Our Vision
To once again be recognized as the world's premier brewery restaurant, where exceptional beer, food, and hospitality come together.
Iron Hill
Since 1996 · Three-Time World Champion
Our Story
It all began with three friends who shared a simple belief, never serve a beer they wouldn't proudly drink themselves. More than 30 years and over 70 awards later, that same commitment to quality continues to guide every pint we pour.
Brewed On Site ✦ Cooked From Scratch ✦ 3× World Champion ✦ 70+ Medals ✦ Since 1996 ✦ Iron Insider ✦ Brewed On Site ✦ Cooked From Scratch ✦ 3× World Champion ✦ 70+ Medals ✦ Since 1996 ✦ Iron Insider ✦
3×World Champion Brewery
49GABF Medals
35World Beer Cup Medals
1996Where it all began
How it started
Three Friends. One Uncompromising Vision.
In 1996, three friends opened the first Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in Newark, Delaware, named after the historic Iron Hill, where the Battle of Cooch's Bridge was fought.
Their vision was refreshingly simple: brew every beer on-site, prepare every dish from scratch, and create a place where everyone feels like a regular. It wasn't about following trends. It was about doing things the right way, even when it wasn't the easy way.
That commitment paid off almost immediately. In its very first year, Iron Hill's Lodestone Lager earned a Gold Medal at the Great American Beer Festival—the beginning of a legacy that would grow to more than 70 national and international brewing awards.
But accolades have never defined who we are.
For us, the greatest achievements happen around the table. They're found in conversations over a fresh pint, celebrations shared with family and friends, and the familiar faces who make every visit feel like coming home.
Nearly three decades later, that same commitment still guides everything we do: exceptional craft beer, scratch-made food, and genuine hospitality. One pint, one plate, and one memorable experience at a time.
Our Mission
To inspire loyalty through exceptional beer, inspired food, and warm hospitality that make every visit memorable.
What we recommit to
Some things do not need reinventing. Just recommitting.
Everything we do still stands on three simple promises. They have not changed since day one, and they are not about to.
The Craft.
Some values are worth preserving. For nearly three decades, we’ve stayed true to what started it all: brewing with purpose, cooking with care, and bringing people together.
The Care.
Trends change. our commitment does not. From exceptional beer to scratch-made food and heartfelt hospitality, we continue to honor the values that built Iron Hill.
The Commitment.
Trends come and go; our standards remain. Since day one, we’ve stayed committed to exceptional beer, scratch-made food, and genuine hospitality in every pint poured, and every plate served.
Our journey
Three decades of award-winning craft.
1996
Our first batch
Iron Hill opens in Newark, Delaware. Beer brewed on site, food made from scratch, and a new idea of what a brewpub could be.
1997
Our first Gold
Lodestone Lager takes Gold at the Great American Beer Festival, one year in. The start of a winning habit that would span more than fifty GABF medals.
2000
Expanding the brewpub family
The Iron Hill family grew with new brewpub locations, each built on the same commitment to award-winning beer, scratch-made food, and authentic hospitality.
2005
Brewpub of the year
Named GABF Large Brewpub of the Year, the top honor at the country's most prestigious beer competition. Three Golds that same year, including The Cannibal.
2010World Champion I
Champions of the world
Crowned World Beer Cup Champion Brewery, Large Brewpub, with four medals. Russian Imperial Stout and Raspberry Torte both take Gold on the world stage.
2012World Champion II
Back to back
World Beer Cup Champion Brewery and Brewmaster, Small Brewpub. The Russian Imperial Stout wins Gold again, joined by Old Ale.
2014World Champion III
A third crown
Three Golds in one year, Russian Imperial Stout, The Golden Child and Russian 2009, and a third World Championship. Almost nobody does this once. We did it three times.
2025Still Winning
Our craft keeps earning
Two more at the 2025 World Beer Cup, Silver for East Side Gallery and Bronze for The Cannibal. Three decades on, and still collecting hardware.
2026The Return
OUR DOORS ARE OPEN AGAIN
Ironhill returns with the team that shaped the early years. A new chapter begins, rooted in the same craft and the same communities, starting in Center City Philadelphia.
Today
CONTINUING THE CRAFT
The journey continues with a commitment to brewing exceptional beer, creating memorable dining experiences, and staying true to the craft that has defined Iron Hill for more than three decades.
Behind the beer
Meet the Brewers
Mike DegerLancaster
My philosophy:“Relax, don’t worry, have a homebrew.”
Ken OrnerHuntingdon Valley
My philosophy:“Brew with passion, craft with purpose, and let every combination of malt and hops create a beer worth sharing.”
Pete “Soup” CampbellCenter City
My philosophy:“I enjoy brewing because it’s fun and creative. And Iron Hill has that same vibe of fun and creativity.”
Eric BoiceWilmington
My philosophy:“At the end of the day, it is always about beer.”
The most decorated
The beers behind the medals.
Russian Imperial Stout
Imperial Stout
Our most decorated beer, full stop. Big, velvety and warming, with gold at both the GABF and the World Beer Cup across 2003 through 2014. The cornerstone of every championship.
The Cannibal
Belgian-Style Strong Ale
Chris LaPierre's bold Belgian-style strong ale. It took bronze at the 2025 World Beer Cup, poured in his memory, twenty years after its first gold.
East Side Gallery
Berliner-Style Weisse
Bright, tart and refreshing, our Berliner-style weisse earned silver at the 2025 World Beer Cup, proof the new chapter is already winning.
Lodestone Lager
Münchener Helles
The one that started it all. Iron Hill's first gold medal, earned the year after opening, and the spark for a tradition that never really cooled off.
The Golden Child
American-Style Brett Beer
Funky, complex and confident, one of three golds in our third World Championship year. A brewer's beer, through and through.
Raspberry Torte
American-Style Sour Ale
Tart, ruby-bright and unforgettable, a gold-medal sour from our very first World Champion year.
About Iron Hill
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant was founded in 1996 in Newark, Delaware. For more than three decades it has brewed award-winning beer on site and cooked scratch-made food at every location.
More than 70 medals at the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup combined, three World Championships (2010, 2012, 2014) and GABF Large Brewpub of the Year in 2005. Most recently, two medals at the 2025 World Beer Cup.
Yes, three times over. Iron Hill was named World Beer Cup Champion Brewery in 2010 (Large Brewpub), 2012 (Small Brewpub) and 2014 (Small Brewpub), one of the most prestigious honors in craft brewing.
The Russian Imperial Stout, with 13 medals and golds at both the GABF and the World Beer Cup across 2003 through 2014. It remains a signature of the brewery to this day.
Every location brews its own beer on site with a dedicated head brewer and a full scratch kitchen. Three World Championships, more than 70 medals and three decades of craft make it one of the most decorated brewpub brands in the country.
The best is being brewed.
Three decades of craft, community and championship beer, and we are just getting started. Come taste what is next.