 | |
| Location | Newark, Delaware, United States |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1996 |
| Key people | Kevin Finn, Mark Edelson, Kevin Davies |
| Website | https://www.ironhillbrewery.com/ |
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant (Iron Hill) is a scratch brewery and craft restaurant founded in 1996 in Newark, Delaware. The company is recognized for their craft kitchen concept and award-winning beers.
Iron Hill was founded in 1996 by Kevin Finn, Mark Edelson, and Kevin Davies. Soccer friends, Finn and Edelson, enjoyed home brewing in the early 1990s; their love of beer inspired the duo to create a business plan for a future brew pub. [1]
Finn and Edelson began raising money, researching the restaurant industry, and visiting location sites for a potential brew pub in the early 1990s. Eventually, the two invited Kevin Davies, a career restaurateur, as a third partner in their venture. Finn acquired money through family and an SBA loan to open the first Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant on Main Street in Newark, Delaware. [1]
The team estimated that the Newark restaurant would produce $2 million in sales within the first year, however their success in the college centric town produced an extra million in revenue, which can be attributed to food sales. [1]
In 1998, Iron Hill opened a second location in West Chester, Pennsylvania. [2] In May 2018, the restaurant opened its first location in the Southern U.S., in Greenville, South Carolina. Iron Hill launched the 20 for 20 initiative, in which it plans to have 20 locations open in 2020, including a restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia. [3]
Finn discovered the geographic landmark, Iron Hill, in a Delaware book of maps, which explained the site's rich historical background. Finn, Edelson, and Davies chose the company's name after discovering that Iron Hill is considered the highest hill in Delaware and was the site of a significant battle during the Revolutionary War known as the Battle of Cooch's Bridge. [1]
The company's mark is a bird holding barley and hops, which represents two main ingredients found in beer. [1]
Iron Hill Brewery exclusively serves its own beers and offers new American cuisine. Each location brews a variety of beers that are influenced by the season. The brewery's goal is to focus on small batches of beer that are creative and in line with desirable styles and flavors. [1] Currently, hop forward session IPAs are trending in America, and according to Edelson, the brewery aims to offer beers in line with this and other trends. [4] The Philly cheesesteak egg roll is a popular item, and the Drunk Monk Burger was praised as "addictive" by the Harrisburg Patriot-News, which described it as "tremendously juicy." [5] The menu also includes vegetarian and vegan options such as a hummus platter, vegetable penne, black bean vegetable burger, and several salads. [6]
Iron Hill has claimed 48 medals over 22 consecutive years at the Great American Beer Festival, [7] along with several World Beer Cup and restaurant awards. [8] [9]
| Year | Award | Category | Beer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Gold | Munchener Helles category | Lodestone Lager |
| 1998 | Bronze | Strong Scotch Ale category | Wee Heavy |
| 1999 | Bronze | Vienna-Style Lager category | Vienna Lager |
| 1999 | Gold | Bock category | Maibock |
| 2000 | Bronze | Munchener-Style Helles category | Lodestone Lager |
| 2000 | Bronze | Bock category | Maibock |
| 2001 | Bronze | Strong Scotch Ale category | Wee Heavy |
| 2002 | Bronze | Belgian-Style Abbey Ale category | Bedotter |
| 2002 | Bronze | Robust Porter category | Pig Iron Porter |
| 2003 | Bronze | Belgian-Style Abbey Ale category | Bedotter |
| 2003 | Bronze | Munchner-Style Dunkel category | Munich Dunkel |
| 2003 | Gold | Belgian-Style Sour Ale category | Lambic de Hill |
| 2003 | Gold | Imperial Stout category | Russian Imperial Stout |
| 2004 | Bronze | Belgian-Style Abbey Ale category | Bedotter |
| 2004 | Bronze | Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer category | Bourbon Russian |
| 2005 | Large Brewpub of the Year | ||
| 2005 | Bronze | American-style Pale Ale category | Ironbound Ale |
| 2005 | Gold | Belgian-style Sour Ale category | Kreik de Hill |
| 2005 | Gold | Belgian-style Strong Specialty Ale category | The Cannibal |
| 2006 | Bronze | Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer category | Bourbon Ivan |
