Iron Hill Brewing

Iron Hill Brewery launches hazy ‘Dankonia’

Iron Hill Brewery releases Dankonia, a New England-style IPA location wide today. 

Each location will have a special small bite available to pair with the first pours of Dankonia. Additionally, Dankonia IPA posters will be available while supplies last. 

It’s a whole Continue Reading →

Iron Hill Brewery opens in Atlanta

A look inside Iron Hill Brewery’s most southern expansion to date, in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, Georgia

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant made its highly anticipated Georgia debut in December 2020, opening its 18th location in Atlanta’s upscale Buckhead neighborhood Continue Reading →

Posted in Headlines, Iron Hill Brewing

Iron Hill Brewery Shuts Down All Locations After Earlier Pledge to Close Only Three

Just weeks after announcing the closure of three locations including their original build, Iron Hill has announced a full shutdown.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant announced the immediate closure of all its remaining locations on Thursday, just two weeks after company leadership assured stakeholders that only three underperforming sites would be shuttered. The dramatic reversal caught employees and customers off guard, with staff receiving termination notices via email citing “ongoing financial challenges” and the company’s decision to file for bankruptcy. The closure affects all 16 locations across five states—Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, South Carolina, and Georgia—ending a 29-year run that began with a single brewpub in Newark, Delaware.

The abrupt about-face comes after CEO Mark Kirke struck an optimistic tone just 15 days earlier, describing the September 10 closure of three locations in Newark, Chestnut Hill, and Voorhees as “part of a larger growth story” aimed at “strengthening our brand and positioning Iron Hill for long-term success.” The company had emphasized that 16 locations would “remain open and serving guests,” with Kirke stating the closures were necessary adaptations “to a changing business landscape.” The brewery announced the final closure on Instagram and Facebook with a brief message: “It has been our pleasure to serve you, and we are deeply grateful for your support, friendship, and loyalty over the years,” while internal communications revealed that management had been working behind the scenes to secure funding while publicly maintaining confidence in the brand’s future.

Iron Hill’s sudden collapse mirrors the broader crisis facing craft brewing, exemplified by 21st Amendment Brewery’s closure earlier this month after 25 years of operations. The Bay Area pioneer, once ranked among the nation’s top 50 craft breweries by volume, shuttered both its San Francisco taproom and San Leandro production facility when its financial lender withdrew support, citing industry-wide challenges and the company’s ongoing “cash bleed.”

Both closures underscore the harsh reality facing established craft brewers as sales have declined approximately 20% annually since 2021, with younger consumers (with seemingly zero brand loyalty) gravitating toward hard seltzers, ready-to-drink cocktails, and lower-alcohol alternatives and the growth of THC drinks.

Posted in Brewery Closures, Headlines, Iron Hill Brewing

Iron Hill Brewery Closes Three Locations Including Original Newark Flagship

Mid-Atlantic brewpub chain shuts down restaurants in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey as industry consolidation accelerates

Iron Hill Brewery delivered shocking news to employees and customers yesterday morning, announcing the immediate closure of three locations including its flagship Newark, Delaware brewpub that launched the company nearly 30 years ago. The sudden shutdowns affect restaurants in Newark, Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill neighborhood, and Voorhees, New Jersey, leaving 16 locations still operating across the Mid-Atlantic region.

part of what CEO Mark Kirke called “ongoing efforts to adapt to a changing business landscape while focusing on strengthening its long-term growth and success.”

The End of an Era

The Newark closure represents a particularly poignant in the history of Iron Hill. The Main Street location would have turned 30 in 2026 and has long served as the “proof-of-concept” when three home brewers—Kevin Finn, Mark Edelson, and Kevin Davies launched the brewery in 1996.

By 2016 in Iron Hill’s 20th year, they had a dozen restaurants, evolving from Main Street in Newark into a regional chain with scratch kitchen and craft beers. Over the past decade, Iron Hill has expanded beyond the Mid-Atlantic region in Greenville, South Carolina, and two locations in Atlanta, including Buckhead that was since closed.

Industry Pressures Mount

The beer industry is still going through a financial overhaul. 21st Amendment announced their closure in the past week after 25 years. As for Iron Hill, the brewery closed locations in Ardmore and Phoenixville PA last year. The company hired a new CEO earlier this year who focusing on growth, efficiency and difficult decisions about underperforming locations.

As Beer Street Journal has reported in the past, the craft beer industry has faced unprecedented headwinds in 2025. U.S. craft brewers produced 23.1 million barrels in 2024, down 4% from 2023, marking the largest volume decline since the 2020 pandemic. Closures outpace openings nationwide for the first time in 2024, ending a run since 2005.

Down but not out

Despite these closures, Iron Hill states they are still dedicated the the brewery and brand at large. “While we are closing a few locations, this is truly part of a larger growth story—we are evolving, strengthening our brand, and positioning Iron Hill for long-term success,” said Mark Kirke, CEO of Iron Hill.

