dogfish brewery tour

How to Get the Most Out of Your Visit to Dogfish Head Brewery

words: Cat Wolinski

photography: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Visiting Dogfish Head Craft Brewery has been a rite of passage for beer geeks for decades. Since opening its original brewpub in Rehoboth in 1995, followed by its production brewery two years later in Milton, Dogfish Head has been welcoming beer pilgrims to Delaware, giving them an up-close taste of the bold brewery’s “off-centered” ales.

Now, Dogfish Head has grown from the smallest operating brewery in America to its own mini-empire. In addition to its brewpub, brewery, and distillery, the craft beer pioneer opened its own Dogfish Inn in Lewes, Del., in 2014, followed by a seafood restaurant, Chesapeake & Maine, next door to the brewpub in Rehoboth Beach in 2016.

This spring, Dogfish will unveil renovations of Brewery & Eats, along with a new courtyard connecting the brewpub with Chesapeake & Maine, complete with a brand new R&D brewery and distillery.

Dogfish Head may not be the talk of the beer trade black market these days, but its significance for craft beer travelers is undeniable. It’s the 12th-largest craft brewing company in the U.S., the 22nd-largest brewery company in the country overall, and in its almost-25-year history of beer, food, and hospitality, Dogfish has figured out how to show beer lovers a good time.

Why It’s Famous

Dogfish Head began as a small brewpub in Delaware in 1995 as a champion for culinarily inspired ales in a craft-beer-thirsty nation. Considered a pioneer of the industry today, the brewing company has since expanded into one of the largest craft beer brands in the world.

The beer that made Dogfish famous is the 90 Minute IPA , an early example of the IPA style that introduced an entirely new concept to the craft brewing industry: continual hopping. The revolutionary method entailed adding hops during the brewing process from start to finish, creating a hoppy, nuanced ale that yielded complex hop flavors without the bracing bitterness that characterized other examples of the style.

What to Order

If you’re visiting the brewery, brewpub, or restaurant, opt for seasonal releases or beers with limited availability. A very special find might be the World Wide Stout, a rarity with many vintages over the years (one variation is oak-aged on vanilla beans). Another oddity, Chicha , is worth seeking out for the extra adventurous: The Peruvian-inspired brew is made with masticated purple corn (that means people chewed the corn and spit it out).

To take advantage of a special variety of Dogfish’s lineup of continually hopped IPAs (of which there are the 60 Minute, 75 Minute, 90 Minute, and 120 Minute), ask for the 75 Minute IPA on cask, giving it a smooth, soft mouthfeel and muted bitterness.

Also of note this spring, in honor of Record Store Day, Dogfish is releasing Dragons and YumYums , a collaboration with the Flaming Lips, brewed with dragonfruit, yumberry (a real thing), passionfruit, pear juice, and black carrot juice.

And, if you’re eating at the brewpub or any Dogfish locations, don’t be afraid to ask your server what pairs best with your meal.

What to Skip

Unless you live outside of Dogfish’s 41-state distribution footprint, you can skip the year-rounds like 60 Minute IPA and Indian Brown Ale (it’s not that they’re not delicious, but you can find them almost anywhere, including elsewhere in Rehoboth). Tasting the lineup of spirits is interesting, but not necessary; if you’re not traveling with a spirited drinker, pick up a bottle of Sonic Archaeology , a ready-to-drink cocktail that’s made with Dogfish whiskey, rum, and brandy, along with honey, lemon, and pomegranate juices.

Summer is high season in Rehoboth Beach (the city bills itself as the nation’s summer capital ), making June through August prime time for beach goers, but also crowds. For a more relaxed trip, fall and spring are great times to explore the brewery, distillery, and restaurant scene along with other Rehoboth Beach bars and nightlife (drag show at the Purple Parrot, anyone?). If you’re looking for slightly livelier-than-ghost-town vibes, winter is ideal for sneaking in for some good eats, drinks, and crisp walks on the beach, with a lot less competition for space and sanity. (Full disclosure: The author has done this and loved it.) Plus, winter travelers can take advantage of Dogfish’s off-season specials , like Wood-Fired Nights and Beers With Bryan, a pow-wow with a Dogfish brewer. Whatever the season, there’s always much to do within Delaware Dogfish domain.

Where to Stay

The Dogfish Inn can serve as a base camp for committed beer lovers looking to experience all things Dogfish. Located in the coastal town of Lewes, about 20 minutes from the Dogfish production brewery and taproom in Milton, and about 10 minutes away from Dogfish’s Brewery & Eats brewpub and Chesapeake & Maine restaurant in Rehoboth, the inn completes the triple feature of Dogfish happiness.

