Thompson Island Brewing & 3 Stars Brewing Create Triple IPA

From Thompson Island:

REHOBOTH BEACH, DE . (Jan. 14, 2021) — The brewing teams at Thompson Island Brewing Company in Rehoboth Beach and 3 Stars Brewing Company in Washington, D.C., have collaborated to create First & Last, a hazy triple IPA made with Sabro, Simcoe and Mosaic hops.

The name salutes both breweries’ homes. Delaware is The First State because its delegates were the first to ratify the U.S. Constitution in 1787. Washington, D.C., is a district, but there’s been a movement to make it the country’s 51st state.

The label furthers the theme. A lighthouse framed by a curled wave stands near a silhouette of the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument.

The collaboration is the brainchild of brothers Jimmy and Steve Valm and Meth Gunasinghe. Jimmy is the brewmaster for SoDel Concepts, which owns Thompson Island and is building Ocean View Brewing Company in Ocean View, Delaware. Steve is the back-of-house operations manager at 3 Stars, and Gunasinghe is 3 Stars’ head brewer.

“We’ve wanted to work together for some time,” Jimmy Valm said. “Rehoboth is known as the Nation’s Summer Capital due to the number of D.C. tourists we host here. It’s a natural collaboration in more ways than one.”

Mike McGarvey, CEO and founder of 3 Stars Brewing Company, agreed. “Given the link that so many Washingtonians have to the Delaware beaches, I was excited to collaborate with Thompson Island when I learned of Steve’s family connection.”

Triple IPAs boast more malts and hops than double IPAs, which ramps up the flavor and fragrance. Triples typically possess more of a punch. First & Last, for instance, has a 9.5% ABV.

The beer will be available in cans at Thompson Island sometime during the last week of January. Visit thompsonislandbrewing.com/events for the release date.

For more information, visit thompsonislandbrewing.com.

About SoDel Concepts

Based in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, SoDel Concepts is a multifaceted, award-winning hospitality group with 18 business operations: 16 coastal restaurants, three sports concessions and a wedding-and-events venue. Restaurants include Fish On, Surf Bagel and Matt’s Fish Camp in Lewes; The Clubhouse at Baywood in Millsboro; Crust & Craft, Bluecoast Seafood Grill + Raw Bar, Thompson Island Brewing Company, Surf Bagel Midway and Lupo Italian Kitchen in Rehoboth; Matt’s Fish Camp and Bluecoast Seafood Grill + Raw Bar in Bethany Beach; NorthEast Seafood Kitchen and Ocean View Brewing Company in Ocean View; and Catch 54, Papa Grande’s Coastal Taqueria, and Matt’s Fish Camp in Fenwick Island.

SoDel Concepts’ divisions include Haley/Kammerer, a hospitality consulting firm, SoDel Concessions, a hospitality management company, and Matt’s Homemade Soda Co., a line of artisanal sodas.

Chef Matt Haley, the recipient of the James Beard Foundation’s 2014 Humanitarian of the Year Award, founded SoDel Concepts in 2004. After his death in 2014, Scott Kammerer, president of SoDel Concepts, started the SoDel Cares Foundation in his honor. The nonprofit supports local organizations that assist children, at-risk youth and adults, and the elderly. SoDel Care’s primary mission is to contribute in a positive way to the communities in which SoDel Concepts does business. For additional information, visit sodelconcepts.com.