Dogfish Head Founder Celebrates First Brewery-Themed Inn With Port-to-Port Beer-Dinner Series

Milton, DE – In late June, Dogfish Head Founder and President Sam Calagione is embarking on a 600-mile boat journey to celebrate the opening of the Dogfish Inn and raise money and awareness for The Nature Conservancy.

At five stops along the way – Atlantic City, Manhattan, Block Island, Boston and Portland – Sam will host multicourse beer dinners at some of his favorite restaurants.

In the spirit of the adventure, Dogfish Head and the host restaurants will donate $2,000 for each stop to The Nature Conservancy, a million-member nonprofit dedicated to conserving “the lands and waters on which all life depends.”

Sam and his teenage son Sammy will set off in a 19-foot Boston Whaler on June 23 from The Dogfish Inn in picturesque Lewes, Del. They plan to pull in to Dogfish Head, Maine – the place where Sam spent summers as a kid and where the brewery got its name – on July 1.

“When Dogfish Head was just starting out in 1997, I rowed the first six-pack sold out of state across Delaware Bay to New Jersey,” says Calagione. “This trip I’m taking with Sammy is like the varsity version of that JV trip, and I’m excited to show him and anyone who follows our adventure that a company can do well while doing good.”

The launch point – the just-opened Dogfish Inn – is a first for the craft beer and hospitality industries. It’s an off-centered home base for beer geeks and beach lovers reflecting Dogfish Head’s offbeat approach to style, quality and craft. This new motel experience embraces modern style and convenience while celebrating an analog era of family vacations, big cars and endless summers.

The Dogfish Inn’s home in coastal Delaware – just a few hours from Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York – ensures not only a beautiful summer tourist season, but also shoulder seasons with great weather and warmer water temperatures than destinations to the north. On Oct. 1, for example, when the average temperature in Martha’s Vineyard is 58 and the water temperature is 62, the air in Delaware is 66 and the water is 68, making the Dogfish Inn the perfect launch pad to explore the natural goodness of Delaware.

As Sam and Sammy motor their way up the Eastern seaboard, they’ll be making pit stops to hike, paddleboard and photograph some of the coastal properties The Nature Conservancy protects. They’ll see places like South Cape May Meadows, a globally renowned birding spot at the southern tip of New Jersey; Pine Neck Nature Sanctuary, a 77-acre beachcomber’s dream on Long Island’s South Shore; and Berry Woods Preserve, home to a multi-use mosaic of conservation near Maine’s Kennebec River.

At each overnight location, Sam will host a beer dinner highlighting the diversity, complexity and food-compatibility of Dogfish Head’s off-centered ales.

Monday, June 23 5:30pm: Scales Grill and Deck Bar, 800 N. New Hampshire Ave., Atlantic City, N.J. For reservations, email [email protected]. Menu and details.

Welcome – Marinated shrimp ceviche, lime zest, jersey tomato, avocado puree – Paired with 60 Minute IPA
First Course – Spring mix, grilled peach, danish blue cheese, peach infused balsamic dressing Paired with Festina Peche
Second Course – Dogfish clam chowder – Paired with Spruce Beer
Third Course – Ahi tuna steak, roasted Asian vegetables, wasabi citrus glaze Paired with – Rosabi
Dessert – Assorted mini pastries with a bitches brew honey dip – Paired with Bitches Brew
Tickets are $95.

Wednesday, June 25: La Birreria at Eataly, 200 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. The dinner will include a live performance by musician and Dogfish Head collaborator Julianna Barwick. For reservations, call 212-539-0204, ext. 304, or email [email protected]. Menu and details.

