Presenting 30 events, promotions and seasonal releases related to the enjoyment of beer, wine and spirits
Summer is a time for celebrations, vacations and cool libations — a season packed with backyard BBQs, games of beach bocce, and lively outdoor festivals.
In other words, these are active months for relaxing.
To help you better plan for the weeks ahead, the Out & About team has helped with the homework. In the pages that follow are a host of beverage-related events in our area and some choice suggestions as to what to put in the cooler.
The rest is up to you… Cheers!
Summer Events
Live Music in the Garden
Fridays & Saturdays, 6-8:30pm, Wilmington Brew Works
Head over to WBW and enjoy brews and tunes every Friday and Saturday night in their beer garden. Friday nights are sponsored by The Queen and feature solo and duo acts performing mostly covers, while Saturday nights showcase full bands, including some local touring groups.
— Details at WilmingtonBrewWorks.com.
Bourbon Fridays at Bar Reverie
Fridays, 4-7pm in Greenville
Wind down at the end of a long work week with a bourbon tasting at Bar Reverie. Enjoy light bites and banter with General Manager — and bourbon lover — Tom Austin, as he leads you through a tasting of four different specialty bourbons.
— More at BarReverie.com.
Sip & Stroll at the Brandywine Zoo
2nd Thursdays July – September, 5-7:30pm
Enjoy a relaxed evening at the zoo at this family-friendly happy hour series featuring brews, food, live music, and animal encounters. Dogfish Head and Bellefonte Brewing serve up the suds, with wine and non-alcoholic beverages available, food from local vendors and ice cream from Hy-Point Farms.
— More at BrandywineZoo.org.
Jaws for a Cause
Thursday, July 18, 6pm at Penn Cinema Riverfront
“You’re gonna need a bigger boat” from Jaws is one of the most iconic lines from a movie and fun fact: it wasn’t in the script but improvised by Roy Scheider. Relive this cinema classic on July 18 when Movies on Tap reels it in for one night only to benefit Urban Bike Project, with beers by Big Oyster Brewery.
— Tickets and more at PennCinema.com.
Summer Nights at Hagley
Wednesdays through August, 5-8pm
Relax with family and friends (and Fido, too!) along the Brandywine on Hagley Museum & Library’s 235-acre property on Wednesday evenings through August. Pack a picnic or pick up a bite to eat from the featured food truck and enjoy craft beer by Dogfish Head and ice cream from Woodside Creamery, plus live music and lawn games round out the fun.
— More at Hagley.org.
Detox + Retox Yoga at The Quoin
Wednesdays through September 11, 6pm
Namaste! Pure Yoga leads a relaxing one-hour outdoor yoga class in Willingtown Square, followed by cocktails and live music on The Quoin’s Rooftop Lounge. $35 includes yoga, complimentary cocktail and snacks.
— Register at PureYogaPilatesStudio.com.
Sip & Putt
July 9 & August 13, 5-7pm, Riverwalk Mini Golf
Fore a good time, drive over to the Riverfront for a tee-rific evening of mini golf this summer. No ifs, ands or putts about it, you’ll have fun sipping adult beverages by Wilmington Brew Works while playing through 18 holes along the scenic Christina River.
— More at RiverfrontWilm.com.
Paradise on the Water
Wilmington Riverfront
Catch island vibes when you cruise the Christina in a tropical-themed tiki boat featuring a full bar serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. From now through September, you can choose from one of several different boating experiences by Paradise Tiki Tours including Mimosa Tiki Cruise, Rum & Reggae Cruise, an all-ages Family & Friends Tour, and adults-only Evening Cruises.
— More at TikiTourBoat.com.
Soak up Summer at Constitution Yards
Wilmington Riverfront
Earlier this summer it was announced that the popular beer garden would be closing at the end of this season to make room for a new apartment complex and reopening in another area of the Riverfront in the future. So now is the time to enjoy every bit of it! Sit back and relax with your toes in the sand, rock out to the live music every Friday and Saturday night, or bring your furry best friend every Tuesday for Yappy Hour.
— More at ConstitutionYards.com.
Brews on Board
July 13, August 2 & September 13, Wilmington & Western Railroad
Hop on Wilmington & Western’s historic locomotive and sip local brews — Bellefonte Brewing (July), Wilmington Brew Works (Aug.), and Liquid Alchemy (Sept.) — while taking in the sites on this leisurely two-hour sunset trip through the Red Clay Valley. All aboard!
— More at WWRR.com.
Third Thursdays at Nemours Estate
July 18 & August 15, 5-8pm
If you haven’t yet experienced the Estate’s stunning French-style gardens and grounds, summer is the time to do so. At these Third Thursday events, be transported back to the Gilded Age as you picnic in the garden and frolic on the lawn. You’ll not only enjoy discounted admission, but also live music, food trucks, and beers from a local brewery.
