Delmarva isn’t so much a region as a loose designation comprising coastal Delaware, and the Maryland and Virginia eastern shores. Those few people who are familiar with it know resort towns like Bethany Beach, Rehoboth and Ocean City, sleepy places when the weather isn’t fair. Over the last few years, however, the reputation of its breweries has drawn travelers who want more than a place in the sun. Exploring the small, lesser-known towns of the area’s rural interior has become something of a sport for craft beer enthusiasts, many of whom start at one of the craft beer Meccas and work their way north and south.

Dogfish Head and so much more

Tony Russo The (now famous) Dogfish Head Steampunk Tree House in Milton, Del. draws thousands of visitors to the region annually. The Dogfish Head brewery and distillery is a must see for beer geeks.

When it opened in 1995, Dogfish Head was the smallest brewery in the country. Last year it was the 13th largest, thanks, in no small part, to the massive success of its iconic 60 Minute IPA as well as founder Sam Calagione’s approach to what has become known as Extreme Brewing. The brewery set the standard for pushing taste possibilities and boundaries, brewing everything from lost recipes of the ancient world to a chocolate lobster beer to the most bitter beer ever brewed. It’s most important contribution, though, was inspiring and empowering the notion being a successful craft brewer on rural Delmarva. It also inspired a generation of local brewers to start taking chances. Dogfish Head was instrumental in turning the agricultural aspect of the beach resort area into a craft beer destination.

A place where world class beer is the standard

Tony Russo At Fin City Brewing Company in West Ocean City they brew above the bar and let gravity do the rest when it comes to filling the kegs.

By the time Dogfish was on the verge of becoming one of the largest craft breweries in the country, the small breweries it inspired were up and running all over the region. Delmarva breweries from Mispillion River in Milford, Del. to Evolution Craft Brewing in Salisbury, Md. were winning awards and regional and national beer competitions. Moreover, these breweries (which today are approaching 30 in number) were becoming destinations in themselves, with craft beer enthusiasts who had come to visit Dogfish Head taking in some of the other breweries on their stay. Beercations to Ocean City, which has become a hub because of its central location, started to become a thing. Over the past two years Delmarva has transformed from a place where people on vacation visited breweries to a place where people vacation in order to visit breweries.

Beer on the beach in the dead of winter

Tony Russo Eric Williams of Mispillion River Brewing shows off his Reach Around IPA at Love on Tap and winter beach beer festival.

Seacrets is a wildly popular bar when the sun is shining and the weather is mild, but last February it was packed as people came from all over Maryland, Pennsylvania and D.C. to drink Shore craft beer at the local beer only Love on Tap. The attraction is driven as much by off-season hotel rates as by the opportunity to try beers made exclusively for local consumption. Similarly, with other local beer festivals that have beer exclusive to the region, people come because they have access to the brewers and brewery reps and also the beer, which in some cases has literally become legendary.

Summertime word of mouth blooms in the autumn

Tony Russo This group of friends came from Ohio for the opportunity to taste all of the local beers in one fell swoop at OCtoberfest in Ocean City.

What makes the breweries legendary is that millions of people visit the region each summer and stumble upon the Delmarva beer culture almost by accident. In the restaurants of Lewes, Del. and the bars of Ocean City, they try local beers and are captivated; they brag about being at this or that brewery. Exclusivity has more than a little cache among beer geeks and all of the breweries provide the kind of place-specific experience craft beer geeks like to brag about. During the fall and winter, the breweries increasingly are filled with day trippers and long weekenders who come for the beer and stay for exploring the back roads and quaint downtowns that connect the breweries.