highly visible spot.

Sussex County oenophiles have reason to rejoice! Nassau Valley Vineyards in Lewes produces a wide variety of wines. In addition to their beautiful grounds, Nassau Valley hosts weddings, private parties and corporate events throughout the year. Yet another vineyard is a bit north of the beach, but their ever-increasing line of vintages is making inroads down south. Take a short drive to Harvest Ridge Winery near Dover – they have great events, and wait ‘til you taste their reds! To the south, family-owned Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery offers tastings, events, and venue rentals.

They say that we ignore the spirits at our own peril, so I hasten to tell you about Milford’s EasySpeak. Proprietors Zack and Marissa King bubble up a number of custom spirits to wash down their lunch, happy hour and dinner goodies. One of our most creative spirit masters is Greg Christmas of the award-winning Beach Time Distilling. Like many of our local craft distillers, Greg is an alumnus of the Dogfish Head operation. He and his wife Mary have been cranking out tasty rum, vodka, gin and seasonal spirits since 2015, and recently introduced some strikingly delicious canned cocktails. My favorite is the Fire Storm (think Moscow Mule - with an attitude). It recently won the “Thirst Extinguisher” cocktail competition at the Lewes Fire Station.

Back in 2015, three restaurant-based breweries opened in rapid succession, and each one has earned a name for itself. The biggest is Crooked Hammock Brewpub on Kings Highway, and they’ve already distinguished themselves with additional locations in Middletown and Myrtle Beach, S.C.

The name Fins is synonymous with fresh oysters, seafood and spicy bloody marys. Shortly after they christened Big Oyster Brewery at Fins Ale House & Raw Bar on Coastal Highway, Jeff Hamer and his team opened yet another brewery/pub on Kings Highway in Lewes. This essentially doubled their beer production, allowing them to provide their popular brews to other restaurants and bars.

Word on the street is that locals and vacationers have been spotted sipping a beer … or two … in Dewey Beach. So it only seems right that Dewey Beer Company proclaims that their beers travel “30 feet or less” from their tanks to your glass. They currently provide a great core lineup, suitable for washing down goodies from their bar-friendly menu. Dewey Beach’s smallest) brewery is the tiny setup located within Gary’s Dewey Beach Grill. Cleverly named 38˚-75˚ (have you figured it out yet?), Gary Cannon, Adam Newman and partners decided to brew their own after countless years in the food business.

In 2013, we were treated to Mispillion River Brewing in Milford. Proprietor Eric Williams states unequivocally that their beers are “for all drinkers, from noobs to nerds, from hopheads to stoutfaces.” (Did I mention that brewing has a language all its own?) Brewmaster Ryan Maloney came up with many of their core brews, and he’s branched out to partner with longtime beach chef Kevin Reading at Brick Works Brewings & Eats in Long Neck and Smyrna. Brick Works now has its own line of food-friendly beers.

Back down south in Rehoboth, our upstate upstart Iron Hill Brewery breezed into town a few years ago with its striking physical plant and a brew-friendly menu. One of our more recent additions is Thompson Island Brewery in Rehoboth. The Ocean View Brewing Company south of there is a scaled-down version of the Rehoboth mothership.

Well, we covered wine. We covered beer. We covered spirits. Oops… there’s a meadery! Mead is an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water and any combination of fruits and/or spices. Brimming Horn Meadery founders, Jon Talkington and Robert "J.R." Walker Jr. operate their fermenting operation on Route 9 near Cool Spring Road. Check out their tour schedule: They will happily fill your favorite flagon – or horn - upon request. Please leave your jousting gear at home.

2023 will bring even more tasty sips to the beach, so keep an eye on this page every week. In the words of our friends at Southern Delaware Tourism Inc., when it comes to the Cape Region, “Beaches are just the beginning.”