Another Delaware Brewery to Close After Seven Years

A popular craft brewery in Glasgow, Delaware will close its doors next spring. Midnight Oil Brewing Co. plans to shut down on April 19, 2025, ending its seven-year run in Delaware's beer scene.

This shutdown follows several other Delaware brewery closings, including Stitch House, Blue Earl, and Hangman. The brewery's combination of a small taproom and big production area wasn't viable given the tight restrictions on distribution options.

"The state's unfriendly environment for new distribution breweries and our focus on product quality over marketing led to this outcome," said managing partner Mike Dunlap to Newark Life Magazine.

Delaware beer historian John Medkeff Jr. notes that the brewery's size became a problem as market conditions changed. The hit from the pandemic made it almost impossible for the small business to bounce back.

What began as a homebrewing hobby in 2017 grew into a full-fledged business under Dunlap and his team. They built their name through quality craft beers and working with Easter Seals Delaware and Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

The place had a cool retro vibe, with old arcade games and music from the '80s and '90s. But state rules limiting direct sales to customers held them back from growing beyond local distribution.

Even with these closures, industry experts stay cautiously hopeful about Delaware's craft beer future. State officials are working on updating alcohol laws, including the upcoming House Bill 259.

The recent shutdown of Fordham & Dominion Brewing shows the growing problems. Small breweries now face tough competition against big beer companies in today's market.