New breweries for Rehoboth Beach, Middletown, Claymont as Delaware's beer craze continues

With about 25 craft breweries now calling Delaware home, even more are on the way and the First State beer scene shows no signs of slowing.

A new small-batch brewery has just opened on Rehoboth Beach's Baltimore Avenue and two more are planned for farther north, expected to land in Middletown and Claymont early next year.

And while there are even a few more Delaware breweries in the early planning stages, the state's thirst seems not quite quenched.

Not a single established brewery has closed in Delaware since the boom began.

In fact, Delaware's craft brewery ranking per capita puts the state at only 20th in the country, according to the Brewers Association, a trade group that represents the craft brewing industry.

With that in mind, here are a trio of new beer spots that should be on your radar.

Beach Nomad Brews, 20 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach. beachnomadbrews.com. Now open. 

Move over Dogfish Head, Rehoboth Beach has a new downtown brewery.

Actually, they don't have much to worry about. Delaware's King of Beers is a behemoth compared to this small-batch brewpub located on the ocean block of Baltimore Avenue where the old Cellar Door restaurant once resided.

Co-owner Milan Mljadan, a Canadian native, began as a winemaker, traveling around the world working in spots such as Argentina, Slovenia and Italy before landing at Harvest Ridge Winery in Marydel in 2012.

"A trick of the trade is that we always made a little batch of beer on the side," Mljadan says. "During harvest, you did not want to drink wine. You're covered head to toe in grape juice. It's the last thing on your mind."

The brewery, which opened earlier this month,  currently serves two house-made beers from their one-barrel system, along with an array of craft beers, including from local breweries such as Dogfish, Revelation, Twin Lakes and more.

They include Chupa, a gluten-free pale ale (5.8% ABV), and an amber IPA named Red Tide that clocks in at 7.2% ABV.

"We eventually want to have four available and they will all be experimental, one-off batches," Mljadan says. "We're not going to have any flagship beers. They are always going to be unique and individual."

He hopes to not only draw his own followers, but also service the hordes of beer geeks drawn to town by Dogfish.

"They are a huge tourist draw. I think they are becoming a bigger tourist draw than the beach itself," he says. "It was the only thing I knew about Delaware when I moved here. I didn't know about the beach or Rehoboth or The First State. I knew Dogfish."

When it comes to the food, Beach Nomad has some of the finer dining items you would expect on Baltimore Avenue, such as herb salmon bake ($17), spicy Peruvian chicken ($16) and a peach-mango porch chop ($18).

But the real star of the show are the hamburgers to go with those beers, including a bison mushroom melt ($13) topped with provolone, sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions.

You'll find some of his Canadian flair in the "Montreal-style" poutine ($8) appetizer.

The spot, with outdoor seating and live music, will always have vegan options available, as well as at least one gluten-free beer, he says.

The brewpub is located in the former dining hall of the old Epworth Methodist Church, giving it a dash of historic character.

"It has a really cool vibe. It's not your typical Rehoboth Beach storefront at all," he says of the space with a high ceiling and a bar made from the church's old pulpit. "It was one of the first Methodist churches and we're using their pulpit now as a bar to serve up beers.

"Someone is turning over in their grave."

Hangman Brewing Co., 2703 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont. facebook.com/hangmanbrewingofficial. Opening early 2019.

A taste of Fishtown is coming to Philadelphia Pike.

After years of working in the pharmaceutical industry as an analytical scientist, Brad Wagner decided to sell his townhouse in Philly's trendy Fishtown neighborhood in January 2017 and open a brewery.

With costs high in the City of Brotherly Love, he decided to launch Hangman Brewing Co. in The First State instead.

And after looking in Wilmington, he landed in Claymont's Town & Country Shopping Center after New Castle County code was amended in May allowing microbreweries to open in such spaces.

"I saw the laws were getting better for breweries and it just looked as if there was a niche in Delaware — an explosion of breweries popping up," says Wagner, who lives in Wilmington's Little Italy neighborhood. "It seemed like an easy way to get started. In Philadelphia there is a lot of red tape and I'm sure the application fee is a lot steeper. Since it's all new to me, I wanted to start here."

Wagner, a home brewer, will split brewing duties with Brian Proctor, who formerly brewed at Milltown's Argilla Brewing Co. at Pietro's Pizza and is currently brewing at Philadelphia Brewing Co.

The 2,500-square-foot space is currently under construction. There's also room on the second floor to expand, adding 1,500 more square feet.

When Hangman opens, you'll find an array of beers coming from his small system, including "juicy"/ "hazy" New England-style IPAs, as well as "milkshake" IPAs made with lactose.

Wagner, 42, says bands and food trucks will also live alongside his beers at the brewery. He's a musician himself, drumming for New Jersey-based alternative rock act Glenn Garr & The Last Chances.

So what's with the somewhat morbid name?

He says his first few ideas were already taken and when he saw Hangman was available, he jumped on it.

"I just thought Delaware needs a decent place to hang, man," he says.

First State Brewing Co., 109 Patriot Drive, Middletown. firststatebrewing.com. Opening early 2019.

Middletown, get ready for your second brewery.

After last year's opening of Kevin Schatz's tiny Volunteer Brewing Co. in a converted two-car garage, the still-growing town will soon also be home to a new 11,000-square-foot production brewery named First State Brewing Co.

There will be plenty of room for both their beer and cider, as well as a full kitchen serving casual foods to pair with their brews.

Expect beer-friendly foods including Bavarian-style soft pretzels and charcuterie and cheese boards in the taproom, which will share space with the production brewery.

In terms of the beer menu, offerings will range from West Coast-style IPAs and Belgians to imperial stouts. Once they settle in, sours and ciders made with locally-sourced apples will be added.

The taproom will have communal seating as well as barroom activities both inside and out front on their patio.

Justin Faulkner, the taproom and kitchen manager, is a Middletown native and knows firsthand the thirst that has been building in the town. After all, the population has jumped more than 400 percent over the past two decades with more than 21,000 now calling it home.

"I remember when it was 1,500 people and I could ride my bike and tell you who lives in every house," he says. "Middletown is craving for something like this. When you go to Volunteer on the weekends, you see a line out the door. Kevin's place is packed and it's wonderful."

Contact Ryan Cormier of The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier), Twitter (@ryancormier) and Instagram (@ryancormier).