Restore the King

Delaware's Gambrinus Statue

Updates & News

Shop online, help Restore the King

By on November 30, 2022

You can help restore Delaware’s King Gambrinus statue while you shop online without it costing you a penny, all courtesy of Amazon’s generous AmazonSmile program.

Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to our charitable organization. You pay no extra charges; Amazon donates directly to Restore the King.

In order to qualify, you must use this link and click the START SHOPPING link to select the Friends of Gambrinus as your designated charity.

This offer is available not only this holiday season but throughout the year.

Thanks for helping Restore the King. Wishing you and yours best wishes this winter season.

Beer Mighty Things Podcast Features Restore the King

By on September 29, 2022

Listen here as Friends of of Delaware’s Gambrinus Statue president John Medkeff sits in with Beer Mighty Things podcast host Kyle Rheiner to discuss the Restore the King project.

Restore the King Reaches Milestone

By on August 18, 2022

Thanks to our donors’ generosity, the Friends of Gambrinus is pleased to announced that we have officially met 30% of Restore the King’s fundraising goal as of August 1, 2022.

As we continue to move forward towards the ultimate goal of returning Delaware’s King Gambrinus to public display, we need to ask the public’s continued support. Restore the King is 100% publicly-funded campaign. The project can only be a success with your help.

There are several ways for you to join the King’s Court and help Restore the King.

  1. Click here to offer either a one-time or recurring monthly donation.
  2. Purchase a ticket to the Delaware: A Brew Story 2022 event on Saturday, October 29 at Blue Ball Barn (details forthcoming on this website).
  3. When shopping at Amazon, use this link to automatically generate a donation to Restore the King via AmazonSmile’s charitable program – all at no extra cost to you!

In the coming days, we’ll be inviting our King’s Court supporters to an exclusive meeting and Q&A session, where we’ll discuss details, answer questions, collect input about the Restore the King project. Donate now for a chance to join in the discussion.

We’ll also be unveiling additional exclusives for King’s Court members in the weeks and months ahead.

New Restore the King Project Phase Video

By on August 10, 2022

Thanks to the tremendous generosity of our donors and volunteers, Restore the King has completed the first three phases of the project.

Please click here to visit our YouTube channel to watch a newly-released video describing the work performed so far and plans for future phases. While you there, click SUBSCRIBE to be notified of new videos as soon as we release them.

You can help advance the Restore the King project to Phase 4 by donating now.

A reminder that you can pick up your own miniature King Gambrinus statuette with a minimum donation, as described here.

Smyrna Craft Beverage Fest Sold Out

By on July 15, 2022

Tickets for the July 16, 2022 Smyrna Craft Beverage Festival have sold out.

Thanks to those who supported Restore the King with your ticket purchase.

Smyrna Beer Event Benefits Restore the King

By on July 13, 2022

Join the fun on Saturday, July 16 from 2-7 PM at How Do You Brew’s new Smyrna location for the first annual Smyrna Craft Beverage Fest. Price of admission includes unlimited samplings from nine of Delaware’s finest breweries, live local music, giveaways, and prizes. Food will also be available from the Hungry Spork food truck.

Tickets can be purchased at this link.

Proceeds from this event benefit Restore the King.

Delaware’s King Gambrinus Day To Be Celebrated April 11

By on March 27, 2022

Each April 11, beer enthusiasts around the world raise their glasses in honor of King Gambrinus, the legendary king of beer. In 2020, the Friends of Delaware’s Gambrinus Statue (FDGS) began a new tradition by celebrating the king and Delaware producers of beer, cider, mead, spirits, and wine with a Facebook Live statewide toast.

Over the last quarter century, the First State’s craft beverage industry has developed into a significant cultural, economic, and social driver, worthy of a day of recognition. What better day to celebrate Delaware’s bringers of good cheer – our craft producers – than April 11, the day dedicated to the mythical inventor of beer, Gambrinus?

On Monday, April 11, 2022, participating Delaware craft beverage producers will celebrate Delaware’s King Gambrinus Day. Since this year’s event lands on a Monday, some producers may celebrate the day on Sunday, April 10 instead. You’re encouraged to contact your local brewery, cidery, meadery, distillery, and winery to ask how they are celebrating the day – special events, drinks specials, toasts, etc. – in their tap and tasting rooms.

We hope you’ll join us for the annual statewide toast in honor of Delaware’s craft beverage producers and King Gambrinus on April 11 at 7 p.m. at Midnight Oil Brewing Company. The toast will be simulcast via Facebook Live on Restore the King’s Facebook group page.

So, here’s to King Gambrinus.

And here’s to Delaware’s 38 breweries, 3 cideries/meaderies, 6 distilleries, and 4 wineries! Thanks for all that you do.

New Can Features Delaware’s King of Beer

By on June 11, 2021

Wilmington Brew Works has just released one of its flagship beers, Krauch’s Creation – a helles style lager – in cans. But this release is special because the can’s graphics acknowledge the First State’s rich brewing history and reference two active brewing heritage projects – Restore the King and the Christian Krauch Memorial Fund.

The front of the Brew Works’ can features a colorful image of the old Diamond State Brewery’s King Gambrinus statue, in homage to a similar image that graced the former brewery’s Stoeckle Select brand bottles and cans in the 1940s and ‘50s. The reverse side of the label tells the story of Christian Krauch, pioneer brewer and Delaware’s Father of Lager Beer, for whom Krauch’s Creation is named. The label also features QR codes linking to websites for Restore the King, the effort to renovated Delaware’s King Gambrinus statue, and the Krauch Memorial Fund, the campaign to place a monument on Krauch’s unmarked grave.

Check out this video involving Brew Works’ John Fusco and Delaware beer historian John Medkeff discussing Krauch’s Creation can release.

The Friends of Gambrinus offer Wilmington Brew Works a debit of gratitude for their unfailing support for Delaware beer heritage projects and appreciation of the First State’s rich brewing heritage.

H&F Shirt Sale Benefits Restore the King

By on April 20, 2021

From 1865 until Prohibition, Hartmann & Fehrenbach’s Brandywine Lager Beer Brewery in Wilmington’s Forty Acres neighborhood was one of the Delaware region’s largest breweries. H&F supplied the Delmarva and beyond with their award-winning lager beer, porter, brown stout, and ale.

This shirt, featuring H&F’s mysterious Pegasus logo, pays tribute to one of Wilmington’s historic Big Three breweries.

Proceeds from the sale of this limited run shirt will be donated to Restore the King, the campaign to save the Delaware’s iconic King Gambrinus statue. Sales ends May 7, 2021,

Order your shirt here.