Top 3 Microbrews in Delaware

In 1995, Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats opened in the coastal resort community of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The pub set out to deliver a combination of great food and music along with their original, Dogfish Head microbrewed beer. Over the past 15 years, Dogfish Head has earned the distinction of producing the best microbrews in Delaware.

Dogfish Head was the first state's first brewpub. It was also the smallest commercial brewery in America. Dogfish Head's first microbrew offering was Shelter Pale Ale, which was brewed in small, 12-gallon batches. The owners soon found themselves making three batches a day, just to keep up with demand for the microbrew in their Dogfish Head pub.

While brewing multiple batches every day proved to be a daunting task, it also afforded Dogfish Head's owners the opportunity to get creative with their microbrews. They began experimenting with a variety of recipes and ingredients. The results varied, but occasionally the product was found to be bold and exciting with a truly interesting flavor. Those beers soon found their way into Dogfish Head's microbrew repertoire.

While their number of microbrews grew, the Dogfish Head pub's popularity also expanded with a cult-like following of locals. Dogfish Head began drawing customers from Lewes, Dewey, Bethany Beach and beyond with a menu focused on taking full advantage of the pub's wood-burning grill. With their successful marriage of great microbrew beer and freshly grilled seafood, burgers and signature pizzas, Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats had won the hearts and loyalty of their local customers.

With the Dogfish Head brewpub located in a popular resort town, their microbrews' reputation continued to grow and expanded across state lines. Residents of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland who had experienced Dogfish Head microbrews while on vacation, didn't want to wait until the following summer for their next cold glass of Shelter Pale Ale. Responding to customer demand, Dogfish Head began bottling their beer in 1996.

By 1999, Dogfish Head's brewery was producing five year-round bottled brands with distribution in a dozen states. Within three years, Dog Fish Head had again outgrown their brewing facilities. In 2002, Dogfish Head moved their microbrew production to a 100,000 square foot facility located in nearby Milton, Delaware.

Just as tastes vary for food, so do preferences for beer. According to company president, Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head currently offers 30 styles of microbrew in as many states. With Dogfish Head, there is no shortage of choices ranging from traditional ales to those with pronounced and distinct flavor profiles of fruit and hops. The following varieties represent this author's selection of three exceptional Dogfish Head microbrews that fit the bill for the Top Three Microbrews in Delaware list.

60 Minute IPA

First up on the Top 3 Microbrews in Delaware list is Dogfish Head's 60 Minute IPA. Currently considered Dogfish Head's most popular microbrew offering, 60 Minute Indian Pale Ale is described as "really hoppy" with citrus and grassy notes. During the brewing process, 60 Minute IPA receives more than 60 additions of hop, added throughout the 60 minute boil cycle.

Much like a crisp chardonnay wine, 60 Minute IPA has sophisticated flavor notes which make it a natural complement to spicy foods. The 60 Minute Indian Pale Ale also pairs well with grilled salmon and aged cheddar. Notably unique and versatile, Dogfish Head's 60 Minute IPA microbrew certainly lives up to its reputation as the definitive session beer for hardcore beer enthusiasts.

Festina Peche

Next up is Dogfish Head's Festina Peche microbrew. Festina Peche is brewed in the increasingly rare, neo-BerlinerWeisse style. Made from real peaches and possessing a relatively low ABV of 4.5%, Festina Peche proves that bold beers are not necessarily overly laden with alcohol.

Dogfish Head's Festina Peche is characterized by its intensely tart, yet subtly complex fruit flavor. Festina Peche is hopped with a pale, straw color and is suitable for serving as an aperitif or summertime thirst quencher. Consider pairing with game meat dishes such as quail and venison. As a seasonal microbrew beer, Festina Peche is available only during those long and hot halcyon day of summer.

Palo Santo Marron

Our list of the Top 3 Microbrews in Delaware is rounded out by Dogfish Head's Palo Santo Marron. Offered year-round, Palo Santo Marron is described as "an unfiltered, unfettered, unprecedented brown ale". Palo Santo Marron derives its unique name and flavor from the vast, handmade, Paraguayan wooden vessels in which the beer is brewed. The Palo Santo wood imparts a pronounced and complex flavor profile, rich with spicy notes of carmel and vanilla as the beer ages.

Palo Santo Marron was first released in November 2006. Palo Santo quickly proved to be very popular at Dogfish Head's Rehoboth Beach brewpub and went into full production the following year. Boasting a full body and ABV of 12%, Palo Santo Marron's complex flavor profile pairs well with grilled steaks, Cajun dishes and Spanish Chorizo sausage.

Heading to the beach? Visit Dogfish Head's brewpub at 320 Rehoboth Ave in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. For restaurant information, call 302-226-BREW. For tours of the brewery, call 302-684-1000. You'll find Dogfish Head's brewery at #6 Cannery Village Center in Milton, DE. For information on where to find Dogfish Head microbrews in your area, visit www.dogfish.com.