Brewery Trails
[social_warfare] No matter where you are on the shore, you’re only minutes away from a great local brewery, but with so many to choose from, it can be a difficult task to figure out which order to visit them in. To make it easier on you, we’ve grouped the breweries into individual trails, based on their location, so you can make the most of your next trip around the peninsula.
Salisbury Trail
Evolution, Rubber Soul, 3rd Wave
Known as ‘The Crossroads of Delmarva,’ Salisbury is home to several breweries. Stop by Evolution Craft Brewing Co. to enjoy hand crafted beers that pair perfectly with the fresh seasonal food served up at Public House Restaurant, or sip pints and grab beer to go at the taphouse.
Just minutes from Evo is the Rubber Soul Brewing Co. a small cyclist themed brewery, run by a brewer who previously spent 7 years at Dogfish Head, that focuses on classic styles done the right way.
A few miles north in Delmar, DE, in the same building where Evo got its start, is the 3rd Wave Brewing Co., which is the area’s only all female run brewery and specializes in seasonal fruit beers and sours.
Route 50 Corridor Trail
Tall Tales, Burley Oak, Fin City
As you travel Route 50 between Salisbury and Ocean City, you have the chance to check out some of the most unique breweries in the area. Just off the highway in Parsonsburg, MD is Tall Tales Brewing Co., where legends and folklore come to life in the form of creative brews.
Berlin, MD was named ‘America’s Coolest Small Town’ in 2014, and the Burley Oak Brewing Co. was a big reason why. Rated as ‘World-Class’ by BeerAdvocate, Burley Oak offers some of the most inventive and exciting brews not only in our area, but anywhere in the country.
Where Route 50 meets Ocean City, you’ll find the Fin City Brewing Co. in the rafters of Hooper’s Crab House and overlooking the Assawoman Bay. Fin City is known for its ‘obscenely fresh handcrafted ales’ that pay homage to local beach culture.
Waterfront Brewery Trail
Fin City, Assawoman Brewing, Backshore Brewing
Sipping beers by the water is an experience all craft beer drinkers should enjoy, and Fin City is the perfect first stop for a waterfront tour of Ocean City.
Ocean City’s first brewery, Backshore Brewing Co. is appropriately located along the Boardwalk with a front row view of the Atlantic Ocean. Backshore has a wide range of traditional and non-traditional beers as well as HoopTea- a homemade alcoholic tea line.
After checking out two of Ocean City’s first breweries, visit one of the newest ones. Assawoman Bay Brewing Co. is run by a brewer who got his start at Dogfish and known for its classic brews and spectacular views.
OC Bus Trail
Backshore Brewing, Assawoman Bay Brewing, OC Brewing Company
The perfect way to enjoy drinking local responsibly if you don’t have a designated driver.
After finishing a skateboard flight at Backshore on 10th St, hop the OC Bus and head to Assawoman on 45th to try the award-winning Trans-porter and other classic styles. Then get dropped off at Ocean City Brewing Co. where you can tour the full production brewery, sample any of 24 housemade beers, or grab a bite to eat and watch the game on numerous big screen TVs.
Delaware Beaches Trail
Dogfish Head, Dewey Beer Co., Crooked Hammock
If you continue up the shoreline into Delaware you have the chance to sample brand new brews as well as old favorites.
A visit to Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats in Rehoboth is an absolute must for any craft beer lover. Before and after sipping pints where this craft beer icon got its start, make sure to plan stops at the Dewey Beer Company on Coastal Highway in Dewey and Crooked Hammock Brewery in Lewes.
Delaware Inland Trail
16 Mile, Dogfish Head, Mispillion, Fordham and Dominion
Traveling away from the coast in Delaware will put you on the path to enjoy places such as 16 Mile Brewery in Georgetown, Dogfish’s production brewery in Milton, Mispillion River Brewing in Milford, and the nationally known Fordham and Dominion Brewing Co. in Dover.
Mid-shore Trail
Eastern Shore Brewing, RAR, Federal Brewing, Market Street Public House
If you’re looking to drink local but aren’t near the beach, there are also plenty of amazing brewery options in the Maryland counties of Dorchester, Talbot, and Caroline..
The oldest brewery on the Shore, Eastern Shore Brewing Co. is found in scenic St. Michaels and has been a pioneer of local brewing since it opened.
In downtown Cambridge you’ll find RealAle Revival, or RAR for short, where they brew everything from habanero IPAs to classic stouts.
In Caroline County, coffee and craft beer come together at the Federal Brewing Co. in Federalsburg, and Market Street Public House brews up its own beers on the premise of Denton’s only Irish pub.
Crisfield Trail
Chesapeake Brewing Co.
An outlier from our other trails, but well worth the trip, the Chesapeake Brewing Company can be found in Crisfield. Head there to sample the brewery’s exceptional oyster stout or other locally inspired brews.
While you’re in Crisfield, explore this historic waterman’s town, dine on an authentic Maryland crabcake, or take a boat tour to Smith or Tangier Island.
