Jack Price, left, winner of Thompson Island Brewing Company’s 2021 Homebrew Contest, joined Jimmy Valm, brewmaster, to produce Price’s Groundskeeper Porter, released recently at the Rehoboth Beach brewpub.
Thompson Island Brewing Company in Rehoboth Beach was set to release a new beer this week. That’s nothing new. However, this beer is the creation of homebrewer Jack Price of Milford, winner of Thompson Island’s second Annual Homebrew Contest. The restaurant is part of SoDel Concepts.
Price worked with the brewpub’s brewmaster, Jimmy Valm, to produce Groundskeeper Porter, a coffee porter, on a larger scale.
The name was inspired by Price, who roasted his own coffee for his contest entry. For the larger batch, coffee beans from Swell Joe Coffee in Lewes provide the signature note.
“We fell in love with Jack’s porter with the first sip,” said Valm, who judged the contest along with Jimmy Kroon, president of Delmarva United Homebrewers in Sussex County, and Matt Patton, a certified cicerone. Patton oversees SoDel Concepts’ beer program.
“It was a pleasure brewing the beer in our facility,” Valm said. “We know our guests will love it as well.”
Price enjoyed working with the brewing team. “It’s always a learning experience when you brew with someone else, and this was no exception,” he said. “They are such a talented group, which explains why the beers are so good — especially mine!”
Visit sodelconcepts.com for information on Thompson Island Brewing Company and SoDel Concepts’ other restaurants.