Summer Sips is back — your go-to roundup for seasonal drinks, breezy events, and refreshing ways to celebrate summer around town. From patio happy hours and cocktail classes to brewery releases and tastings, there’s no shortage of ways to raise a glass this season. Whether you’re into craft beer, colorful cocktails, or chilled wine under the stars, these happenings are sure to keep your calendar (and your glass) full all summer long. Cheers!
Summer Events
Summer Nights Along the Brandywine
Wednesdays through August 27, 5-8pm at Hagley Museum & Library
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 Farm Creamery, plus live music and lawn games round out the fun.
— More at Hagley.org
Music on Tap
Fridays & Saturdays, 6-8:30pm at Wilmington Brew Works
Enjoy cold beer and cool vibes at Wilmington Brew Works every weekend this summer. The Queen presents “Live & Local” on Friday nights featuring intimate sets in the taproom. Saturdays bring “Bands in the Garden,” a lively outdoor showcase of full bands. Sip, relax, and let the music pour.
— More at WilmingtonBrewWorks.com
Unwind on the Patio
Fridays & Saturdays at The Chancery Market
Spend your summer nights on the patio at The Chancery with live music Fridays (5:30-7:30pm) and Saturdays (7-9pm), oversized lawn games, and creative cocktails such as “It’s Summertime Mule” or “Summer Sky Fall.” Relax outdoors, sip something fun, and enjoy the perfect mix of music, drinks, and laid-back weekend energy.
— More at TheChanceryMarket.com
Fridays at the Farm
July 11, August 8 and September 12, 5-7:30pm at Coverdale Farm Preserve
Join Delaware Nature Society throughout the summer at Coverdale Farm Preserve. Sip, snack and shop local while enjoying live music, lawn games, farm animals, and scenic views. Beer, wine and soft drinks are available for purchase, as well as a selection of food from local vendors. All ages are welcome, and don’t forget to bring a blanket or chair to unwind.
— More at DelawareNatureSociety.org
Gilded Age Garden Gatherings
July 17 & August 21, 5-8pm at Nemours Estate
If you haven’t yet experienced the Nemours 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 beer from Wilmington Brew Works and wine.
— More at NemoursEstate.org
Sip & Stroll at the Zoo
July 24, August 21, and September 25, 5-7:30pm at Brandywine Zoo
Enjoy a relaxed evening at the zoo at this family-friendly happy hour series featuring brews, food, live music, and animal encounters. Each event features a local food vendor and adult beverages, including wine and craft brews by Dogfish Head and Bellefonte Brewing. The Zoo’s concession stand is also open with snacks and soft drinks.
— More at at BrandywineZoo.org
Sip n’ Sail
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays through September on the Wilmington Riverfront
Cruise the Christina River aboard a party boat featuring a fully stocked tiki bar serving tropical cocktails and soft drinks. From now through September, you can choose from one of several different boating experiences by Delaware Cruises & Events including Scenic River Cruises and Evening & Sunset Cruises, Mimosa Brunch Cruises, Rum & Reggae Cruises, and more.
— More at DelawareCruises.com
Craft Your Own Cocktails
July 19 & August 23, 3:30–5:30pm at Mt. Cuba Center
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 19, learn to create infused vodkas using native plants; and in “Shrubs Aren’t Just for the Garden” on August 23, explore creating infused vinegar-based syrups to give your beverages a boost.
— More at MtCubaCenter.org
Delaware Whiskey Fest
Saturday, August 16, 4-7pm at The Dahlia
This upscale tasting event will feature 50+ premium whiskeys, bourbons, and Scotches. Sip curated samples, enjoy live music, and witness (or compete in) the Whiskey Cocktail Showdown. Perfect for the connoisseurs and curious sippers alike.
