I don’t purchase their beer that much, other than my yearly punkin ale purchase or the occasional take a 60 min from dad’s fridge if it’s in there. For the record, it is still a very good IPA, in my opinion. However; we go down to Delaware a few times a year and we’re 10 minutes from Milton when we do. We went to visit as a family and it was one of the best brewery visits in a while. Great well priced food, lots of great stuff on tap that reminded me of DFH of old, I had a white sage AIPA. On top of that it had this great small town feel still despite the towering fermenters right outside, played some cornhole and I think they still had the bocce courts too. I’m looking forward to our next visit to DE for a dogfish trip. I’d recommend people visit if they’re nearby.
I'll buy a four of 120 Minute when I see it, still have a couple of bottles from last time. I'll also buy anything Utopias BA, like 120 or WWS. I'd consider any strong dark beers, particularly BA if any showed up here. We mostly see 60, 90 and some of their lagers and other IPAs.
I’ll occasionally buy 60min if at a restaurant, but I pass at the store when I see their next IPA variant 6pack just like most all the other regional and National brewers putting out the next IPA variant. Usually once a year I’ll grab that $10 single bottle of WWS or 120min sitting at the beer store counter. DFH and the Bruery are 2 brewery portfolios that seemed to have been left behind by the beer nerds post pandemic but probably even started a few years before that as well. Too many breweries is mostly the reason.
I has been a while. Crazy thing is…. After checking my reviews, there are about twelve beers that I definitely remember enjoying, yet have no record here or in my personal database. A few that are worth bringing into the fold, like 60 Min., Raison D’Étra, and My Antonia. +1 for bringing back Palo Santo Marron.
60 minute seems to show up on a lot of tap handles around here and I’m all for it. I much prefer “old school” east cost IPAs (ie maltier and crystal clear) when I want something hoppy and 60 still does the job. But I only ever buy it on draft. I couldn’t tell you the last time I bought a six pack. And my wife really likes sea quench, so I’ll grab that from time to time as well.
Out of curiosity, is this anecdotal or do you have some kind of data to back this statement up? I ask because I don’t think the way I buy beer has changed much at all—if anything, I probably buy less beer directly from breweries just because I’m far less willing to chase rarities/limited releases than I was 10 or 15 years ago. Far more likely to just pick something up at a good grocery store that carries a wide selection of beer, which usually means mostly local stuff. I seldom even go to beer specialty stores anymore, and to breweries even less. Wondering if this is more of a regional phenomenon or maybe you are speaking more for yourself personally. Or, maybe I’m just out of step with how the cool kids are doing things these days.
As best I can recall the only Dogfish Head purchase I have made in the last year was Punkin Ale last fall. As always I enjoyed drinking those beers. I was never a big consumer of Dogfish Head beers. In the past I would occasionally purchase a draft pint of 60 minute if that was the best option at a restaurant/bar. Cheers! P.S. When it comes to the East Coast IPA substyle I more frequently purchase Victory Hop Devil; I just purchased a six-pack a few weeks ago,
The Brewers Association calls that "own-premise" sales - beer bought direct from breweries, either consumed on-premise or packaged and draught beer taken to-go for later off-premise consumption. Unfortunately, much of that info collected by their Chief Economist, Bart Watson, is private and can be viewed only with B.A. membership, unless Watson is quoted in the "free" press. The pandemic obviously had a major effect on those stats but last one I recall seeing is around 10% of all craft beer is "own premise". Since craft beer is around ~13% of the total beer market, it's still small. As distributing larger breweries lose share of the craft market and the tiny breweries (the B.A. breaks them down into "Microbreweries""Taprooms" and "Brewpubs"), the own-premise share of craft is obviously going up. Of course, @thebeers comment was about "beer nerds" buying habits - gotta check with the B.A. on that percentage I guess. See Watson, B.: OWN PREMISE SALES TO NERDS, (BEER)
I view 60 minute and 90 minute as good reliable backup beers when a place I visit does not have anything else that interests me.
60/90 Minute still hits for me. But I rarely drink anything else. I don't see the large format bottles of "off centered" stuff I used to see 10-15 years ago. Used to be fun to try. Every so often I consider World Wide Stout, but it's been a while.
Beer writer Kate Bernot reported a few weeks ago on her Twitter account after listening to Boston Beer's Earnings Call that: That Market Screener page w/BBC's results says "Shipment volume full year was approximately 7.7 million barrels" so that'd make BBC's "Beer" around 1.43 million barrels. So, smaller than the (B.A. non-craft) Kirin-owned New Belgium/Bell's combo's 2022 barrelage of 1.675M. And NB Voodoo line is one of the bright spots in beer sales and likely will be up for 2023. So... OTOH, sales of BBC's Dogfish Head Canned Cocktails are up.
I enjoy seaquench ale in the summer, it has margarita flavors in a sessionable beer and is enjoyable to me on a hot day but that's the only beer of theirs I actively seek out occasionally throughout the year.
60 Minute was the IPA that got me into IPAs but I think the recipe has changed a bit, as when I had some fresh cans/bottles last year it was no longer totally clear and had a softer mouthfeel; wouldn't shock me if they tweaked it a bit to keep in line with current trends (I noticed this with Jai Alai also). The issue with DFH in my area is that they are still pricey in comparison to better options. But 60/90 are still solid options, though, and the stovepipes are priced competitively (and strangely so in some cases, as I can see 90 Min. stovepipes for cheaper than 60 Min.). I enjoyed SeaQuench also but unfortunately the stovepipes for this one are rapidly disappearing.
I'll grab a tall boy of 90 Minute when I see it fresh, which is pretty often. I also still grab some WWS and 120 Minute once in a while. I can't say the last time I grabbed a six pack of anything. 90 Minute is still great and a classic flavor.
I still buy Punkin' Ale most years and aged bottles of 120 Minute are always a favorite at tastings. Beyond those two, I haven't had anything from them in quite a few years. I see SeaQuench can at a bunch of different places, so it seems like that's their focus. It isn't my jam, but I don't hate it or anything. If it's selling for them, that's great. A quick glance at their website shows that their line-up is pretty balanced with old and new school options. Are they still relevant? Yeah, I suppose so. I haven't forgotten them, Sam is still at GABF (+ side events) every year, and their stuff is still on shelves. I'd be a lot more concerned if they were pivoting in a dumb direction. Their experimentations were way ahead of their time and it seems like they aren't trying to keep up with the Joneses by one-upping places brewing with ricin, taco spice, and rhino horns.
They definitely aren't as ubiquitous as they were pre-COVID down here in Texas. I still see 90-minute and Sea Quench occasionally but that's about it.
Looks like the recently approved can labels for 60 Minute Ale note that they could be brewed at BBC large breweries in OH and PA. I guess the coding on the cans could be used to decipher the actual brewery (BBC's code used to list the brewery). Cans are listed at "1 Pint, 3.25 oz." - 19¼ ounces - I haven't looked at the cans on those so-called "single serve" shelves lately - is that a common size?
Not really. Since I became a beer geek - over 20yrs ago - there's so many more local beers available that it's hard to actually work in the beers from outside the area like I used to back in the day.
