In December 2019, Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley became captivated by a black bear out for a stroll through the city of Wilmington. Rightfully named, DelaBEAR clawed his way through the town, taking in the perfect #VisitWilm adventure before settling in for the winter season.  

Wilmington Brew Works, located right outside of the downtown Wilmington area and a stop along the bear’s route, released a limited edition ‘Double Delaware IPA’ honoring the bear and the social media fervor it inspired. The brew -- which is triple dry hopped with Mosaic, Citra, Vic Secret and Denali Hops -- was an instant hit and one of the brewery’s fastest selling of all time.

As of now, the beer and the bear are back in hibernation. But you never know with this warmer winter we’ve been having … they may appear again sooner than you think.

Delabear isn’t the only beer the brewery has canned recently: 
  • Superfluous Nomenclature (4.8%) a Modern Pale Ale

A dry hopped, Modern Pale Ale in the Northeastern tradition, Superfluous Nomenclature is light and a little sweet with hop forward sensibilities. We start with a minuscule hop addition in the kettle and go heavy on the fermentation hops. This features a classic combination of Amarillo, Citra, and Nugget hops for a refreshingly citrus finish.

The beer is also available at both Delaware Blue Coats and Wilmington Blue Rocks games. 

  • Lupulin Enlightenment, (7.3%) a signature Lactose IPA brewed with a farmhouse yeast 

An enlightening blend of simcoe and mosaic hops with a heavy dose of oats and lactose, this beer remains sweet with the suggestion of apricot puree and tropical fruit. This moment of enlightenment is the brewery’s inaugural dip into deep hoppy goodness.

  • Harmonic Oscillation (10.2%) is a thick and malty Imperial Chocolate Stout.

This beer is dark and rich with a sweet, malty palette. It has a delicious, dark malt presence that never fully develops to roastiness but instead remains deep and chewy with the feel of fresh baked brownies. Harmonic Oscillation is a Dark Chocolate Milkshake Stout brewed with pounds of cocoa.

 

In the taproom, there is currently a fun side-by-side comparison of Luau Punch.
  • Par-Avion - Luau Punch (6.1%), a tropical blend of fruits added to a milkshake sour base for a fun take on a childhood favorite

Surf's Up! Travel to the Hawaiian Islands, or just back to your childhood, with this nostalgic flavor. The only thing it's missing is heaps of Red Dye #5! Watch out for Punchy and let your friends back home know you are doing fine.... send that postcard Par Avion!

  • Ciderosa - Luau Punch (5.5%), a fruited cider take on our popular Ciderosa line

This beer is a crisp and complex take on the brewery’s Luau Punch Sour! They begin with Unchained Reaction cider and blend passion fruit, guava, pineapple, blood orange, and apricot. This Ciderosa has the tantalizing nose one would expect from the moniker "luau punch", but the flavor is much less sweet. Instead, the cider creates that crisp and complex background that makes this an "adult" drink for those who have tired of adulting! Cider is naturally gluten free and our line of cider is also vegan friendly!

Coming soon: look out for The Pulchirnator (Doppelbock) and the St. Patrick's Day Beer Dinner featuring a local chef!

Wilmington Brew Works is the first production brewery to be in Wilmington’s city limits since 1954. Housed in a century-old former laboratory in the Old Ninth Ward, it keeps the spirit of the building’s creative origins alive with new and innovative ales, lagers, sours, and ciders. The company’s family-friendly taproom has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating to enjoy a drink with friends, old and new.