On this day in history, 25 years ago, Dogfish Head opened its doors as the first brewpub in the first state and one of the smallest commercial brewery in America, producing just 12 gallons of beer per brew to share with folks in Rehoboth, Delaware. Fast-forward to today, Dogfish Head is celebrating its 25th anniversary and producing nearly 250,000 gallons of beer per week, with its off-centered ales being enjoyed by off-centered people from coast to coast. In celebration of this momentous occasion, Dogfish Head is excited to announce the release of “The Dogfish Head Book: 25 Years of Off-Centered Adventures.” Debuting on Sept. 1, this design-centric book is a colorful account of the brewery’s 25-year history, written by Dogfish Head founder and brewer, Sam Calagione; Dogfish Head co-founder and Communitarian, Mariah Calagione; and longtime co-worker and Dogfish Inn INNkeeper, Andrew C. Greeley. Presales available NOW at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Porchlight and Wiley.
Since its start in 1995, Dogfish Head has grown exponentially. What began as a small, homespun brewery selling food and beer exclusively within the walls of its Rehoboth brewpub has blossomed into a coastal Delawarean mecca for beer lovers and adventure seekers alike, with Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Dogfish Head Distilling Co.and the Tasting Room & Kitchen in Milton; an off-centered brewpub, Brewings & Eats, and geographically enamored seafood restaurant, Chesapeake & Maine, in Rehoboth; and a canal-side hotel, the Dogfish Inn, in Lewes. From “The Dogfish Head Book: 25 Years of Off-Centered Adventures,” readers will gain an understating of the “How & Why” behind the brewery’s growth and success through heartfelt stories of Sam, Mariah and Andrew’s trials and accomplishments. Chock full of wisdom, entertainment and a whole lot of timeless lessons learned – everything from memorabilia and co-worker-told tales to the brewery’s business philosophy and Rules of Thumb, “The Dogfish Head Book: 25 Years of Off-Centered Adventures” is a living guide to both work and play, done the Dogfish way.
“Writing The Dogfish Head Book: 25 Years of Off-Centered Adventures alongside Andrew and my wife, Mariah, was an amazing experience – and props to our creative director, Paul Thens, and the rest of the design team for making the book’s photos look as tasty as our beers,” said Sam. “We shared so many wonderful memories about our journey together to create and develop Dogfish Head into what it is today, and I could not be more thankful for their help bringing this new book, and the brand as a whole, to life. When we first opened Brewings & Eats and were hand-bottling all our beers, I never imagined that Dogfish Head’s off-centered ales would one day be distributed to all 50 states, let alone that our name would be known by craft beer and spirits aficionados world-wide. It is astonishing and truly humbling.”
From day one, Dogfish Head has been committed to brewing the majority of its recipes outside the Reinheitsgebot using all-natural, culinary ingredients sourced both locally and from around the world. Pioneers in the craft beverage industry, Dogfish Head built its trailblazing reputation upon its exciting, out-of-the-box concoctions. Just to name a few, there was Raison D’Etre, a Belgian-style brown ale brewed with beet sugar and raisins; Aprihop, one of the first fruit IPAs brewed with apricot juice; Chocolate Lobster, a porter brewed with chocolate and real lobster; and Festina Lente, a groundbreaking fruited sour first brewed in 2002. While not all his creations made it to distribution, Sam’s determination to differentiate Dogfish Head from the rest of the world’s breweries quickly brought awareness to the brand and its off-centered mission. His work not only led him to receive the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine, Spirits or Beer Professional in 2017, but it drove Dogfish Head to produce a portfolio of unique, top-notch products, including today’s best sellers:
- SeaQuench Ale – The number-one selling sour beer in the world,* SeaQuench Ale is a session sour thirst-slayer brewed with black limes, sour lime juice and sea salt.
- Slightly Mighty – The number-one selling low-calorie IPA,* Slightly Mighty is a full-flavored, lo-cal IPA with only 95 calories, 3.6g carbs, 1g protein and 0g sugar per 12oz serving.
- 90 Minute Imperial IPA – The first continually hopped beer and one of the world’s first Imperial IPAs, 90 Minute Imperial IPA is a historic brew with a pungently hoppy, but not crushingly bitter hop profile. Its original brewing mechanism – Dogfish Head’s first continual hopping machine – now resides in the archive of homebrewing and craft beer history at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
- 60 Minute IPA – Dogfish Head’s best-selling beer, 60 Minute IPA is a continually hopped east coast IPA brewed with northwest hops, and in celebration of the brewery’s 25th anniversary, it is now sporting a new, more off-centered look.
SeaQuench Ale, Slightly Mighty, 90 Minute Imperial IPA, 60 Minute IPA … all are great beers for those looking to raise a glass to Dogfish Head’s last 25years. But for folks local to coastal Delaware, Dogfish Head has something even more special in mind – Shelter Pale Ale. That’s right, folks! In honor of its 25th anniversary, Dogfish Head returned to where it got its start – its Rehoboth brewpub – and brewed a limited-edition batch of Shelter Pale Ale. First brewed in 1995, Shelter Pale Ale is Dogfish Head’s original pale ale brewed with northwest hops and a solid malt backbone for an approachable, versatile and quaffable drinking experience. Fresh off the brewpub’s new, state-of-the-art canning line, Shelter Pale Ale is NOW available at the Off-Centered EmPOURium storefront for just $17 per 4pk/16oz cans.
“I’m very proud that we as a community of co-workers have achieved this 25th anniversary milestone, and I’m especially happy because I get to spend this exceptional day doing what I love most – hanging out with our brewers, trying experimental beers and spirits together, and saying hello and thanks to customers who have ventured to our brewpub here in Rehoboth.” said Sam. “Without all our passionate and talented co-workers, both past and present, and our customers who have championed our cause alongside us, Dogfish Head would be nothing more than a dream. Yes, we could still brew ‘Off-Centered Ales’ in a little corner of a beachside restaurant, but without having ‘Off-Centered People’ to enjoy them with, there would really be no point. So, grab a beer … cheers to 25 years past and many more to come!”
For more information about “The Dogfish Head Book: 25 Years of Off-Centered Adventures,” or Dogfish Head’s 25th anniversary celebrations, please visit www.dogfish.com.