Welcomed with a glass of Dogfish Head’s Festina Peche upon arrival!
First Course – Beer-Infused New England Clam Chowder—all-natural Clam Chowder Made with Dogfish Head’s Palo Santo Beer & Cream Paired with Spruce Beer
Second Course – Roasted Pork Loin—Fennel-Dusted Pork Loin with Braised Radicchio & Roasted Maitake Mushrooms – Paired with Special Blend of Dogfish Head Bitches Brew & Birreria Wanda
Third Course – Ginger Panna Cotta
Ginger Panna Cotta with Strawberries – Paired with Rosabi
Tickets are $80 and include a live musical performance by Julianna Barwick.

Thursday, June 26: Atlantic Inn, Block Island, R.I. For reservations, call 401-466-5883 or email [email protected]. Menu and details.

Welcome – Local Block Island Oysters on the Half Shell, Grilled Peach Mignonette, Grapefruit Pearls, Cilantro – Paired with Festina Peche
First Course – Dogfish Head Chowder, House Made Black Pepper Oyster Crackers – Paired with Spruce Beer
Second Course – Seared Georges Bank Scallops, Saffron Risotto, Toasted Coconut, Tangerine Honey Gastrique, Fennel – Paired with Midas Touch
Third Course – “Chicken Fried” Cavendish Quail, Aged Cheddar & Thyme Waffle Maple Braised Greens, Spiced Sausage Gravy – Paired with 75 Minute IPA
Fourth Course – Grilled & Coffee Smoked Berkshire Pork Chop Corn-Poblano Relish, Glazed Baby Carrots, Chipotle, Sweet Corn Emulsion Paired with Bitches Brew
Dessert – Strawberry & Wasabi Charlotte Russe, Black Sesame & Ginger Sponge Lemongrass Bavarian, Compressed Wild Strawberries, Strawberry Sorbet Paired with Rosabi
Tickets are $65.

Sunday, June 29: Merchant, 60 Franklin St., Boston, Mass. For reservations, visit the Merchant online. Menu and details.

First Course – Salad of pea greens and apricot, ginger vinaigrette, watermelon radish – Paired with Festina Peche
Second Course – Clam chowder – Paired with Spruce Beer
Third Course – Steak frites, all natural flat iron, upland cress, red wine jus – Paired with Bitches Brew
Dessert – Strawberry shortcake, buttermilk biscuit, basil Chantilly, marinated strawberries – Paired with Rosabi
Tickets are $100 and can be purchased here.

Tuesday, July 1: Infiniti Fermentation and Distillation, Portland, Maine. For reservations, call 207-221-8889. Menu and details.

First Course – Oysters (2 per) on the half shell, maine seaweed salad (dolce kelp), Festina Peche mignonette – Paired with Festina Peche
Second Course – Clam chowder with house made smoked tomato oyster crackers – Paired with Spruce Beer
Third Course – Maple glazed duck breast with local greens and summer vegetables – Paired with In’finiti Rhum Blanc cocktail
Fourth Course – Apple wood smoked Hanger Steak, bitches brew demi-glace, spelt salad, sweet fried broccoli – Paired with Bitches Brew
Dessert – Cucumber-Shiso sorbet with local berries and yogurt sauce – Paired with Rosabi
Tickets are $90 (includes 8% ME state sales tax and gratuity). 100 seats available, live collaboration brew during dinner.
Call In’finiti to reserve 207-221-8889.

Beer dinner guests at each location will be the first to taste Pennsylvania Tuxedo, the collaboration beer Dogfish Head just brewed with the iconic American apparel-maker Woolrich, Inc. Each guest also will take home a Dogfish Head pint glass, a Dogfish/Woolrich wool koozie and a Boston Whaler visor.

Along the way, A Moveable Feast (#MoveableFeast) will raise $10,000 for The Nature Conservancy. The Delaware Chapter of The Nature Conservancy will get 25 percent, and the local chapter at each stop will get 75 percent.

“The Nature Conservancy is eternally grateful for Dogfish’s unflagging support,” says Richie Jones, state director of the Delaware chapter. “We are thrilled to welcome Sam and his son to our preserves as they work their way along this epic journey.”

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