Delaware Craft Breweries

Craft Breweries in Sussex County


Are you into craft beer? If you take the Cape May-Lewes Ferry to Lewes, there are a few excellent breweries to visit only a short distance from the terminal!

Big Oyster Brewery

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Big Oyster Brewery

Big Oyster Brewery is owned by Fins Hospitality Group. Their mission is to treat all employees and guests like family! You can find their beers being sold all the way from southern Maryland to Eastern Pennsylvania. Come be a part of the family and enjoy one of their most popular beers the “Dang!” IPA, which is brewed with flaked wheat and dry hopped for three times for a pronounced citrus, fruity aroma.

  • 1007 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE 19958

Crooked Hammock Brewery

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Outdoor dining at Crooked Hammock Brewery

Looking for a place to relax and enjoy a delicious meal and craft beer? If so, the Crooked Hammock Brewery is the place to check out. A perfect place to bring the whole family with its backyard containing all types of games to play such as corn hole, ping-pong, ring toss and much more. There is something here for the whole family to enjoy.

  • 36707 Crooked Hammock Way, Lewes DE 19958

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

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Steampunk Treehouse at the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

The off-centered originators of the Delaware craft beer scene, Dogfish Head has been serving up industry-leading and genre-defining craft beers since 1995. Their Milton brewery is a must-stop for craft beer fans, where they offer tours, a huge selection of beers, craft cocktails and off-centered eats. You’re also going to want to check out Brewings & Eats and Chesapeake & Maine in downtown Rehoboth, and if you’re looking for a place to stay, they’ve got you covered there too with the Dogfish Inn in Lewes.

  • Brewery: 6 Cannery Village Center, Milton, DE 19968
  • Brewings & Eats: 320 Rehoboth Avenue. Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
  • Chesapeake & Maine: 316 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Revelation Craft Brewing Company

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Snifter of Revelation Craft Brewing beer on a sandy beach

Revelation sits right along the Junction Breakwater Trail and is a perfect place to stop in for a beer, especially for cyclists out on their rides. They’re serving up an extensive list of high-quality beers and a one-of-a-kind experience, along with food from DaNizza Wood Fired Pizza, making this an inviting place for all!

  • 19841 Central St. Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
 

Pints & Pedals: Bicyclist Beer Tours in Sussex County

Reach the Beach: A Two-Wheeled Brewery Tour

Looking for a way to sample some of Sussex County’s best beers, and get some exercise at the same time? Then grab a friend, your bikes and helmets and check out our recommendations below for short, medium and long-length bike tours centered around a few of the area’s best breweries. And if you happen to be heading the other way- across the Bay, we’ve got a suggested tour of Cape May County as well!


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Map of the cyclist short tour of Lewes from the Cape May - Lewes Ferry

Cyclist short tour

Distance: Up to 6.8 miles round-trip
View Route on Google Maps

Breweries: 

  • Big Oyster Brewery: 1007 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE 19958
  • Crooked Hammock Brewery: 36707 Crooked Hammock way, Lewes, DE 19958

Details: Easy on the legs, big on the beers! From the Lewes terminal, make your way out to the Lewes bike path and pedal over to Big Oyster Brewery. You’ll find a wide variety of beers to choose from, as well as lunch and dinner menus featuring seafood and barbeque options that will be sure to have your mouth watering.  If you need to cut your tour really short, go ahead and turn around here and head back to the terminal. If you’ve got the time to pedal on, jump back on the bikes and continue along the bike path to Crooked Hammock Brewery, where you’ll find a great selection of beers, a huge menu of lunch and dinner options, as well as a backyard area complete with cornhole, ping pong, kids play area, and of course, hammocks!


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medium distance bicycle tour of sussex county breweries

Cyclist medium tour

Distance: 15.4 miles round-trip
View Route on Google Maps

Breweries: 

  • Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant: 19815 Coastal Hwy., Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
  • Revelation Craft Brewing Co.: 19841 Central St. Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
  • Big Oyster Brewery: 1007 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE 19958

Details: Looking to get a decent ride in first before whetting your whistle? Check out our medium tour, which takes you out to Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in Rehoboth Beach. With locations throughout eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, Iron Hill has a reputation for great food and great beer. Pedal on over and check out what they’ve got on offer, or just grab a beer and check out the numerous other eateries in the area. After that, make sure to head over to Revelation Craft Brewing, which sits right along the Junction/Breakwater Trail. With food available from DaNizza Wood Fired Pizza along with an extensive beer list, it’s an inviting place for all and a perfect place to stop on your ride. Then when you’re done, pedal on back to the terminal, making sure to stop by Big Oyster Brewery on your way back if you’re looking for some additional refreshment!

Extra Credit: Though it can be a bit tricky to get to on a bicycle – especially if you have to cross the highway, Thompson Island Brewing Company is well worth the trip if you can fit it in. Opened in 2019, they’ve got a full menu of mouth-watering options and a line-up of beers that will make you want to plan another trip asap!


Cyclist long tour of Sussex County from the Cape May - Lewes Ferry

Cyclists Long Tour

Distance: 16.6 miles round-trip
View Route on Google Maps

Breweries:

  • Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats: 320 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Details: From the terminal, head out through Cape Henlopen State Park and make your way down the beach along the path, until you reach Rehoboth Beach roughly 8 miles down the road. This is a longer ride, but when the destination is Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats, you know it’s going to be worth it. Beers? You know Dogfish Head has them. From signature IPA’s to mouthwatering sours to creative concoctions, Dogfish Head has beers covered. And with food available at Brewing & Eats as well as their seafood restaurant Chesapeake & Maine (located right next door), there are plenty of options to refuel for your ride back to the terminal!

