Check out Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant's UD-inspired beer that was made by students

Krys'tal Griffin, Delaware News Journal
·2 min read

Delaware is home to plenty of University of Delaware fans repping Blue Hens any way they can, and if you’re one of them, you know the Blue Hen spirit encompasses everything from apparel to car decals to bobbleheads and plenty more — but what about a Blue Hen beer?

For all the beer-loving fans of the Fightin’ Blue Hens out there, you can take your blue-and-gold pride a step further with Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant's newest boozy creation, which was created by 15 UD students: Blue Hen Haze.

What is Blue Hen Haze?

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant has plenty of original beers on tap, and a University of Delaware-inspired brew just joined the ranks: Blue Hen Haze.
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant has plenty of original beers on tap, and a University of Delaware-inspired brew just joined the ranks: Blue Hen Haze.

Iron Hill partnered with an undergraduate course through the department of animal and food science within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Delaware called the “craft brewing practicum.” The three-hour course met weekly at Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant on Main Street in Newark and was taught by Seth Mathlery, a sales manager for Iron Hill.

From this partnership — and through learning about the history of beer, how to brew beer, the beer market and more — Blue Hen Haze was born.

“Our first offering of this class on craft beer brewing and management, taught primarily by Iron Hill employees and their owner, was a huge success for all,” said Erik Ervin, chair for the department of plant and soil sciences at UD. “The students loved learning from local professionals, with at least one student now applying for a job in the industry. We hope to continue and expand this educational partnership next year.”

The New England-style juicy, hazy IPA is the culmination of formulation and brewing efforts by students in the court and is named after UD’s mascot and athletic teams, the Blue Hens. Blue Hen Haze was brewed with Cascade and Centennial hops and dry-hopped with El Dorado and Galaxy hops, creating zesty notes of citrus and tropical fruits, according to Iron Hill.

The first Iron Hill Brewery restaurant opened in 1996 on Main Street in Newark. The chain now boasts 20 locations across the East Coast from Philadelphia to Georgia.
The first Iron Hill Brewery restaurant opened in 1996 on Main Street in Newark. The chain now boasts 20 locations across the East Coast from Philadelphia to Georgia.

“Over the years, Iron Hill has collaborated with the University of Delaware through several events. However, sharing our expertise and highlighting the deep bench of brewing talent with undergraduate students was truly special,” said Mark Edelson, founder and vice president of beer for Iron Hill.

While there are plenty of jokes to make about college kids who spend a lot of their time downing beers turning the tables and brewing up some of their own, we’ll get straight to the point and share that Blue Hen Haze is now on tap at Iron Hill’s Newark and Wilmington locations.

Visit Iron Hill in Newark at 147 E. Main St. or in Wilmington at 620 Justison St.  

Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys'tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com. 

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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant releases UD beer made by students