— More at at DelawareWhiskeyFest.eventbrite.com
Taste of Terroir: An Italian Wine & Cheese Experience
August 21, 3pm & 6pm at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
Explore how Italy’s diverse terroirs—from Tuscany’s hills to Sicily’s volcanic soil—shape its renowned wines and artisanal cheeses. This curated tasting pairs Italian wines with authentic cheeses such as Piave, Pecorino, and La Tur. Celebrate the connection between land, flavor, and tradition. Ticket includes three wine and cheese pairings.
— More at Winterthur.org
Historic Odessa Brewfest
September 6, 2024, 12:30-5:30pm
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
Summer Sips
Looking for something new to sip on this summer? Glad you asked… Here are some choice selections from our staff — from canned cannabis cocktails to un-“bee”-lievable honey ales on tap.
2SP Celebrate Two 10th Anniversaries with Tall Bois
We always knew the gang at 2SP Brewery were party animals, but the point was proven once again with their recent Tall Boi collaboration with Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown, Pa.
Both organizations are celebrating 10 years this year. Last month, 2SP helped the zoo celebrate their special occasion with a special brew, the Tall Boi, which features the zoo’s three giraffes — Mokolo, Dhoruba, and Gerald — on the can’s artwork.
Tall Boi is a medium-bodied IPA that has three stars of its own: Idaho 7, El Dorado and Citra hops.
2SP’s 10th Anniversary will be celebrated at their brewery in Aston, Pa., on Saturday, August 23.
— For more info, see our full story on page 26 and visit 2SPBrewing.com
Autumn Arch “Czechs” into Summer with New Look
Back in April, Autumn Arch Beer Project kicked off its sixth year in business with a refreshed look:
its iconic leaf given more ink-sketched depth and its name a bolder font. Subtle tweaks, but substantial.
Also of notable substance is the Autumn Arch’s new Czech pilsner, which the brewery developed exclusively with noble Saaz hops. [Note: The name Saaz comes from the German pronunciation of the Czech town of Žatec, which has a 700-year-long tradition of growing the distinctive variety of hops.]
Autumn Arch’s 4.5% pilsner has the addition of Czech malt as well, to bring a “sweet doughy flavor that ties it all together in perfect balance,” the brewers say.
— More at AutumArch.com
Bellefonte Brewing Offers a Taste of Honey with B. Hive
Have you heard the latest buzz?
Bellefonte Brewing’s B. Hive Honey Ale is not only available on tap at the brewery, it’s also now available in cans. Brewed with real local honey, this golden ale comes with a smooth, slightly sweet finish that’s gives it a distinctive flavor.
According to the brewers, “B. Hive brings the perfect balance of light and floral honey notes in every sip.” It all sounds like a fitting addition to any summer cooler, whether it be (or bee) for a picnic, outdoor BBQ or for a trip to the beach.
— More at BellefonteBrewingCompany.com
Big Oyster’s Pillars of Dankness Help Lift 10th Anniversary Party
Big Oyster is another local brewery celebrating 10 years of producing delicious brew. On Sunday, June 22, the brewery celebrated with a birthday party featuring live music, limited-edition swag, and DJ Cotti spinning the hits from 10 years ago.
Amid the festivities, a new member of the Big Oyster family could be seen (and tasted): this year’s version of their annual Pillars of Dankness release. Triple dry-hopped with Superdelic, Nelson Sauvin, and Strata hops, the dank concoction is completed with the addition of Blue Dream terps.
The result? The brewers promise “a wild ride of tropical candy, sweet berries and straight up dankness.”
— More at BigOysterBrewery.com
Dew Point Welcomes THE BIG IF to its Taps
Released in May, THE BIG IF is a new West Coast-style IPA offered at Dew Point Brewing Co. Brewed with Krush hops and sitting at 75 IBU and 7% ABV, this beer is unquestionably another great reason to get out to the brewery in Yorklyn.
Other reasons include $1 slices from Primas Pizza on Wednesday nights starting at 5pm, and $5 burgers from Bucky’s BBQ on Thursday nights, with trivia starting at 6:30pm.