Pints and Pedals: A Cyclist’s Beer Tour of Cape May County

Explore the Shore: A Two-Wheeled Brewery Tour

Looking for a way to sample some of Cape May County’s best beers, and get some exercise at the same time? Then grab a friend, your bikes and helmets and check out our recommendations below for short, medium and long-length bike tours centered around a few of the area’s best breweries.  You can certainly mix and match between the tours, but we’ve listed only three per loop so you don’t get loopy while riding through the County.

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Map of Bicycle Tour from Cape May Terminal to Cape May Brewing Company

Cyclist Short Tour

Distance: 10.6-mile loop
View Route on Google Maps

Breweries:

  • Gusto Brewery. Address: 3860 Bayshore Road, Cape May, NJ 08204
  • Cape May Brewing Co. Address: 1200 Hornet Road, Rio Grande, NJ 08242.
  • Cold Spring Brewery. Address: 733 Seashore Road, Cape May, NJ 08204.

Details: This loop might be short on distance, but it’s big on great beers! Head out from the terminal and make your way to Cape May’s newly opened brewery, Gusto Brewing Company, located just up the road from the Ferry terminal on the corner of Lincoln Blvd and Bayshore Road. They’ve got a great local vibe to go along with a bunch of tasty beers on tap.

Next, you can head to one of New Jersey’s premier independent craft breweries, Cape May Brewing Co., located at the Cape May County Airport. Tour the facility and sample a wide range of options from Belgians to Stouts to their famous IPA’s. If you’re hungry, grab a seat at the Flight Deck Diner located near the Naval Air Station Wildwood museum also at the Airport.

From there, head back towards the terminal and turn back the clock with a visit to Cold Spring Brewery, located in historic Cold Spring Village. The Brewery is located in a fully restored barn built in Cape May County in the early 1800’s, and features a number of great beers to choose from.

When you get back to the terminal, be sure to stop in at Exit Zero’s Boat Drinks for a hard earned meal and a cold beverage!

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Map of Bicycle Tour from Cape May Terminal to 7 Mile Brewery

Cyclist Medium Tour

Distance: 7.7 miles one-way, 14.7 mile loop
View Route on Google Maps

Breweries:

  • Gusto Brewery. Address: 3860 Bayshore Road, Cape May, NJ 08204
  • 7 Mile Brewery. Address: 1200 Hornet Road, Rio Grande, NJ 08242.
  • Behr Brewing, 513 Seashore Road, Erma NJ, 08204

Details: If you’re looking to stretch your legs a bit more, this one’s for you. From the Ferry, you can make a quick stop a Gusto Brewery which is right on the corner of Lincoln Blvd and Bayshore Rd. After leaving Gusto, pedal your way along the route (mostly bike path), until you reach 7 Mile Brewery, located in Rio Grande. 7 Mile offers a wide variety of beers, and the largest indoor tasting room in the state. There are several options for food nearby, including a few places that will deliver to you at the brewery!

From there, head back towards the terminal, taking time for a stop at Behr Brewing, the newest Craft Brewery in the area that had its opening in early 2022.

When you get back to the terminal, be sure to stop in at Exit Zero’s Boat Drinks for a hard earned meal and a cold beverage!

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Map of Bike Tour from Cape May Terminal to Bucket Brigade Brewery

Cyclist Long Tour

Distance: 12.9 miles one-way, 27.9 mile loop
View Route on Google Maps

Breweries:

  • Bucket Brigade Brewery. Address: 205 N Main Street, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
  • Coho Brewing Co. Address: 28 Indian Trail Rd. #103, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
  • Cold Spring Brewery. Address: 733 Seashore Road, Cape May, NJ 08204

Details: Up for a challenge? More interested in pedaling than sipping? Then this one’s for you. From the terminal, head north nearly 13 miles into Cape May Court House. Once there, head to Bucket Brigade Brewery, a new brewery founded by two firefighter brothers with deep ties to Cape May County. Choose from a variety of beers, and enjoy the firehouse atmosphere. If you’re in need of something to eat, there are plenty of restaurants in the area, including the Court House Diner.

From there, take the bike path down to Coho Brewing Co. Coho Brewing is a newly added brewery that has a law and order theme for its beer choices, such as their “Hazeus Corpus”, which is a New-England style IPA, and plenty of other delicious brews!

After stopping at Coho Brewing, take the bike path back to the terminal, and if you’re up for it you can make a third stop at Cold Spring Brewery on your way back (see short tour for more info on Cold Spring).

Create Your Own Tour

There are several other craft breweries in Cape May County if you want to stretch your legs and your distance – just remember to leave yourself enough time to make it back! They include:

  • Mudhen Brewing Co., located at 127 W Rio Grande Ave, Wildwood, NJ 08260 (9.5 miles from the Terminal)
  • Slack Tide Brewing Company, located at 1072 Route 83, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 (21.3 miles from the Terminal)
  • Ludlam Island Brewery, located at 9 Stoney Ct, Ocean View, NJ 08230 (25.2 miles from the Terminal)

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