Staying at the inn includes “INNclusive tours” which, for a fixed price, allow guests to enjoy beery amenities in their rooms, get shuttled to the brewery for a behind-the-scenes tour , then escorted to the brewpub and brought back to basecamp. If you’re lucky, a late-night campfire might even feature a “fireside chat” with Dogfish Head co-founder and heartthrob, Sam Calagione, who lives close by and has been known to roll through on Friday nights.

Published: March 29, 2018

• How to Get the Most Out of Your Visit to Dogfish Head Brewery | VinePair
• https://vinepair.com/articles/visit-dogfish-head-delaware/
• wbs_cat Beer, wbs_brand Dogfish Head Brewery, beer, beer travel, Longform, Travel
• Cannonball Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 | VinePair
• https://vinepair.com/good-wine-reviews/cannonball-cabernet-sauvignon-2014/
• Adam Teeter
• product_recommendation
• wbs_cat Wine, wbs_type Cabernet Sauvignon, wbs_brand Cannonball, cabernet sauvignon, California

Dogfish Head Brew Pub Tour

• See all photos

Similar Experiences

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Dogfish Head Brew Pub Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Twitter / X
• Readers' Choice
• Food & Drink
• Arts & Culture
• Travel Guides

USA TODAY 10Best

Go behind the stills on the 10 best brewery tours in the country

Best Brewery Tour (2024) March 8, 2024

The only thing better than sipping a pint of your favorite brew is getting a behind-the-scenes look at where it's made. To determine which breweries offer the best tour experiences, we asked a panel of beer experts to nominate their top brewery tours across the country. Then, our readers voted for their favorites. Here are the 10 best brewery tours in the United States.

No. 10: Samuel Adams - Boston, Massachusetts

Samuel Adams has long been a giant in the Boston beer scene, and visitors are invited to learn more about the history of the company and its famous Boston lager during 45-minute tours of the brewery. Other themed tours focus on cheese pairings and research and development.

No. 9: Stone Brewing - Escondido, California and Richmond, Virginia

San Diego's king of craft beer offers public tours of its Escondido, California, and Richmond, Virginia, production facilities. Beer experts lead visitors through the brewing facility and packaging hall while offering insight into the science of brewing and craft beer culture. Tours end with a tasting and include a souvenir glass.

No. 8: New Belgium Brewing Company - Fort Collins, Colorado & Asheville, North Carolina

Visitors to the New Belgium facilities in both Fort Collins and Asheville are in for a treat. Tours that last 90 minutes include beer sampling as well as stories of the brewery's history and a look at the facilities. After the tour, guests are invited to enjoy beers in the tasting room or grab a bite to eat from a rotating list of visiting food trucks. Free 45-minute Tour Teasers are also available, which include a tour of the Brewhouse and one beer sample.

No. 7: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. - Chico, California and Mills River, North Carolina

Sierra Nevada beer fans have the opportunity to tour brewing facilities in either North Carolina or California. During each 45- to 60-minute interactive tour, visitors trace the process from grain to bottle. Smell whole-cone hops, sample sugary wort, and finish with a guided tasting of Sierra Nevada beers. Beer Geek, Beyond the Pale, and other tours go further in depth.

No. 6: Bell's Brewery - Comstock, Michigan

Bell’s Brewery, one of the oldest craft breweries east of Colorado, started out with a 15-gallon soup pot in 1985. Today, visitors can tour the facilities at both the Comstock and Kalamazoo locations to learn more about the processes of brewing, fermentation, and packaging. Tours include complimentary samples.

No. 5: Spoetzl Brewery - Shiner, Texas

Spoetzl Brewery, the pride of Shiner, Texas, dates back to the early 1900s. Those who take the 45-minute brewery tour will be introduced to the history of Spoetzl, learn about the impact its success has had on the town of Shiner, and have the opportunity to witness the brewing process up close. Tour packages start at $25 per person over 21 years old and include complimentary pours of Shiner beer. 

No. 4: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - Milton, Delaware

The first-come, first-served $5 tours of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery offer a laid-back journey through the working brewhouse for a chance to watch the magic happen. For beer lovers, Off-Centered tours go into the brewhouse, rackhouse, and R&D system, with stops for tastings along the way.

No. 3: Burial Beer Co. Forestry Camp - Asheville, North Carolina

Burial Beer Co. gives its tour-takers the chance to bring along a guest for free, if they're the designated driver. Of course, they won't get the free samples that everyone else does, but they will get the lowdown on the Asheville brewing scene and the history of Burial during this 1-hour experience. 

No. 2: Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. - Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

Visitors to this Chippewa Falls brewery have a few options for tours. The hour-long Legacy Tour covers the 150-plus-year history of Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., with a stroll through the modern facilities and a visit to the Leinie Lodge. Or spend 90 minutes on a tour with the master brewer, 30 minutes exploring the Leinie Lodge Pilot Brewery, or 90 minutes learning about the history of the brewery and Chippewa Falls.

