Wilmington Beer Week is back with 8 local breweries, 8 restaurants

WILMINGTON – The highly-anticipated Greater Wilmington Beer Week will return from Feb. 24 to March 2, featuring eight local breweries and eight popular restaurants that will team up to celebrate the thriving craft beer scene in the region.

This year’s event promises an exciting array of collaborative brews, exclusive events, and a variety of beer-centric activities across the greater Wilmington area.

Purpose and highlights of Beer Week

The week-long celebration will highlight the creativity and ingenuity of local brewers, including city staples Iron Hill Brewery and Wilmington Brew Works, alongside Wilmington-area brewers Bellefonte Brewing and Dew Point Brewery.

Newark’s Autumn Arch Beer Project, High Steaks Brewing, and Twisted Irons Craft Brewing will also join in the festivities, ensuring a diverse selection of local flavors.

The theme of collaboration is central to this year’s event, with special brews crafted through partnerships between multiple breweries. Notably, two exclusive collaborative beers will be available at all participating venues: one brewed by the two Wilmington-based breweries, and the other by the six out-of-city brewers.

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In addition to these special beers, Greater Wilmington Beer Week will feature a wide range of events including tap takeovers, beer dinners, beer-and-pizza pairings, beer trivia contests, and even a beer can art exhibition. Participating venues will include Chelsea Tavern, Dorcea, Kid Shelleen’s (both Branmar and Trolley Square locations), Makers Alley, The Chancery Market Food Hall and Bar, Trolley Tap House, Two Stones Pub, and Washington Street Ale House.

“Since 2011, Two Stones Pub has prided itself in staying focused on building the craftbrew industry locally and regionally through serving the highest quality brews available,” said Michael Stiglitz, director of operations for Two Stones Pub. “Becoming a brewery partner in 2015 at 2SP Brewing, we continued our commitment by starting to brew our own beers.”

As the beer industry continues to change, Stiglitz said the pub will always do its best to stay focused on pouring the best local & regional craft brewed.

“Wilmington Beer Week is just another feather in the cap of our local craft brew teams and supporters,” he said. “We love participating. Preserve the Craft!”

To encourage beer lovers to explore multiple venues, a Greater Wilmington Beer Week Passport will be available both online and in print at all participating locations. Those who visit five or more venues and get their passport stamped will be entered to win a series of exciting prizes, including the Ultimate Wilmington Beer Tour featuring Avelo Airline tickets. Additional prizes include Avelo Airline vouchers and gift cards to participating venues.

“At Chelsea Tavern, even though we consider every week a beer week, we love participating in the Greater Wilmington Beer Week most, because we get to showcase area brewers while showing off our food to locals, as well as, beer-lovers who hit Wilmington just for this event,” said Joe Van Horn, owner of Chelsea Tavern. “This event zeros in on our target market and is right in our wheelhouse.”

Greater Wilmington Beer Week is presented by Avelo Airlines, with additional sponsorship from Out&About Magazine, IN Wilmington, and the Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“The Greater Wilmington Beer Week is an opportunity to showcase the power of collaboration and the ingenuity of our restaurants and local breweries,” said Mayor John Carney. “This is a great way to invite patrons into our city to experience all that Wilmington has to offer.”

For more information on the event schedule, contests, and to download the Beer Week Passport, click here.

“It’s truly wonderful to have a dedicated time of the year for our city to recognize all the great places to get a proper beer made locally, and even check out some places they haven’t been before to do so with the passport,” said Patrick Sidell, brew master for High Steaks Brewing Co at Delaware Park Casino. “Breweries and beer have a long standing relationship with the city of Wilmington. We brewers are happy to keep thirsts quenched and to have an event like this take place, cheers to you!”