Tom Knorr is onto something. A couple of things, actually.

Knorr is co-founder of Evolution Craft Brewing Co., Delaware’s newest brewery. Located in Delmar, Evolution shipped its first case in April 2009. The brewery now has distribution in Delaware, Maryland, and D.C., with business set to begin next month in Virginia.

“We take great pride in our beers,” Knorr says of Evolution’s philosophy.  “We look to achieve great balance by not cutting any corners and by making the best beer possible.”

Knorr hails from Maryland, where he owns four restaurants on the Eastern Shore. Evolution was originally planned to open in Salisbury, but the project was stymied by bureaucratic red tape. Tom moved operations to Delmar because “Delaware welcomed us with open arms,” he says.

Given Tom’s restaurant background, his Evolution beers are created with food in mind. Many small-batch craft beers are so big and heavy on the palate they’re almost a meal onto themselves. In contrast, Evolution beers complement a meal, enhancing food flavors rather than overpowering them.

In fact, when Tom talks about Evolution, he is quick to discuss which foods pair best with which beers. There are five types of beer in what the brewery calls its Mainline Series. The “Primal” Pale Ale goes with all sorts of seafood; the “Exile” ESB with steak and burgers; the “Lucky 7” Porter with your summer barbecue. The “Lot No3 India” Pale Ale was made with curry and spicy foods in mind.

The fifth and perhaps most unique in the Mainline Series is called “Rise Up” Stout. It’s beer infused with coffee, wherein organic coffee beans come in contact with the beer after fermentation. Naturally, Rise Up pairs well with desserts and chocolate. Legend has it that Rise Up is also a good “hair of the dog” beer, when lessening the effects of a hangover.

There is a saying among winemakers: “It takes a lot of beer to make a great wine.” In converse, Tom Knorr is a brewer who enjoys his wine, too.

“On white right now, I’m thinking Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc,” he says. “It’s a great, refreshing, classic Sauvignon Blanc for a hot summer day. It’s also a great value.”

The Geyser Peak Winery was founded in 1880 in Sonoma County, California. I agree with Tom that their SB is “refreshing” and a “great value,” at retail for under $15. While Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand can sometimes veer off into a hyper-citrus, grapefruit taste, the Geyser Peak SB is consistently clean and true to the varietal.

As to reds, Tom says that he is in his “Petite Sirah phrase” because he loves “big, inky wines.” While on a business trip to California, he discovered a small winery by the name of Bella. The winery is run by Lynn and Scott Adams and is located in the Dry Creek Valley of California, due west of Sacramento and about 60 miles northwest of Napa. While California is known for Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, I believe the real gems of California lie in Petite Sirah and Zinfandel.

To discuss beer—and wine—with Tom, you can visit him at Evolution Craft Brewing Co., 501 N. Bi-State Blvd. in Delmar. The brewery is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon through dinnertime. Informal tours are available upon request. Contact them at (302) 907-0377 or www.evolutioncraftbrewing.com.

Ciro Poppiti, a Wilmington attorney, is a former wine importer who writes and speaks frequently about the wine business.