December 12th, 2012
Touring & Tasting, Dogfish Head, The Brewery, Milton, Delaware..Gluten Free Dogfish Head Beer? Tweason ‘ale!!
Last Wednesday was the perfect day for my first tour and tasting at Dogfish Head, located in Milton, Delaware. I have, previously, reviewed their restaurant located in Downtown Rehoboth Beach. On this particular day, we were ready to learn a thing or two about this company. I say we because my cousin was visiting. Arturo is a beer connoisseur and have been wanting to check Dogfish out.
I had reserved 2 spots for the tour. You can do that on their website, http://www.dogfish.com. They only take up to 12 people at a time. That’s why at this time of the year, in the middle of the week, was just the day to do this. In the summer, you have to plan a little bit more.
Dogfish Head is located at 6 Cannery Village Center, Milton, DE 19968. Tels. 302-684-1000, 1-888-8Dogfish. There is a lot of construction going on at this time of the year. The expansion is taking place. The company started in 1995.
The first thing that caught my eye was a sculpture. It seemed that it did not belong there. The Dogfish slogan “Off-centered ales for off-centered people”. I thought, oh well. It was not until later that I found out what the sculpture was.
It is called the Steampunk Tree House. It first appeared at the Burning Man event in Black Rock City, Nevada in 2007. The artist was Sean Orlando from Oakland, CA. Find out how it got to Milton, Delaware by visiting http://www.dogfish.com/company/tangents/steampunk-treehouse.htm.
John was our tour guide. You can see him there on the right behind the counter. I cannot say enough about him. He was so knowledgeable. Explained everything with ease and in a casual and relaxed way. At the end of the tour, when he asked us if there were any other questions. There were non, really….he was that thorough. You can request to have him as your tour guide.
Brewing that day were the 60 Minute IPA and Indian Brown Ale. The Indian Brown Ale was going to be our second tasting. We were given 4 sharks. One for each tasting. They were our tokens.
By Delaware law only 4 samples of beer each day. Those 4 samples will equal 1 beer. You are not to share your beer. If you don’t want to finish it, just throw it away.
Dogfish Head also has been making, since 1995, a Birch Beer Soda. It is made with brown sugar and vanilla beans.
The first beer we tried was a Birra Etrusca, Ancient Ale. This was a new release. It had specialty ingredients like hazelnut flour, pomegranates, Italian chestnut honey, Delaware wildflower honey and clover honey. They said it is comparable to a Malbec.
On this corner John showed us how Dogfish Head started. It was so funny because I thought the name Dogfish Head came from Sam Calagione just making it up. But Dogfish Head is located in Maine. That is where he came from. Made sense.
As you can see, our group was ready for our second tasting. We were about to taste the Indian Brown Ale. This is a cross between a Scotch ale, an IPA and an American Brown. A definite malty taste.
Dogfish Head beer has the highest amount of alcohol than any other beer in the U.S. You can also find them in 24 states.
We all grabbed protective eye gear and off we entered the brewery. Stainless steel, pipes, workers busy packaging, inspecting, etc. etc.
We passed an area called “Sam’s Stash”. A sample of all beers that have been developed.
Back to where we started to our 3rd tasting; Olde School Barley Wine. An ale. Flavors of figs and dates that help ferment it. Very nice with an alcohol content of 15%.
Our last tasting was very interesting; like a stout. It was the Palo Santo Marron. It is a brown ale. It ages in a 10,000 gallon, handmade wooden tank, picking up caramel and vanilla complexities.
Their gluten free beer is called Tweason ‘ale. They describe it as “gluten free with gusto”. It is sorghum based, brewed with strawberries and buckwheat honey.
There is nothing like the branding of a name. T-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, beach chairs, souvenirs….you name it. I even saw soap made with beer at the Rehoboth Beach location.
This tour is so worth it. 31 miles from Rehoboth Beach. Of course, we bought beer!!
Have a good one!! Merry Merry!!
Tags: Breweries in Sussex County, Delaware, Delaware Beaches, Dogfish Head, Dogfish Head Brewery, Gluten Free Dogfish Head Beer, Milton, rehoboth beach, Southern Delaware, Sussex County, Things to do at the beach, Touring & Tasting at Dogfish Head Brewery, Touring Dogfish Head, Tweason 'ale Gluten Free Beer, Visiting the Delaware Beaches, What to do at the beaches
