Ahh! The blog we've all (mostly me) have been waiting for!! Dogfish Head! The beer and brewery that opened my eyes to the world of craft beer. But of course, none of this would have happened without Christian introducing me!
There's so much I wanted to include in this blog specifically, yet time was limited for my assignment. I thought about making it a multiple series blog talking about all the different things that Dogfish Head has to offer: from the brewery, distillery, Brewings & Eats, Chesapeake & Maine, and their very own Dogfish Inn. However, I also wanted to share my experiences with the many other breweries that I have visited. So for the sake of my class assignment, I decided to limit this Dogfish blog to the history, the brewery and my review. And create other blogs in the future about my other experiences with Dogfish attractions.
**Spoiler Alert** Although this started as a class assignment, I have made up my mind to continue my Beersperience blog on my own free time in order to keep documenting and sharing my brewery experiences with you all.
I was first introduced to Dogfish Head (my first ever craft beer) back in the spring when Christian and I first started dating. I was extremely hesitant on trying any type of beer... because as a college student, all I ever knew about beer was Natty Light, Miller Lite, and Natty Boh.
But one day, Christian handed me a SeaQuench Ale by Dogfish and my taste buds exploded! I've never had a beer that was so rich in flavor, let alone being able to taste more than one ingredient -- water... (Sorry to all the Miller Lite & Natty Boh drinkers).
After SeaQuench, I began to try other brands of craft beer. Christian and I made it a thing to keep trying new craft beer together and we've been sticking to it. He quickly decided that it was time to take me to my first every brewery; so, to the beach for the weekend we went. And that's when we went to Dogfish Head Brewery. This is where my Beersperience all started.
Dogfish Head first began in 1995, when founder Sam Calagione and his wife, Mariah, bought the building for Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats. This would soon become the state's first brewpub -- illegally. Sam had his wife capturing the moment with pictures as he was taking down the previously failed business sign and putting up their new one.
As the sign went up, they took a step back to admire it. During this moment, someone walking by said, "Hey, you know it's illegal to open a brewery in Delaware, right?" To Sam's surprise, he responded, "No..." And off Sam went to Dover in hopes to change a state law.
Apparently, since prohibition, Delaware never changed the law that made brewing beer in Delaware illegal. In order for Sam to open his brewpub, he had to write his own bill and present it to the house and senate. His bill passed and became a new law in the state of Delaware. For that (and Dogfish Head), Sam Calagione will go down in history.
So, back to their brewpub -- which is now legal! When it first opened, brewing was a full time job. They were brewing 3 times a day, 5 days a week. This was obviously very tedious but it did however help improve their beers while inventing new ones. Since the brewers were creating batch after batch throughout the week, they were able to experiment with many different ingredients and try out various recipes.
This quickly became the story behind their slogan, "Off-centered ales for off-centered people." Even with the variety of beers that Dogfish was creating, they were seen as weirdos and heretics to beer drinkers and outsiders. (I mean, Dogfish Head does offer a Chocolate Lobster beer along with Beer for Breakfast - made with scrapple!) So, I can see why it took a few years to really gain the areas interests.
After some time, their passion for incorporating weird ingredients and as Sam likes to say, "venturing off the beaten path" grew, they started to flourish. Shortly after, they opened a new brewhouse in Milton, DE. This is their famous brewery that I rave about all the time! In 2015, they opened an even larger distillery in addition to this as well.
Christian and I decided to take a weekend trip to the beach shortly after we both finished up our Spring semester. This is when he took me to Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, DE. On May 18th, my life changed for the better. I mean, at this point, I was already hooked on craft beer but now I get to learn about where it comes from and see everything in action. In no time at all, anything and everything craft beer related has become a hobby of mine.
When we first pulled up to the brewery, I was just in amazement: from the signs, to the look of the building to the outside decor. The parking lot was pretty large offering plenty of spots for visitors. We knew instantly that the brewery was most likely busy because we had to park closer to the back. But, this didn't change my mood. I was bursting with excitement to go in and try Dogfish beer on tap (because... well, everything tastes better on tap).
