Fishing for Great Beer at Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats

Pete Zuk

Brewery Name: Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats
Type of Brewery: Brew Pub

Location: 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Website: http://www.dogfish.com/restaurants/brewpub
Facebook: Dogfish Head Brewpub
Twitter: @dogfishbeer
Instagram: @dogfishbeer

Growlers: Yes (for the distributed stuff, not the Brewpub Exclusives).

Background: Okay, so this is place is a little bit of a ‘station of the cross’ for me. This was the second brewery I ever visited. Way back when I started dating my now wife, I was looking for something fun to do on a Saturday. I decided we should visit a brewery. I didn’t know where any were around me, but I knew Rehoboth was where Dogfish was, and that it was close-ish to DC. I drove us out there with no idea how to get there (or that it's actually a long drive for a day trip), but we ate there and managed to make it back to DC safely. Now my wife and I make sure to plan a trip out to Rehoboth every summer, because this place is that special. This is one of the founding fathers of brewing, and this is the original location that he opened to change the way beer tasted in this country. The pub, to me, is like museum chronicling how brewing started and how it continues to flourish. They always have wonderful, interesting beers on draft, a selection of the current releases, and collection of “Vintage” releases that you can try.

The Beers: During this year’s visit, I was able to sample:
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• Siracusa Nera - Imperial Stout - An imperial stout with syrah grape must. A little strange, but good. The stout is top notch and blends with the wine character to add some nice fruit notes while not being too strange.
  
  
• Lupuluaü IPA - IPA - WOW. This is why I keep coming here. Sometimes people knock brewers who play with ingredients too much saying it doesn’t work or the ingredient is just for gimmick. Not this. Dehydrated coconut water, coconut, and a tropical hop variety make a hazy pale ale that tastes like a pina colada. I could not get enough of this stuff. Refreshing and super fruit forward with no bitterness. I hope this comes to be a wider release from Dogfish, because it is a perfect summer beer.
  
  
• Beer for Breakfast - Milk Stout - Scrapple and beer? Is it strange? Not really. It’s a really good stout with balanced maple character, coffee, and some slight smokiness. The scrapple maybe adds smokiness, but this beer is not off-putting because of the meat aspect.
  
  
• The Sultan's Magic Fruit Ale - Fruit Ale - An old exclusive, but one of my favorites. This is a stout made with Turkish coffee and spices that really have such a unique flavor and aroma. The closest thing I could compare it to is a Mexican coffee stout, but the spices are unique and the coffee was amazing on this beer.

Vibe: This place is a classic beach spot. They have wood grilled pizza, cool bar food, and a cool beach shack vibe inside. They have art and unique paintings all over the place. They have a nice outdoor location that you can buy six-packs and merchandise so it doesn’t interfere with the restaurant. You can also get a selection of their hand crafted spirits, which are wonderful. I still have some bottles of their “Jin” and peanut butter vodka that are top notch. This is just a perfect beach experience. They have live music most nights, and the staff is really great and easy to talk to.

Dogs: No.

Price ($ to $$$$$): $$

Food: Yes. They restaurant is based on the original ethos of wood grilled food. The pizzas are awesome, the fish is fresh, and the beer is used liberally in the cooking. It’s an easy going and approachable menu for a quick lunch or a long dinner. Definitely recommend getting the spinach and artichoke dip and working your way through the brewpub exclusives and finishing the meal with a nice vintage Fort (their imperial raspberry beer). Cheers!

-- Pete

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