Craft beer scene in Rehoboth gets boost from Iron Hill

When Iron Hill opened its first restaurant in Newark 22 years ago, it was, in all likelihood, the first of its kind in northern Delaware, pairing good food with craft beer brewed in house.

It opened about a year after Sam Calagione made Delaware brewpub history with the opening of Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats in Rehoboth Beach.

For Iron Hill, the overwhelming public response to that first restaurant and brewery in Newark cemented its reputation as a unique venue for great food and beer.

Eventually, that Newark success encouraged the owners to expand, leading to new locations in Wilmington, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The 13th Iron Hill will open soon in Greenville, South Carolina, but, for local Delaware fans, the trip to the nearest restaurant and brewery will soon be a lot shorter.

Indeed, Iron Hill is coming to southern Delaware and the plan is to have restaurant No. 14 open on Coastal Highway in Rehoboth Beach by Memorial Day weekend.

“We are excited because we have been looking for a while in Sussex County,” said Kevin Finn, president and CEO of Iron Hill.

Finn said the quest began some time ago because his father, a Lewes resident, has urged him to open the third Delaware restaurant in the coastal region of Sussex County.

“He pestered me for 15 years,” Finn said.

The original Iron Hill was the result of collaboration between Finn, Mark Edelson and Kevin Davies and was, in part, the natural progression for some accomplished home brewers.

And the business partners quickly defined responsibilities that have endured: Finn handles the business side, Edelson is the beer guy and Davies does food and menu design.

Since the first restaurant in Newark, Iron Hill has made its mark in the brewery world.

The proof: Iron Hill has won 45 medals from at the Great American Beer Festival and was named “World Champion Brewpub” three times at the World Beer Cup.

“No one else has won as many medals as Iron Hill,” Finn said.

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Though the precise brews to be made in Rehoboth have not been announced, Iron Hill in Newark currently offers 14 in-house beers, including Belgian and Irish ales, Czech pilsner, German lager, Irish dry stout and seven different IPAs.

The expansive menu, with at least 65 choices, ranges from small plates and appetizers to sandwiches, burgers, soups, hearth-baked pizza and salads. The menu also includes low calorie choices and options for diners with special dietary needs, including gluten free.

They also publicize the fact that all menu items – food and beer – are made on site.

The Iron Hill motto: “Craft Kitchen. Scratch Brewery.”

Despite the rapid expansion, Finn said the company is intent on maintaining the same high quality in Rehoboth that attracted customers to their first restaurant in Newark.

“The quality and consistency is better than ever,” he said, adding, “Our customers would not know we have 14 restaurants.”

Meanwhile, construction of the new Rehoboth Beach restaurant is moving along and Iron Hill is holding job fairs at nearby Tanger Outlets beginning April 14.

The key management positions also have been filled, Finn said.

Iron Hill spokesperson Joanne Jordan said the Rehoboth general manager will be Rick Whittick, head chef is Geoffrey Allen and the head brewer is John Panasiewicz.

Prior to Iron Hill, Whittick was managing partner at an Applebees restaurant in Folsom, Pennsylvania, Panasiewicz was head brewer at 3rd Wave Brewing Co. and Allen worked as a chef locally for LaVida Hospitality Group.

“We have a good team in place,” Finn said.

Living near the Pennsylvania-Delaware line, Whittick said he had been a frequent customer of the Iron Hill in Wilmington and had been impressed by the staff and menu.

“We always felt good being there,” he said.

When he heard that Iron Hill was expanding into southern Delaware, Whittick jumped at the opportunity.

“I just couldn’t pass it up,” he said.

Whittick and his family recently bought a home in Millsboro and were planning to move from Pennsylvania in early April.

His first task: Hire a staff for the newest Iron Hill.

The goal is to have a soft opening around May 25 and be fully operational in time for the Memorial Day weekend onslaught.

Though Iron Hill faces some tough brewpub competition locally, Whittick said he is looking to making new friends at other Sussex County outposts, including Dogfish, Crooked Hammock, Big Oyster and the soon to open Brick Works in Long Neck.

“I am looking forward to meeting all those folks because, in the end, we are all part of the craft brewing process,” he said.

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