Earlier this year, I stumbled across a post on Dogfish Head’s instagram featuring the Dogfish Inn. I immediately sent it over to my wife and told her I had added a new destination to our “want to go to there” tracker. Dogfish Head holds a special place in my heart for a number of reasons. I can probably think of 60-120 pretty easily, but I won’t bother listing them.
Inn
Tucked away in the eminently charming, coastal town of Lewes, Delaware, the Dogfish Inn provides beer patrons the perfect headquarters for the full Dogfish experience. The Inn itself is located in downtown Lewes and is conveniently surrounded by restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. It’s also a short walk to the public beach— side note: don’t drink on the Lewes beach, apparently it’s illegal.
Bikes from the Inn are provided on a first come first serve basis for those that would like to take the scenic bike path into Rehoboth. Ubers/Lyfts/Taxis are also plentiful if you’re like me and want to try every beer and cocktail you possibly can at the two Dogfish locations (Chesapeake & Maine, Dogfish Brewing & Eats).
The rooms are very well appointed at the Inn, and the good folks at Dogfish even provide a free 32 oz. growler that you get to keep and can take around with you to the brewery and brewpub. The Inn is also dog-friendly, and a number of guests had their canine companions with them while we were there. That policy along with the nightly gatherings at the fire pit imparted a very jovial and welcoming element to the atmosphere.
Chesapeake & Maine
Dinner our first night took us to the second restaurant concept launched by Dogfish Head in downtown Rehoboth. Chesapeake & Maine, who received a James Beard nod for their cocktail program, serves up a fresh, seasonal seafood-driven menu. East coast classics like Maryland crab dip and fresh Maine lobster sit side-by-side with more adventurous options like fresh scallops served with a roasted garlic espuma and wild rice.
>We arrived a little early to our reservation in order to do a sampling of the keg served cocktail concoctions. My favorite of the kegged cocktails was the Cool Hand Cuke—Dogfish Head Whole Leaf Gin, Cucumber Water, Simple Syrup, Fresh Lime, Sea Salt. I will say that the fresh cocktails being mixed and served at the bar were also quite enjoyable. Mrs. CBHF loved the MelonDegeneres. Needless to say most if not all of the cocktails featured spirits from Dogfish Head’s craft distilling operation which is locked behind a fireproof garage door in the brewery. If you prefer spirits to beer, there’s a specific tour that focuses on the distillery and I’ve heard it’s a blast!
R&L Liquor Store
I only had three days in Lewes, next time I’ll plan for a week. Why? The craft scene is still strong along the Delaware coast and three days was just not enough time to visit everything I wanted to visit. If you’re on a quick trip and want to try other local breweries beyond Dogfish Head, I recommend popping over to R&L Liquor which is a five minute walk from the Dogfish Inn. They have all the Dogfish staples and a nice selection of local craft from some smaller guys in the area. Big Oyster Brewery makes a great kettle-sour with berries and lactose called Isabelle— man, what. a. treat. It is definitely on my list for a full visit next time.
But wait, there’s more..
In part 2, we take a tour of the brewery, an overview of the unique tastings offered when you’re in Dogfish Country and the seminal event of the trip— a fireside chat with Sam about all things beer and all things Dogfish Head…