Good interview. A few items: 90 Min in the 19.2 oz format has become the fastest growing package for any of their IPAs - But around me it seems to be withdrawing, as many stores stopped carrying it in this format. DFH and Other Half are doing a 60 Min. collaboration and DFH is taking one of their IPAs and adding wild Maine blueberries to it.
Which is why brewing companies feel the need to do a brand refresh even though it means losing recognizability.
Last time I had their beer was 60 minute on draft at the airport. I think the fact I and others may pass them by now is less about Dogfish Head and more about craft beer in 2024. Sounds like they can still brew some very interesting beer in a wide variety of styles, but you only see that variety at the brewpub. This again, is not unique to Dogfish Head. These days I don't judge breweries on their packaged format, and wait to judge them until I can step in their tap room.
As I have alluded to an other Dogfish Head threads, I will buy their product when they bring back the ancient ales
I kind of understand the comparison of DFH to Bruery but I think the companies diverged paths long ago. Bruery seems content to stay in their lane of primarily serving their club members with big abv beers that are often heavily flavored. They've made very little effort to become a distribution brewery that sells volume off the grocery store shelf
I bought a DFH 90 Minute stovepipe for a commuter train ride Tuesday, it was tasty, haven't had one in years. Plenty of good beer locally, no reason to buy stuff from out of town.
90 minute is still great and a nice contrast sometimes to the hazy stuff that's around today, but it's not something I'm going to buy a lot of. Really miss their brown ale which I haven't seen in years and used to buy often.
I will still drink an occasional 90 minute, but its disappointing that they no longer brew beers that I enjoyed like Bitches Brew, Indian Brown Ale and Palo Santo Marron. I liken them to my ex-wife - they might not be dead, but I certainly ain't checkin' for them.
Dogfish Head is incredibly relevant to me because I see a bottle of 120 sitting in my fridge every day. I bought it for 120 day back in 2018. And I sat on it for a year to bust out with my friend as a "barleywine" as a joke. I see this damn beer in my fridge every day, however whenever January 20th comes around it slips my mind and I end up sitting on this beer for another year because I refuse to open it on any other day. So yes. While I haven't had a Dogfish Head beer in years, they are still relevant to me for that reason.
60 and 90 minute are tasting really gross these days. At 2-3 months old they taste rough and very oxidized and stale. It’s very off and quality has been declining year after year Dfh 60 and 90 as well as palo santo used to be my favorite beers ever.
Interesting reading the comments here. DF used to have these weird brainstorms that turned into beers that were always worth trying. Then there were the few highly drinkable but different beers (Indian Brown on tap at a beach bar in San Diego). Fond memories. But other than the Minutes beers I don't see much at all from DF anywhere on the West Coast. But happy tippling to all who find their more interesting beers in your own lands.
I have bought one DFH beer in the last two years. A Utopias barrel aged 120 about 3 or 4 months ago. I've actually never had a 120 so I'm not sure how long to sit on it, or just drink it
Yeah Seaquench was the last big success they came up with IMO. Since then, not much else. I didn't get to try Utopias BA WWS though
And, depending on one's weight and the quality of the glass bottle, could result in an embarrassing trip to the ER and some cool scares that few will ever see (hopefully - I know I'd pass).
I would say it's definitely worth trying if you come across a stray bottle. I thought it the best WWS variation I've had the pleasure to try, and probably the best DFH beer I've had in quite some time.
