Ten years ago, to celebrate exporting the first Dogfish Head Brewery beer from Delaware, founder Sam Calagione built a sliding-seat rowboat and rowed a six-pack of Shelter Pale Ale 17 nautical miles from Lewes to a beach at Cape May, N.J.
He’s ready for the return trip, and this time on a bigger boat. Monday (Aug. 27) Calagione will host a trip on the Cape May Lewes Ferry.
Calagione wanted to deliver a keg when he sold his first beer outside Delaware in 1997, but soon figured that wouldn’t fit in the boat.
“It was a long, strange trip and pretty disorienting,†he said. “I couldn’t see land for about half the trip.†A party at a Cape May bar followed with Dogfish Head beer on tap. “But we all took sips from the six-pack that I rowed across the bay,†Calagione said.
To celebrate the anniversary, Dogfish and the Cape May Lewes Ferry are hosting a series of events Monday.
Calagione will host a beer & cheese sampling at the Rock Pile Bar in the Cape May terminal from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Along with selected cheeses, Calagione will sample the brewery’s Shelter Pale Ale, 60 Minute IPA, Indian Brown Ale and the 2007 release of Punkin’ Ale.
The boat will head for Lewes at 4:30 p.m. (check-in time us 4 p.m.). During the ride, Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale will be on tap in the Debraak Lounge. Calagione will be on hand pouring samples of some hard-to-find Dogfish Beers, talking with guests about the company, and signing copies of his two books, “Brewing Up A Business†and “Extreme Beer.†Books will be available for purchase.
Upon arrival at the Lewes, Delaware terminal, he will host a beer sampling from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Gerald’s Bar & Grill. Beers to be sampled include Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale, 60 Minute IPA, Indian Brown Ale and the 2007 Punkin’ Ale.
Tickets are now available and include round-trip ferry travel and beer sampling at listed locations.
Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 1-800-643-3779.