As we walked up, my anticipation was through the roof. I had no idea what to expect, but from everything that I've heard between Christian and his friends, I was in for a treat. When we first walked in, we were greeted by an employee at the front desk. She was really friendly, asking if Christian and I have been to the brewery before. Obviously, I replied that this was my first time and she began to quickly explain the brewery and what they have to offer. She stamped our hands, handed us flight cards, and off we went. The hostess stand usually hands out free Dogfish Head things whether it be a flight card or a sticker!
To the right, as soon as you walk in, there is a store. Here you can find apparel, glassware, magnets/stickers, dog treats/leashes, and beer (in 6-packs and cases). Christian gave me time to roam around, looking like a kid in a candy store. After time went by, he reminded me that we had free flights to drink. Usually, Christian and I get a flight and split it between the two but since we each got a free voucher, we got our own.
So, off we went, over to the bar area. It was quite busy in the brewery causing it to be crowded near the bar. Since the brewery was handing out free flight cards, everyone was at the bar getting their different samples. We decided to stand behind someone ordering beer and then just make our way in to the bar.
When we finally got to the bar, I was ready to order my beer. I had a plan to just order all the beer that I've tried from home (and liked), on tap. But once I caught a glimpse of their extensive beer menu, I quickly changed my mind. There were so many new beers that I saw that I wanted to try so I ended up getting a flight of: Namaste, Firefly, Festina Peche, and Mixed Media. I really enjoyed each one of these beers and the meaning behind some of them. Firefly Ale was a collaboration that Dogfish Head does with the Firefly Music Festival in Dover, DE every summer. Each year, Dogfish releases a new ale tailored to Firefly fans. On the other hand, Mixed Media is a beer that mixes beer and wine... interesting combination.
As we drank our beer, I was able to get a good look around the brewery. They had this bar area with stools to sit, high tops for more seating, and another bar along the back wall where you can fill up crowlers and growlers. One thing that caught my eye was the photo booth. This allowed guests to take a photo in the
brewery and share it on social media! Pretty fun and creative.
Another thing that I really enjoy every time I go to Dogfish's Brewery is seeing their chalkboard wall. It always has the neatest designs and coolest art to get customer's attention. The board is usually decorated to match the season, or announce a new beer or event. They also had neat artwork and picture frame on the walls and ceiling of the brewery as well. While being at the bar, I was also able to talk to some of the beertenders; they were all engaging and friendly while being patient during my process of selecting beers.
Overall, I really enjoyed my first beersperience (and many since) at Dogfish Head Brewery, and as always, looking forward to my next trip back (next weekend)!
That being said, here is my rating:
Atmosphere - ★★★★★ - The atmosphere at Dogfish Brewery is always amazing. I've never had a bad experience with any employee or customer. Everyone is so friendly, the brewery is welcoming, the art is unique, and well... just about everything is amazing.
Beer - ★★★★★ - When I think of Dogfish's beer, 3 words come to mind: inventive, unique and experimental. Each beer is designed to be uniquely different than anything else they've ever created. From sours all the way to IPA, they've done it all, and have greatly succeeded.
Employees - ★★★★★ - Every employee that I've ever met at Dogfish has been superb. They're all extremely knowledgeable about all things Dogfish and beer.
Location - ★★★★★ - The location for Dogfish is great. It's not far away from anything near the beach area and the parking lot offers plenty of spots for guests.
Social Media - ★★★★★ - Dogfish Head's social media is outstanding. I have yet to go to another brewery that runs things that way that Dogfish does. Their platforms use different content to target different audiences, while staying actively engaged with followers and their comments. They often do contest for special prizes or a free trip to their Dogfish Head Inn! Their website is also very well put together and organized.
Total: 5 STARS!
(I'm not just giving Dogfish Head a 5 start rating because it was my first brewery experience or because their beer is what got me into craft beer... I honestly just couldn't justify giving them anything lower than a 5 star in any category because I've never had anything but an exceptional experience at Dogfish.)
Cheers!!
Comments