Deleware - What to grab

the Total Wine in Claymont DE should be on their way back from the shore. you can pre-buy stuff on their website and have it ready to be picked up. there is an option for 3rd party pickup you'll need to fill out.

your better options will be in Philly but it will be costly and a bit out of the way unless additional driving is an option. Pinocchio's in Media PA might be the closest between airport and shore points.

 

Total Wine in Claymont, DE has quite a bit of beer on their shelves. Having stated that a fair portion of those beers are old. Perhaps for the case of BA Stouts and Sours this is not too much of a concern?

Cheers!

 

Perhaps you could search their site:

http://www.totalwine.com/store-info/delaware-claymont/101#explorestore

Cheers!

 

another option would be State Line. not quite on the way to the shore but good prices and a good website listing of what they have available. they will also hold beers for you if you email them.

http://www.statelineliquors.com/

 

Iron Hill has an RIS that is pretty tasty. And cellars well.
http://www.ironhillbrewery.com/wilmington/bottled-reserves.htm

 

Burley Oak Brewing in Berlin MD (about 20 minutes from the shore) has Sorry Chicky (a dry hopped sour) and Tart Attack (Sour Red Ale) for your wife. Their Lost IPA is just freakin' excellent (I know it's not a BA Stout, but it's still excellent.) Their web site (http://burleyoak.com/) has a "where to find us" feature if your relatives don't want to drive to Berlin. (But they should: Berlin was voted "America's Coolest Small Town" in 2014, and there are tons of small shops, antiques, etc. in the downtown area).

Another option would be Mispillion River Brewing (http://www.mispillionriverbrewing.com/) in Milford, DE. Their Seven Swords is an excellent Stout (although not barrel-aged). Not sure if it's readily available, though.

And of course there's Dogfish Head (https://www.dogfish.com/). They have such an extensive and eclectic selection it's hard to know where to begin. Their World Wide Stout is just outstanding - and potent at 18% ABV. They have oak-aged and BBA versions but I'm not sure if they're easily available. (And at that ABV I'm not sure i would be aware of the difference....) No sours that I know of.

All three of these breweries have pretty good distribution throughout coastal DE - and "finder" apps on their web sites - so it shouldn't be too difficult to find something to suit you and your wife.

If you could convince your couriers to step up to a couple of 32-oz growlers, your options would expand vastly. There's a lot of good beer in Delaware, but not all of it gets canned.

PS - It would be cool if you'd post back here after you get whatever you get, and give us your opinion!

 

Outlet Liquors on Rt 1 in Rehoboth has some of the BIG DFH beers still on the shelf including WWS and 120, Immort and Burton Baton.

 

They can probably find Evolution's Nouveau Rouge either at Atlantic Liquors, Rt. 1, in Rehoboth, Or a Total Wine, where will they be staying?

 

Total Wine Claymont isn't a particularly good store for buying beer, although there is an outside chance some BA Old Rasputin is sitting on the shelf there.