Then, of course, you’ve got fun live bands on the weekends — like Delta Cosmonauts and Too Tall Slim — which help make the “big if” proposition much more like “why the heck not.”
— More at DewPointBrewing.com
High Steaks Brings It on Home… and Elsewhere
Located at Delaware Park, High Steaks Brewery isn’t afraid to take some chances when it comes to its beer selection.
The variety of the menu speaks for itself: a nitro dry Irish stout, a Belgian dubbel, a Japanese rice lager, a watermelon-flavored gose, and a cream ale made with real pineapple and Madagascar vanilla beans.
If that feels too internationally cosmopolitan for anyone’s particular tastes, High Steaks offers the Hometown Hero, a 5.2% ABV session IPA that is brewed with locally grown malt and fresh-picked hops from Delaware and Pennsylvania. The Hero is flavored primarily by Comet hops, which — as the menu states — “promotes wild American citrus aromas and flavors.”
— More at DelawarePark.com/dining/brewing
New Levitate THC Cocktails Now Available in Delaware
Hemp-derived THC cocktails have begun to become more ubiquitous in Delaware liquor stores and bars this year — an indication of their growing popularity with consumers looking for other means of relaxation and/or mood enhancement.
New to the market, Levitate beverages take the concept to another level in a manner of speaking. In addition to offering Delta 9 THC and CBD, the beverage mixes in functional ingredients like L-theanine and Cordyceps to support relaxation, focus, and balance.
Makers call it a “better-for-you beverage crafted with a purpose,” noting that each serving is only 30 calories.
— More at GetLevitate.co
Nowadays THC Drink Allows You to Mix Your Own
Nowadays advertises itself as “the drink for social drinkers” with the caveat “because hanging out with friends shouldn’t have to end in a hangover.”
The cannabis-infused drink is available in 750ml bottles at three different price points and levels of THC — high dose (10mg THC), low dose (5mg THC) and micro-dose (2mg THC) — with each bottle containing about 16 servings.
The advantage to other options? You add the drink to any other beverage and mix to your specific tastes and tolerance. That said, Nowadays also offers pre-mixed canned cocktails in flavors of citrus, berry, tropical and spicy lime.
— More at TryNowadays.com
Tröegs Brings Back the Sunshine This Summer
Famous for their winter classics, Mad Elf and Nugget Nectar, Tröegs Independent Brewing now has a summer beer that has earned a spot in brewery’s once-a-year series.
The Sunshine Salt + Lime Lager was introduced last year as an exclusive beer in Troegs’ Summer of Sunshine variety 15-pack, where it will be available again. However, after fans called it “the standout beer,” the Sunshine Salt + Lime goes solo as well, available this summer on draft and as 12-ounce six-packs.
The 4.3% ABV lager is balanced with German Hallertau Tradition hops, while getting flavors from lime zest oil and kosher salt.
— More at Troegs.com
Twisted Irons Adds Hard Seltzers to Their List
A brewery that seems to be able to deliver on almost every beer-style imaginable, Twisted Irons officially has now entered the realm of Hard Selzers.
As the brewery promises: “You asked for it—you got it. Our vodka-based seltzer is just the thing if beer, wine, mead, or cider is not for you.
“Grab a pint and mix with a variety of fruit flavors to create dozens of yummy combinations. A perfect and light summer crusher.”
— More at TwistedIronsBrewery.com
Un Per Due: A Refreshing Cocktail for the Beach or Brunch
It’s bubbly like champagne, and it’s fruity like a radler or shandy — but yet different from all three in its own way.
Un Per Due is actually an Italian Friuli-inspired aperitif. The beverage made a big splash at a recent Movies on Tap event in April with the movie Bridesmaids with guests raving about the taste. With flavors of grapefruit, citrus and ginger, it’s got both zest and some bite, but yet it’s also sweet; and at 6.5%, has a decent kick to it.
Its makers — all Delaware natives — promise that with one sip, “you’ll be whisked away to an Italian sidewalk café.”
— More at UnPerDue.com
