Bradley's Ultimate Beer Run

DBF member Jay Bradley needed beer, apparently. So, he did what had to be done to satisfy his thirst – and hunger for beer-brewing skills. Jay pressed his thirsty lips to the fountain of knowledge, so to speak. He took advantage of the GM shutdown this summer to visit Dogfish Head.

Dogfish Head? It's the first brewpub from the State of Delaware. To be more accurate, Dogfish has a separate micro-brewing facility in addition to the restaurant. Our man Jay visited both, and gave us his report.

Dogfish Head began with merely a ½-barrel brewing system delivered in the back of a pickup truck, plus $80,000 seed money. Having such modest capacity to supply the brewpub's thirsty patrons with beer, the owners found that they were brewing up to three times each day. (You may read the whole history on the Dogfish Website by clicking the logo on the DBF “Related Sites” page.) This heavy schedule allowed the brew masters an opportunity to sharpen their skills while deriving a wide variety of ales and lagers.

Today, Jay reports that Dogfish is using a 50-barrel system to brew its libations, which are distributed to 43 states, plus Canada, Puerto Rico and the UK. Adjacent to the brewery, Dogfish is currently constructing a second room to be used as a warehouse. When completed, the microbrewery will add a 100-barrel system to meet the demand for its popular brand.

Of particular interest to Jay is the 120-Minute IPA. He had hoped to tour Dogfish and catch a glimpse of the brewery's unique method of adding hops to this concoction. As suggested by the name, hops are added to this IPA continuously for 120 minutes at 15 to 20 second intervals. To automate the process, the brewers invented a mechanism they call Sir Hops-A-Lot. Taking an idea from the vibrating electronic football game, the contraption separates the clumps of hops before dispensing measured amounts into the boil. The result is an IPA with fabulous flavor and aroma without the bitterness that would otherwise result from adding all the hops at the beginning of the boil.

One particular anecdote Jay heard at the brewery is the time when Dogfish Head first began delivering its wares to New Jersey. As a publicity stunt, the owner dressed in colonial-era garb and, carrying a 6-pack of Pale Ale, stood in an 18-foot rowboat like George Washington crossing the Delaware.

Jay compares the food at Dogfish Head's brewpub to be similar to the fare found at Royal Oak Brewery. That's good news for those of us who don't have time to get to Delaware this weekend. Of particular interest is the pizza baked in a wood-fired oven.

Being the kind of guy he is, Jay brought some sample bottles for club members to share at a previous club meeting. He notes, however, that the Dogfish Head brand is available at Champane's Wine Cellars, located at 7001 Chicago in Warren.