Dogfish Head opened in 1995 as the smallest craft brewery in America and developed into one of the most sought-after and talked about breweries at the turn of the century, before beginning to distill spirits in 2002. The ladybug is the official state bug of Delaware. This is where she lives. The house is unlisted because, well, duh. You’d probably go there and take a bunch of photos, psycho.
Delaware
We opened Comegys in Wilmington over thirty years ago. There wasn’t really anything around this neighborhood, and it was just me and my two brothers. We never had any experience and had no idea what we were doing and had no understanding of how to run a bar. But we knew the community, and we could talk to people. And now, here we are, thirty years later, and that’s my daughter, Candace, behind the bar, and she’s happy. Things seem to be working out.
—Fred Comegys, owner, Comegys Pub (Wilmington)
When I told people I was going to Delaware, they had a pretty consistent response: “The only thing I know about Delaware is from that part in Wayne’s World where they say, ‘Hi … I am in … Delaware …’”
Turns out that Delaware is a fun and fascinating state—albeit small. It is forty-ninth in size, measuring 96 miles long and 9 to 35 miles wide.
Did you know Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution, in 1787? Additionally, the log cabin arrived in the 1600s with Finnish settlers who brought their craftsmanship to Delaware, hopefully enjoying the bounty of American holly trees. A group of second-graders petitioned to have the ladybug be the state insect in 1974, which was when Bob Marley—yes, reggae god Bob Marley—was living in Delaware. Nowadays, people flock to the coast for summer beach weather and Fisher’s caramel popcorn, while celebrating the state’s absence of a sales tax and the fact they have the highest-speed Internet service in the country. Who wouldn’t drink to that?
The state isn’t defined only by its wonderful Dogfish Head Brewery—which opened in 1995 as the smallest craft brewery in America and developed into one of the most sought-after and talked-about breweries at the turn of the century. Along the Atlantic Ocean shoreline, you’ll find radioactive-looking Red Bull drinks and a host of beach-friendly summertime cocktails, colorful slushies, salty Margaritas, and spritzes. There are also plenty of great restaurants elevating their cocktail menus to match the delicious food, such as Wilmington’s Domaine Hudson and Hockessin’s House of William & Merry, and if you’re passing through Smyrna on your way to the beach, “lively up yourself,” as Bob Marley would say, to a Diamond State libation and a small-batch bottle at Painted Stave Distilling.
I went to Delaware because I celebrate the underdogs in life, and if most people were going to claim they did not have an idea of what made our second-smallest state famous or unique, I was going to find it and carry the torch over every late-night bar conversation I would have moving forward. I am happy to report there is a place called Comegys. It is a bucket list bar worth its weight in Orange Crushes (popular not only in Delaware but also widely celebrated on the beaches in Maryland) and wonderful people.
DELAWARE BUCKET LIST BAR
Comegys has iconic photography covering its barroom walls, all thanks to legendary local photographer and owner Fred Comegys, who started taking photos when he was seventeen and photographed such figures as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, and many more. “Ali was one of the nicest human beings on the planet,” Fred told me. Fred opened his bar with his two brothers more than thirty years ago.
Go to Comegys next. It’s the best bar in town. Tell them Nora Wallace’s kid sent ya!
—Erin Wallace, co-owner, The Copper Dram (Greenville) (I did in fact meet mom Nora, who was just as kind as everyone else in Comegys)
I was lucky enough to be there on a Friday night in September, among familiar faces though I’d only just met them—it’s a home away from home. Even though I have been there only once, I still remember every detail, which is why it’s such a special place. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the pub’s Instagram: endless pictures of friends with smiles on their faces, no place they would rather be.
DELAWARE’S OLDEST BAR
At Jessop’s, one of the oldest taverns in America, the staff all wear colonial attire and patrons can look forward to a lively evening, especially if you’re seated next to a group of pesky ghosts trying to bum some of your beer. Jessop’s focuses on Belgian beer with Dutch-, English-, and Swedishinfluenced cuisine. Make sure you try the fish and chips and, as always, save room for the bread pudding.
DELAWARE COCKTAIL BAR
Entering this bar made me feel like I had just walked into a cozy little cabin in the Adirondacks, surrounded by fellow travelers all looking for some solace after a demanding day. UB40’s “Red Red Wine” was playing. There are paintings of women on the walls evoking the Victorian era, but my favorite part of this bar’s aesthetic might be the pennies. Pennies cover the bar face, the back bar, and the bathroom tiles. Copper Dram’s cocktails are creative and feature a wide variety of house-made tinctures and syrups. Try Conner the Barbarian. It’s named after Conner, the young son of owners Erin and Tom, a spirit-forward concoction wielding Famous Grouse Scotch, Drambuie, gunpowder-green oleo-saccharum, and black ash ice.
DELAWARE SPIRIT
I know, right? I, too, thought Dogfish Head made only beer! Well, it just so happens they also make spirits, and not only spirits but lots of different kinds of spirits. Flavors from every corner of the world. Roasted Peanut vodka, Barrel Honey rum, and Sonic Archeology—a Prohibition-era bottled cocktail combining Dogfish Head whiskey, rum, and apple brandy with honey, lemon, and pomegranate juices. The spirits are unfortunately limited to select states on the Eastern seaboard, but who knows what the future holds.
STATE FACT
Thomas Jefferson nicknamed Delaware the “Diamond State” because he felt it was a little jewel in the midst of a sprawling eastern seaboard.
DU PONT
Located in downtown Wilmington, the Hotel Du Pont has always been associated with sophistication, and its cocktails are no exception. This recipe was originally published in Ted Saucier’s Bottoms Up, but the original specs have been updated to reflect a little more woo-woo, and by “woo-woo” I mean flavor. Though I enjoyed the original Du Pont recipe, I feel this modern take elevates the complexity. Bertoux (a California brandy from Jeff Bell, bar director at New York’s PDT) is a great spirit to take a drink to a more seductive level.
1½ ounces American brandy (preferably Bertoux or Copper & Kings)
1½ ounces manzanilla(or amontillado) sherry 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Garnish: orange twist
Stir the ingredients with ice until chilled; strain into a chilled cocktail glass and serve up, garnished with the orange.
If you go to the Sheraton bar in Wilmington, ask for a Lagavulin Scotch. It’s there because I asked them to pick up a bottle, because every bar deserves a little Lagavulin.
—Kevin Quiring, brother-in-law (Minneapolis, MN)
ANALOG COCONUT COOLER
Dogfish Head opened in 1995, but they did not start distilling spirits until 2002, and though they are available only in a limited number of northeastern states, I hope Dogfish Head keeps spreading the goodness across the country (and yes, that is sort of a pun, but sort of not, on Dogfish Head Peanut Butter vodka). I am a fan of coconut water in cocktails, but it’s not as easy to mix with other ingredients as one might think—and this drink uses it to perfection. The Analog is a fairly simple drink to build, so you can get right back to your Frisbee toss on that sunny Rehoboth Beach, with your Bluetooth playing “Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince.
2 ounces Analog vodka (or another American vodka, such as Tito’s)
2 ounces coconut water 1 ounce fresh lime juice
½ ounce simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water)
¼ cup whole fresh cilantro leaves
Garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs or coconut shavings
Combine the ingredients and shake with ice; strain and pour over fresh ice in a chilled highball glass. Sprinkle the glass with a garnish of cilantro or coconut.