— More at NemoursEstate.org.
Mixing it up at Mt. Cuba
July 20 & August 24, 3:30–5:30pm
Elevate your cocktail game with one (or both!) of Mt. Cuba’s classes, led by master mixologist Diane Keesee. In “Go Native with Infused Vodkas” on
July 20, learn to create infused vodkas using native plants; and in “Shrubs Aren’t Just for the Garden” on August 24, explore creating infused vinegar-based syrups to give your beverages a boost.
— More at MtCubaCenter.org.
Beer Bourbon & BBQ Festival
August 17, noon-6pm, Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park
The Wilmington Riverfront will be smokin’ when this southern summer festival by Baltimore-based Drink. Eat. Relax. Events returns for a second year. There will be plenty of bourbon, beer, and barbeque to sample, outdoor games, live music, plus the return of the “Shrine of Swine” with whole hogs available to enjoy.
— More at Delaware.BeerAndBourbon.com.
Ground to Glass: Handcrafted Cocktail Workshop
August 22, 6pm at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
You’ve heard of farm-to-table, but what about ground-to-glass? Using herbs from the Winterthur Garden, mixologist Aaron Gordon of 13th Street Cocktails will show you how to craft two classic drinks from H.F. du Pont’s era in Reidel glassware. Take what you’ve learned and stir, shake, and sip your way into creating the perfect cocktail at home.
— More at Winterthur.org.
Brains & Brews Trivia Night
August 23, 7-9pm, Delaware Museum of Nature & Science
Why should kids have all the fun at the Museum? Enjoy a cold one, while learning cool facts and challenging your cranium at this adults-only science-themed trivia night.
— More at Delmns.org.
Historic Odessa Brewfest
September 7, 2024, noon-5:30pm
Each year on the first Saturday after Labor Day, attendees enjoy some of the best regional and national craft beers, along with locally produced wine and spirits, plus food and live music.
— More at OdessaBrewfest.com.
Dungeons n’ Drafts
Multiple Area Venues
Dungeons & Dragons has come out of the basement and into local breweries. Dungeons n’ Drafts brings together seasoned travelers and rookie adventurers to enjoy craft beer and D&D in a relaxed, friendly environment. DMs guide players through the game (no experience necessary!) and they have premade characters so you can jump into action. You can roll the dice at these area breweries: Wilmington Brew Works (2nd & 4th Mondays); Bellefonte Brewing (3rd Wednesdays; Old Capitol Trail), Stitch House Brewing (Last Tuesday of each month); plus, Victory Brewing in Kennett (3rd Mondays) and Levante Brewing in West Chester (Last Tuesday of each month).
— More at DungeonsNDrafts.com.
Free Friday Tastings at Girard Craft and Cork
Every Friday, 5-7pm, Wilmington
Girard Craft and Cork invites you to join them in-store for their free weekly themed tastings. If you like what you taste, then you can purchase it at a discounted rate that night. Follow them on social media for info on each tasting.
— More at GirardCraftAndCork.com.
Food Tuck Fridays
July 26, August 30 and September 27 at Peco’s Liquors
Kick off your weekend at Peco’s popular monthly event, now in its ninth year. On the last Friday of each month, you can sip samples and shop specials in-store and chow down on good eats by area food trucks outdoors, such as Burgers by Wildwich, Kapow, Bada Bing, and Cajun Sno.
— More at PecosLiquors.com.
Summer Sips
Looking for something new to sip on this summer? Glad you asked… Here are some choice selections from our staff — from canned spiked seltzers to fruited wheats on tap.
2SP: Chillin’ and Liftin’
Just over the border in Aston, the good folks at 2SP Brewing offer something for almost anyone.
On one hand, for those looking for a more relaxing summer, 2SP offers the Super Chill Pils, a hoppy pilsner that is described as bright, fruity and very crisp with note of light tea and honey. It’s a collaboration with brewer Paul Rutherford, who’s been Iron Hill Brewery for more than 20 years — and the brother of brewer Andrew Rutherford of Stitch House Brewery.
On the other hand, for those looking for a little more adrenaline, 2SP will be the site of their 8th Annual Beer Muscles event —or, as they like to call it, “the original beer-themed strongman competition held on-site at an operational brewery.” The August 24th event raises money for Delaware County Special Olympics.
— For more info, visit 2SPBrewing.com.
Big Oyster Goes Big with Fruits This Summer
Arriving this month from Big Oyster Brewery in Lewes is their Tropical Lips sour ale made with a luau-full of fruits including pineapples, oranges, mangos and coconut. The 7% ABV sour has hints of vanilla and creamsicle while giving off fresh piña colada vibes.
