During the Revolutionary War, a fierce battle is fought atop Iron Hill, outside of Newark, Delaware. Soldiers fight for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – unaware that in more than 200 years, a group of Delaware locals will exercise that right to pursue happiness by opening a brewery right down the road. They will name it Iron Hill in honor of what the soldiers fought for.
Kevin Finn, one of those Delaware locals, receives a homebrewing kit from his wife for his birthday in 1990. What starts as a hobby soon becomes a passion. His friend, Mark Edelson, takes an interest and begins brewing with him. Soon, they decide to enter their beers in competitions. Surprising even themselves, they start bringing home some impressive awards.
During 1994 the duo begins to wonder, “Could we do this for a living?” Lucky for them, a friend introduces them to Kevin Davies, an experienced restaurant professional. It only takes a few conversations to decide that together they could open an innovative brewery and restaurant concept. It’s time to take the brewing out of Kevin’s basement!
On November 14th, 1996, Iron Hill officially pours its first beer and serves its first dish at 147 E Main St in Newark, Delaware. A year later in September, the team decides to swing for the fences. At less than a year old, Iron Hill enters the American Brewer’s Association’s Great American Beer Festival (GABF), the industry’s premiere competition. Newcomers to the scene, they take the crowd and critics by surprise when their Lodestone Lager wins a gold medal. It is the first of many.
The trio decides to open a second location in West Chester, PA in 19978. They determined, quite boldly, that it, and every future location, would have an on-site brewery. They wanted to guarantee the same quality, freshness, and innovation that had made their first location so successful. Opening day arrives, and the annual West Chester Restaurant Festival is going on right outside. The crowd is so large that they must close for the next few days just to regain inventory and catch their breath