No. 1: Tröegs Independent Brewing - Hershey, Pennsylvania

Visitors to Hershey can enjoy a 1-hour guided production tour at Tröegs Independent Brewing. The experience includes a behind-the-scenes look at the mill room, hop cooler, brewhouse deck, fermentation cellars, and packaging lines. A welcome beer kicks off the exploration and three more samples are included.

About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best .

The Experts

Dennis malcolm "ale" sharpton.

Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a...   Read More

Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a world-renowned beer authority, award-winning journalist, blogger ( AleSharpton.com ), photographer, event planner, host, speaker and beer judge to name a few of his roles. While passionately traveling the globe to cover everything from automobiles to culinary scenes, celebrity profiles, sports, hotel destinations, art, and what he terms “the world’s best beverage,” Ale has contributed to more than 30 magazines and websites combined. His current media outlets include USAToday , Thrillist.com , Craft Beer & Brewing , CraftBeer.com , Theinfatuation.com , ButterATL.com , James Beard Foundation , Atlanta Magazine , and others. Along with being featured in various publications, on the web, radio, podcasts, television, beer fests, conferences, and ongoing Cruisin’ For A Brewsin’ video series, Ale utilizes his Cornell University School of Hotel Administration education and vast work experience to consult in the culinary industry as well. Forbes , Smithsonian Institution, UNTAPPD, Good Beer Hunting , and numerous others have showcased Ale’s accomplishments. In a collaboration going on six years with brewing giant New Belgium, Ale has produced a beer he conceptualized called Piano Keys—a chocolate vanilla imperial stout—geared to support diversity and racial equality. This project with New Belgium also spawned his initiative, BrewGether , which raises funds to support nonprofits embracing the same mission as Piano Keys.  Ale proudly owns AllWays Open Creative Solutions, an agency specializing in creative direction, logo design, branding, web design, video production, photography, consulting, and social media. Although a native New Yorker, Ale proudly calls Atlanta his home. Follow Ale’s globetrotting adventures on his captivating Instagram ( @realalesharpton ).

Gary Monterosso

Gary Monterosso is an award-winning critic, who...   Read More

Gary Monterosso is an award-winning critic, who has written for national and regional publications. He is a regular guest on “You Oughta Know,” on WHYY-TV, a PBS station based in Philadelphia. Gary also hosts one-minute beverage updates on several southern NJ radio stations. From 2010-2017, he was seen on the History Channel show called “The Epic History of Everyday Things.” He is the author of the book, “Artisan Beers.” After a 41-year career as a NJ- based educator, Gary now teaches beer appreciation classes at Wilmington University. Gary has appeared on many television programs discussing craft beers and has guested on BBC radio offering an American perspective on the beverage. In late 2014, he lent his expertise to CBS News New York, by offering fall beer recommendations. One of the highlights of his career was a three-year stint on the Sirius Satellite Radio network, talking about the latest happenings in the beer world. In 2014, Gary was selected by Chilled Magazine to be a member of the “Chilled 100,” signifying him as one of the top 100 beverage personalities in the United States. He continues to be a fixture at regional beer events by hosting dinners and tasting seminars. He has qualified as a Certified Beer Server, a part of the Cicerone Certification Program, recognizing his knowledge of beer styles, culture, the brewing process and ingredients.

Jackie Dodd Mallory

Jackie Dodd-Mallory is a beer and food writer and...   Read More

Jackie Dodd-Mallory is a beer and food writer and photographer based in Seattle. She is the author of three best-selling cooking with beer cookbooks and the owner of  craftbeerphotography.com  you can find her on social media @TheBeeroness.

Dr. Mike Arra is the CBO (Chief Beer Officer) and...   Read More

Dr. Mike Arra is the CBO (Chief Beer Officer) and logistics guru of Bon Beer Voyage , an award-winning beer tour company for Belgian and Craft Beer Enthusiasts. Bon Beer Voyage was created by Mike and his wife, Ruth Berman, as the beer geek’s answer to wine snob tours- without the snob part.  They offer higher quality, small group, gourmet beer vacations (Beercations) both in the US and abroad; providing their guests with one-of-kind-experiences, sightseeing, great food, brewery insider visits and beer tastings. Mike is the head beer instructor for Bon Beer Voyage’s virtual and in-person beer tasting classes, sharing tastings and pairings with beer lovers from all over the world. Designer of the coveted Beercation app brewery and bar maps that are shared with Bon Beer Voyage’s Beercation guests,  he also serves as the beer guide for their Beercation beer hunting sessions. 