| 2006 | Gold | Russian Imperial Stout category | Russian Imperial Stout |
| 2007 | Bronze | Belgian-Style Sour Ale category | Kriek de Hill |
| 2008 | Bronze | Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale category | Cassis de Hill |
| 2008 | Gold | Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale category | Lambic de Hill |
| 2008 | Gold | Rye Beer category | Roggenbier |
| 2008 | Gold | French and Belgian-Style Saison category | Saison |
| 2008 | Gold | Vienna-Style Lager category | Vienna Red Lager |
| 2008 | Silver | Wood and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer category | Cherry Dubbel |
| 2009 | Gold | German-Style Schwarzbier category | Schwarzbier |
| 2009 | Silver | American-Style Sour Ale category | Raspberry Torte |
| 2010 | Gold | Robust Porter category | Pig Iron Porter |
| 2010 | Gold | Imperial Stout category | Russian Imperial Stout |
| 2011 | Bronze | Barrel / Wood Aged Stout category | Grand Inquisitor |
| 2011 | Bronze | Vienna-Style Lager category | Vienna Red Lager |
| 2011 | Silver | Imperial Stout category | Russian Imperial Stout |
| 2012 | Bronze | American-Style Black Ale category | Black IPA |
| 2012 | Bronze | Rye Beer category | Roggenbier |
| 2012 | Bronze | Imperial Stout category | Russian Imperial Stout |
| 2012 | Silver | Smoke Beer category | Rauchtoberfest |
| 2013 | Silver | Imperial Stout category | Russian Imperial Stout |
| 2014 | Bronze | English-Style IPA category | Burton IPA |
| 2014 | Silver | Belgian-Style Tripel category | Bedotter |
| 2014 | Silver | Rye Ale category | Rye of the Tiger |
| 2015 | Silver | Imperial Stout category | Russian Imperial Stout |
| 2015 | Silver | Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale | The Cannibal |
| 2016 | Bronze | Bock category | Bridge St. Bock |
| 2017 | Silver | Imperial Stout category | Russian Imperial Stout |
| 2017 | Silver | Aged Beer category | Solzhenitsyn |
| 2018 | Bronze | Aged Beer category | Solzhenitsyn |
| 2021 | Gold | American Pilsner | King's Gold |
| Year | Award | Category | Beer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Bronze Medal | Old Ale category | Old Ale |
| 2004 | Bronze Medal | Belgian-Style Sour Ale category | Framboise de Hill |
| 2004 | Gold Medal | Old Ale category | Old Ale |
| 2004 | Gold Medal | Strong Scotch Ale category | Wee Heavy |
| 2006 | Bronze Medal | Belgian-Style Dubbel category | Abbey Dubbel |
| 2006 | Bronze Medal | Imperial Stout category | Russian Imperial Stout |
| 2006 | Silver Medal | Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale category | Cannibal |
| 2008 | Silver Medal | Vienna-Style Lager category | Vienna Red Lager |
| 2008 | Silver Medal | Strong Scotch Ale category | Wee Heavy |
| 2010 | World Champion Brewery – Large Brewpub | ||
| 2010 | Bronze Medal | Belgian-Style Dubbel category | Abbey Dubbel |
| 2010 | Bronze Medal | Belgian-Style Sour Ale category | Lambic de Hill |
| 2010 | Gold Medal | American-Style Sour Ale category | Raspberry Torte |
| 2010 | Gold Medal | British-Style Imperial Stout category | Russian Imperial Stout |
| 2010 | Silver Medal | British-Style Imperial Stout category | Crazy Ivan |
| 2012 | World Champion Brewery & Brewmaster – Small Brewpub | ||
| 2012 | Bronze | Smoke Beer category | Grodzinski |
| 2012 | Gold | Old Ale or Strong Ale category | Old Ale |
| 2012 | Gold | British-Style Imperial Stout category | Russian Imperial Stout |
| 2014 | World Champion Brewery & Brewmaster – Small Brewpub | ||
| 2014 | Bronze | Traditional German-Style Bock category | Bock |
| 2014 | Bronze | Specialty Honey Beer category | Honey Tripper |
| 2014 | Gold | Aged Beer category | Russian 2009 |
| 2014 | Gold | British-Style Imperial Stout category | Russian Imperial Stout |
| 2014 | Gold | American-Style Brett Beer category | The Golden Child |
| 2016 | Gold | Belgian-Style Tripel category | Bedotter |
| 2016 | Silver | Coffee Beer category | Overload Stout |
| 2016 | Silver | British-Style Imperial Stout category | Russian Imperial Stout |
| 2016 | Silver | Aged Beer category | Solzhenitsyn |
| 2016 | Silver | Double Red Ale category | Valentinus IPA |
| 2018 | Bronze | Aged Beer category | Solzhenitsyn |
| 2018 | Silver | Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale category | The Cannibal |
| 2022 | Silver | Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer | Queen of the North |
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