Speaking of creamsicles, Big Oyster is also offering its Double Mango Dreamsicle IPA (8% ABV) which packs plenty of mango and vanilla flavors. Brewed with lactose, the Dreamsicle is triple dry-hopped with Citra, Mosaic and El Dorado hops.
Both brews will be available in 16 oz. cans.
— For more info, visit BigOysterBrewery.com.
Twisted Irons: Great Hang for A Good Cause
What’s “shocking orange, wonderfully tasty” and made with 170 pounds of papaya? It’s Twisted Irons’ brand-spanking-new fruited wheat beer, Low Hanging Fruit, and it’s available now at the Newark brewery’s taproom.
In addition to sitting at a summer-session level of 5.5% ABV, Lowing Hanging Fruit is poised to do great things, created in support last month’s Kick-Off to Summer 5K, a brewery-hosted fundraiser for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition.
— For more info, visit TwistedIronsBrewery.com.
Bellefonte Brings on the Bubbles
If you are wondering if local breweries can offer something other than just beer, please note that Bellefonte can. Not only is their Gingers Are Peachy hard ginger beer available again in cans, but Bellefonte Brewing is now canning their seltzers, too.
At both their Brandywine location and their original brewery at 3605 Old Capital Trail, Bellefonte has 4-packs of their strawberry-flavored Amiga Rita as well as a variety of flavored hard seltzers on rotation, including Pineapple, Mosaic Melon, Rocket Pop and The Lotus.
— To find out what’s also on tap, go to BellefonteBrewingCompany.com.
Northeast Tea Offers Flavor Over Calories
Brought to you by the same people who brought you 2SP Brewing, Northeast Tea is crafted with just “a playful dash of sweetness.” With just 1g of sugar per 12 oz. can, Northeast has less calories (85) than most competing hard teas (100 to 110).
Introduced this spring, Northeast is 4% ABV and is made with real tea and contains no artificial sweeteners.
— More info at NortheastHardTea.com.
Dogfish Serves Tribute to Inn’s 10th Anniversary
Ten years ago, Dogfish Head Brewery opened the doors to its Lewes-based Dogfish Inn, which in turn has opened its doors to countless numbers of beer-lovers, thrill-seekers and area visitors over the past decade.
In the spirit of adventurous ventures, Dogfish is celebrating with a 10th anniversary beer called Mother Nature Let’s Brew This. The 7.9% Baltic porter marries malty nuttiness with notes of citrus, spruce and Palo Santo wood.
Mother Nature will be available on draft and to-go at Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats in Rehoboth starting July 1.
— More info at Dogfish.com.
RaR Brewing “Summerize” Its Classic Offering
Never ones to stop tinkering with a good idea, the minds at the RaR brewery in Cambridge, Md., recently thought to redefine their best-selling Nanticoke Nectar. At 7.4% ABV, their new Grapefruit Nectar takes on a new seasonal feel and a triple-threat of flavor with the addition of grapefruit juice, zest, and rind.
— More info at RARBrewing.com.
Big Oyster and Twisted Irons Make a Wild Combo
This North-meets-South Delaware brewery collaboration marries a fruited shandy with a Transfusion, a classic golf cocktail that combines lime and Concord grape flavors. It also makes it a unique offering for these parts — particularly one that can be enjoyed from a can.
This 4.5% ABV beverage is available at both breweries, select retailers, and the new Big Oyster-run brewpub at the Southern Delaware Golf Club in Milford.
— More info at BigOysterBrewery.com.
Founders Finds Its Bloom
What’s so special about this new hazy IPA from the brewery that brought us the All Day IPA — one of the most popular session beers on the market?
First of all, the experts at Founders Brewery in Michigan say, the 6.2% ABV ale will “wrap your tastebuds with intense citrus and tropical notes of pineapple and mango.” Secondly, they may be exactly right.
— Find out more at FoundersBrewing.com.
Dunkin’: It’s Time to Spike the Coffee
If you are one of those people who needs a kick of coffee to get your mornings going, you may be particularly pleased to hear that the same Dunkin’ flavors could be getting your next party started. The new Dunkin’ Spiked line of hard coffee is available in four flavors: Original, Mocha, Caramel, and Vanilla.
Not to leave anyone behind, Dunkin’ also is releasing its own line of spiked iced-tea flavors as well: Slightly Sweet, Half & Half, Strawberry Dragonfruit, and Mango Pineapple.
Think of how much more efficient all your work celebrations will be.
— Find at your nearest liquor store.
New Belgium Boasts Hardest Tea on the Shelf
The folks at New Belgium call their new Voodoo Ranger Hardcharged Tea “a more rangerous twist” on hard tea. All puns aside, this tea certainly sounds like it will pack a punch at 7% ABV and served in 24 oz. cans.
Are you jumping your motorcycle over a shark-infested inlet to get home every night? Then you might already have this in your refrigerator.
— Find out more at NewBelgium.com.