10Best Editors

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,...   Read More

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

Best Beach in Michigan

Best Beach in Florida

Best Beach in North Carolina

Best Beach in South Carolina

Best Beach in California

Browse the best.

Best Beer Club (2024)

Best Beer Festival (2024)

Best Beer City (2024)

Best Small Town Beer Scene (2024)

Best Beer Bar (2024)

Back to readers' choice.

• Destinations    
• Private Tours
• Historical Tours
• South Korea
• Czech Republic
• Brussels NEW
• Belfast NEW
• Copenhagen NEW
• Palermo NEW
• Netherlands
• Stockholm NEW
• San Sebastián NEW
• Valencia NEW
• United Kingdom
• United States of America
• Los Angeles
• Philadelphia
• Portland, Oregon
• Washington D.C.
• San Francisco
• Houston NEW
• Mexico City
• Rio De Janerio

Omsk Food Tour - Secret Food Tours

Omsk, Russia, may not be the first city that comes to mind when thinking of foodie destinations, but it is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. With its rich culinary heritage and diverse gastronomic scene, Omsk has plenty to offer food enthusiasts. Embarking on an "Omsk food tour" promises a delightful adventure for your taste buds.

One of the highlights of Omsk is its vibrant local marketplaces. Here, you can immerse yourself in a cornucopia of flavors, aromas, and colors. The Central Market is a must-visit, where you can sample an array of fresh fruits, vegetables, and regional delicacies. Don't miss out on trying "omul," a local fish specialty, or indulging in a bowl of hearty "solyanka" soup.

Omsk is also home to numerous cozy cafes and restaurants that cater to all culinary preferences. From traditional Russian cuisine to international fusion dishes, the city offers a diverse range of dining options. Indulge in mouthwatering "pelmeni" (dumplings) at a local eatery, savor the flavors of Uzbek cuisine at a family-run restaurant, or enjoy a cup of aromatic Russian tea accompanied by delicious pastries.

What sets Omsk apart is its warm hospitality and affordability. You can experience a wide range of culinary delights without breaking the bank. The locals take great pride in their food traditions and are always eager to share their knowledge and passion with visitors.

In conclusion, Omsk, Russia, may be an underrated destination for food enthusiasts, but it is undoubtedly a great foodie city. With its diverse culinary scene, bustling markets, and welcoming atmosphere, embarking on "Omsk food tours" promises an unforgettable gastronomic journey. So pack your appetite and prepare for a delectable adventure in this hidden culinary gem.

• Destinations
• Group & Private Tours
• San Sebastián
• New York City
• Rio de Janerio

Welcome To Dogfish Head!

We know it’s rude to ask, but are you over 21 years of age.

Oh shoot, you’re not quite there! We take the whole 21 and older thing seriously around these parts, and it’s our responsibility to limit website access to those of legal drinking age. We hate to see you go, but we look forward to connecting in the future! For more information, please visit responsibility.org .

This website uses cookies. By using this website and its offers and by continuing to navigate, you accept these cookies. 

Search form.

Featured Posts

New brewery tour schedule in effect.

For our most up-to-date tours schedule, visit our Tours page . 

Looking for something fun to do this afternoon? How about a brewery tour? We offer free tours of our Milton, Delaware brewery! We are located just off Chestnut Street in Milton, DE (for mapping or GPS type in 511 Chestnut Street).

Looking for something fun to do this afternoon? How about a brewery tour? We offer free tours of our Milton, Delaware brewery! We are located just off Chestnut Street in Milton, DE (for mapping or GPS type in 511 Chestnut Street). Our tours are limited to 25 people per tour - so reserve your spot early. We will accomodate walk-ins IF space is available.

The Dogfish Head Tasting Room is open for sampling and sales between 11am and  5pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Visitors can come and see us anytime during these hours for a free beer sampling or to purchase beer or merchandise.

Full-on Guided Brewery Tours of our Milton, DE brewery will be offered as follows:

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays: 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00

Fridays: 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, and 5:00

Saturdays: 12:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 and 5:00

(There are no tours on Sunday and Monday)

Each tour is limited to 25 people per tour. Reservations can be made on our online reservation system or by phone: 302.684.1000 (just hit 0 and ask to make a tour reservation). Walk-ins are welcomed, if there is space on the tours.

Visitors are welcome to enjoy a round of bocce on our bocce courts while waiting for the tour, or after enjoying a tasting of Dogfish Head beer.

**Note: All brewery tour participants must wear closed-toe shoes.

On Wednesday, we also encourage you to head down to our Rehoboth Beach, DE brewpub, where our once-a-week Distillery tour happens at 5:00pm (and it's Happy Hour to boot!).

We will not offer tours on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.