WILMINGTON, DELAWARE
Two miles south of Wilmington Brew Works, downtown Wilmington’s STITCH HOUSE BREWERY came to fruition in 2018. Using “tailored to drink” as its slogan, the brownstone-fronted, cement-floored, 7,000 square foot pub features a 15-seat zinc-topped elongated bar (with 20-plus draught taps), mod Industrial decor (such as centralized aluminum community tables), wood benched rear tables and glass-encased stainless steel brew tanks.
An open kitchen serves sandwiches, wraps and burgers while specialty cocktails and fine spirits are also available.
The outdoor front deck gets packed on Saturday night as my wife and I try eight versatile brews mid-July ’21.
Spritzy lemony orange fizzing peps up mild chamomile-lemongrass herbage and delicate coriander spicing above pillowy white wheat bed of Friends Witte Benefits, a tidy witbier.
Salty passionfruit pureed Berliner Weisse, Pucker Up, gained tartly limed lactobacillus souring over yogurt-soured wheat flouring.
Orange-dried floral spicing and herbal nuances dotted My Neck, Maibock’s toasted amber-grained pilsner malting.
Lemony orange-peeled banana fruiting topped Shipley Saison, leaving polite clove-cardamom spicing on the rye-dried pilsner malt base.
Sharp citrus pining greeted Snitchz Get Stitchz, a dry Imperial IPA with herbal-spiced grapefruit, orange and pineapple licks.
Smoked beechwood gathered barley roasted sweetness and dewy scorched earthiness for Rauch Haus Smoked Marzen, an easygoing German rauchbier.
Coconut-toasted chocolate sweetness contrasted light-roast coffee tones for Coconut Pete’s Porter, allowing vanilla, praline and buttermilk illusions to shelter the dewy peat bottom.
Black-malted dark chocolate chalking, nutty espresso tones and charred hops lightly embittered Sho Nuff Stout, recalling a dry Irish stout.