Dogfish Head Brewery Tours 2014

They changed the policy around the same time they started serving pints and filling growlers. It's pretty obvious they want every tour to be full and for people to hang out and spend money. It's a smart business move - how do you think they got as big as they are today? The signup system was a mess that constantly disappointed people, particularly locals. It's really not hard to show up early if you want to get on a tour, or hang out for a while if the nearest one is full. I took a bunch of consultants I was working with on a tour a few weeks ago and it wasn't big deal at all, we just hung out for about an hour.

As for why they fill growlers at the brewery - because they can! More sales! Not really rocket science. They fill the exact same beers there as the brewpub (brewpub does not fill growlers of exclusives or any of the limited, large format beers)

 

What cryme said. I do agree with others that outside of the brewery there isn't much else to do in Milton, but i can't say spending an hour or so at the brewery would be that bad of a thing to do.

On a side note my in laws live in Milton and it kills my wife and I that the town isn't taking advantage of the amount of people that come to see the brewery. There is a new median restaraunt opening using local fresh ingredients that does sound promising.

 

And on the nite of greed I'm pretty sure that Sam is pulling in enough with sales and everything else he does that changing the tour system had less to do about money and more a change in the culture at the brewery.

 

Went in late March at the last minute travelling from Baltimore. Got there around 3:00 pm and tours were full but we stuck around and got called for the 5:00 pm tour. Great tour, worth the wait. But I could imagine this being problematic in beach season.

 

I recently attended the Analog a Go Go event and had a great time. It has come a long way since the first year when I bought 2 tickets (my wife doesnt drink) and could not even get within earshot of a beer. It was spread out over the property but that being said the tasting room had the most sought after casks and they were trying to do tours, sell growlers and pints, and give event samples. I agree why do all of that in one place at the same time? Because they can and do.

 

Why do you feel so entitled that you deserve to go on the tour than anyone else that was there? You had the exact same opportunity as everyone else who did and did not get to go on the tour. You simply showed up too late and left too early. If you were indeed supposed to go on the 3pm tour and for some reason did not get called, chalk it up to an honest mistake.

 

I'm genuinely curious, why do you think you deserved to go on the tour more than anyone else who participated that day?

 

I didn't know they starting selling pints, but then the tour policy makes sense. Previously there was no reason to hang out at the main brewery, since all you could drink was the free samples after the tour. You wanted to get out of there and drive down to the brewpub at the beach.

 

I did read through the entire thread before each of my posts. It's just interesting to understand the mindset of someone who went out of their way to complain about a fair and simple policy they knew well ahead of time.

It's childish to pout and have a fit when things dont always work out the way you had anticipated. Then to go so far as to say they sold out because they're giving everyone an equal chance of experiencing their tour. What would you rather have, a ticket system like they used to which, as mentioned, was sold out all the time preventing you from even having the chance of going on the tour?

Its near a beach. Can't go on the tour that you've already been on? Oh well, grab a sixer and plop down in the sand and enjoy the view.

 

I only visited the main brewery once, in July 2010, and it was only samples then. So the next time we visited in 2011, we were smart and went in the off-season (December), skipped Milton and went right to the brewpub in Rehoboth.

 

I get the feeling you have never been to the DFH Brewery in Milton. It is nowhere near the beach. Probably a good 30-40 minute drive. The brewpub in Rehoboth is near the beach but the Brewery in Milton is literally in the middle of nowhere. And there is absolutely nothing to do in Milton. I have been on 2 DFH tours, once coming down from NJ to stay in Rehoboth and the other time driving from Bethany Beach. Both times I was able to reserve a spot. There was no food sold, and no beer purchases, only the samples they gave you on the tour. Had the current policy been in place, I would never have gone, given the long drive. Having said all that, I disagree with the OP about DFH selling out. This policy just works better for them. I am sure the new policy will work fine for people in the area, or those passing through, but anyone driving a good distance, hoping to get in, may end up leaving disappointed.

 

I've lived right next to the brewery for 5 years and I can assure you that that has never been the case until recently. Bottles to-go only, no growlers, until the renovation they only had about 5 draft lines taps.