Iron Hill announced it would open its 20th restaurant on Temple University’s campus back in December, with the project being approved by Temple’s board of Trustees. Nothing more has been announced about that project going forward.

Location Losses

The three closing locations closing:

  • Newark, Delaware (147 East Main Street): The original flagship location where Iron Hill’s journey began in 1996
  • Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia (8400 Germantown Avenue): Opened in 2012 in an upscale neighborhood market
  • Voorhees, New Jersey (13107 Town Center Boulevard): Iron Hill’s 10th location, opened in 2013 in a suburban shopping center

Iron Hill Brewery has 16 locations left after the recent closures. Below are pictures from the media preview of Iron Hill Buckhead by Beer Street Journal.

Posted in Iron Hill Brewing

Gold medal winning Iron Hill King’s Gold Pilsner hits brewpubs

Iron Hill King’s Gold, the brewery’s 2021 Great American Beer Festival gold medal-winning pilsner is available in cans. Brewer Peter Corbett’s recipe beat out 130 other entries at the festival, taking first in a highly contentious category. 

I am pilsner. Hear me roar! This easy-drinking American Pilsner is an absolute beast – with its smooth malt flavor and robust hop taste. When it roared into the 2021 Great American Beer Festival, it ruled the day. Today, King’s Gold is the pride of Iron Hill Brewery.

Iron Hill King’s Gold Pilsner is available in 12-ounce cans, and draft at all locations by mid-February. The brewery has not clarified whether or not this beer is seasonal. 

Style: Pilsner
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. 

Debut (Cans): 2/4/22

5% ABV

Posted in Iron Hill Brewing

Iron Hill Brewery launches hazy ‘Dankonia’

Iron Hill Brewery releases Dankonia, a New England-style IPA location wide today. 

Each location will have a special small bite available to pair with the first pours of Dankonia. Additionally, Dankonia IPA posters will be available while supplies last. 

It’s a whole vibe of intense pineapple and tropical fruit notes-plus a big ol batch of dry hops.

Iron Hill Dankonia IPA is available in 16-ounce cans and draft starting October 7th. 

Style: Hazy IPA
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. 
Debut: 10/7/21

7.2% ABV

Posted in Brewery Expansions, Galleries, Iron Hill Brewing

Iron Hill Brewery opens in Atlanta

A look inside Iron Hill Brewery’s most southern expansion to date, in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, Georgia

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant made its highly anticipated Georgia debut in December 2020, opening its 18th location in Atlanta’s upscale Buckhead neighborhood at Lenox Marketplace. The 7,770-square-foot restaurant marked the Delaware-based chain’s furthest southern expansion since establishing a presence in Greenville, South Carolina, bringing the company’s signature scratch brewery and craft kitchen concept to the heart of one of Atlanta’s premier dining districts.

Despite construction delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Iron Hill Buckhead opened with full brewing capabilities, featuring a glass-walled on-site brewery capable of producing 900 barrels annually.

The Buckhead location showcased Iron Hill’s award-winning craft beer portfolio alongside an extensive New American menu (including the Philly eggrolls!)

The restaurant’s design, created by Boulder-based Bray Architecture, featured floor-to-ceiling windows opening onto Peachtree Road, warm earth-toned walls, and industrial vaulted ceilings with copper-toned corrugated metal, creating an upscale casual atmosphere that reflected both the brewery’s industrial brewing heritage and Buckhead’s sophisticated dining scene.

Unfortunately, like many restaurant ventures launched during the pandemic, Iron Hill Buckhead announced the Buckhead location closure in 2024 leaving only the Dunwoody location in the state.

Posted in Iron Hill Brewing, New Releases

Brewed with fresh oranges, Iron Hill Hopicana is here for summer

Iron Hill Hopicana brings the “juice” ahead of summer.

The multi-state based brewpub created Iron Hill Hopicana (a west-coast India Pale Ale) to taste like fresh picked orange juice in beer form. So much so, they used fresh oranges.

Hopicana is a hop-forward IPA brewed with real oranges for refreshing, juicy flavor. It’s a West Coast-style IPA that drinks like a cold glass of fresh-squeezed OJ.

The label is inspired by commercial food labels from the 30’s and 40’s.

Iron Hill Hopicana will be available on May 10th in 16-ounce cans and draft.

Style: IPA (w/ Oranges)
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. Summer Seasonal.
Debut: 5/10/18

6.6% ABV

Posted in Iron Hill Brewing, New Releases

Now in 16oz cans: Iron Hill Rising Sun IPA

Iron Hill Rising Sun IPA will be available in 16 ounce cans for the first time this month.

The award winning American India pale ale is brewed with 100% Sorachi Ace hops. The brewery recently made a new commitment to making more of their popular beers available to-go for their fans.

Style: IPA
Hops: Sorachi Ace

Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft.
Debut (Cans): April, 2017

?? ABV