Dogfish Head is notorious for bringing unique recipes to its beers, often with a culinary flair. This thinking spills over into its event world as well. Naturally, a multi-day bash built around beer and food pairings felt right up Dogfish’s alley. The always anticipated Weekend of Compelling Ales & Spirits has come and gone… and what a weekend it was.

Things kicked off on Friday afternoon with a fireside chat featuring Dogfish Head Founder Sam Calagione at the Dogfish Inn. After talking shop and celebrating the craft, the party moved over to Brewing & Eats, Dogfish’s Rehoboth Beach brewpub, for an old-fashioned beer dinner. Four courses later, fans enjoyed some local live music.

 

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After resting and digesting, participants awoke on Saturday raring to go for the weekend’s pièce de résistance. The gathering took to the Milton Brewery for a guided tasting experience amongst packaging equipment, fermenters and other ale-centric apparatuses. Guests enjoyed 12 beer and food pairing experiences along the way.

Highlight Pairings

• Salsa Shrapnel Lager brewed with lime, sea salt, cobanero chili, black pepper, cilantro and tomato juice served with green chili and pepper jack tamales.
• Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale paired with a classic grilled cheese… what a trip.
• Ideophone, an extra pale dry-hopped lager lined up next to a Maine lobster roll.
• Myka’s Freekeh Deekeh Wheat Ale brewed with freekeh, black lime, raisins, coriander, cumin and cinnamon bark. This one was served with a braised lamb & freekeh salad
• Dākumōdo, a black lager brewed with black rice, kokuto black sugar and wakoucha tea paired alongside a squid ink clam chowder with sugar-fried leeks… a personal favorite.

Finishing the weekend strong, Dogfish held a lobster brunch at their seafood-inspired restaurant, Chesapeake & Maine, on Sunday. Specialty drinks, courtesy of Lead Mixologist Ryan Warwick, were served up alongside a plethora of fun plates. A perfect way to start your day after a long weekend. Two thumbs up for this weekend’s beer and food bonanza; next year can’t come soon enough.

Feature image by Zeke Ottemiller

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