Attention Dogfish Head Fans: Very Limited Quantity of Their Newest Available at kybecca

We just received a very limited allocation of the newest from Dogfish Head - the Theobroma. This one is another of Dogfish Head's attempts to recreate an ancient beverage. According to the brewery, "This beer is based on chemical analysis of pottery fragments found in Honduras which revealed the earliest known alcoholic chocolate drink used by early civilizations to toast special occasions. The discovery of this beverage pushed back the earliest use of cocoa for human consumption more than 500 years to 1200 BC. As per the analysis, Dogfish Head’s Theobroma (translated into 'food of the gods') is brewed with Aztec cocoa powder and cocoa nibs (from our friends at Askinosie Chocolate), honey, chilies, and annatto (fragrant tree seeds). "

Here's the deal on this beer: No holds, limit of 2 per customer. Also, it's only available at the William Street store.

Returning Beers This Week

Those of you who were wondering where the Blue and Gray Borman's Belgian went, well, the brewery was working on seasonals. But they've brewed a new batch and it's back (already in at Plank Road, will be available at William Street from Friday). If you haven't had it, this is Fredericksburg's local brewery's version of a Belgian ale. It just came in today so I haven't tried one from this batch, but I'm told by master beer judge Lyle Brown that it's a bit hoppier this time and the brewers did a great job. I can't wait! Oh, and the only place you can buy this other than the brewery is kybecca. David, I hope you don't mind me ripping off this picture you took of the beer.

Also back in is the always popular Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, another pumpkin beer for you to try. Dogfish Head uses real pumpkin in their version, rather than a bunch of spices and nothing else. Available in 4 packs or by the bottle. Better get it while it's around, because once it's gone it's gone until next year.

Hey Dogfish Head Fans...

We just got in a shipment of the Palo Santo Marron, the newest beer from Dogfish Head brewery. The last time I got this it sold out in about a week, and I had to tell some disappointed people that the brewery just didn't have enough at the time to satisfy demand. Now they have brewed more, but I can't promise how long it will be around, so act quickly. Available at both stores.

For those of you who are not familiar with this beer but are now interested, Palo Santo Marron is a strong brown ale aged in Palo Santo, a type of wood from Paraguay. I had the privilege of tasting it the first go round, and found it strong but well balanced. You could cellar this for a couple of years as well.

Dogfish Head Beer Dinner

On Friday, the 30th of this month we will be hosting our first ever beer dinner featuring Dogfish Head beers. Devin Arlowski, who works for Dogfish Head, will be here to answer any beer-related questions. I selected the beers based on which ones I thought were the most food-friendly and Olde Virginia Catering will be providing the food. Click here to see the full delicious menu and which beers will be paired with it. For the main course, the chef will be making spareribs that he will cook with the Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale. I can't wait.

If you're not familiar with Dogfish Head, check out their website. They are probably the most innovative craft brewery in America in terms of coming up with new ideas for beer styles. For example, one of the courses in the dinner will be paired with the Dogfish Head Red and White, a beer brewed with a bit of Pinot Noir juice and then aged in Pinot Noir oak barrels.

So come on out and enjoy some great beer and food. The event will be held at the Plank road store (next to Ukrops) and costs $60 per person, which includes tax and tip. You can sign up online by clicking here or by calling (540) 548-3339 (payment must be made in advance to secure your reservation). There is a limited amount of seating so sign up fast!

New Beers This Week

Well, these aren't exactly new, but they haven't been around for a while. Both are from Dogfish Head, one of my favorite craft breweries. First is one of their once-per-year releases, the Burton Baton. This beer is sort of a cross of their 90 minute IPA and an English Strong Ale aged in oak barrels. A full-bodied, rich beer with strong malts and strong hops. Get it while it's around - this beer will be fine for months if stored properly.

Next is Dogfish Head's spring seasonal, the Aprihop. Aprihop is basically an India Pale Ale brewed with apricots. Dogfish Head does a great job with fruit beers because they don't just add fruit juice to the final beer, they actually brew the beer with the fruit, so you get the flavor without too much sweetness. This beer is a great thirst quencher for the warm spring days.

So why do I like Dogfish Head so much? They are extremely innovative. If I wanted to demonstrate to somebody from abroad what's special about American beer, Dogfish Head would be one of the first breweries I would point to. Some American craft breweries imitate European styles of beer and can do them rather well, while others may focus on traditional American style beers. Dogfish Head, on the other hand, uses recipes of their own creation to basically make entirely new beverages (although obviously they rely on traditional recipes as a starting point). That's very difficult to pull off. I love trying new stuff, so I'm always excited when Dogfish Head comes out with something. These are beers for the adventurous palate.

New Beers This Week

So this week we have two American craft brews with a wine influence. As brewers seek out ever more creative ways to make beer, some have incorporated wine-making techniques or even used wine in their recipes.

First up, we have the Allagash Victoria Ale. Allagash Brewing Company is located in Allagash, Maine and specializes in Belgian-style beers. You may have seen their Allagash White before, which is their most popular beer (compare to Blue Moon, another Belgian-style white ale, and it's a knockout for Allagash). It's no exaggeration to say that Allagash makes Belgian-style beers as good as the real thing. They also have some innovative beers of their own creation, such as the Victorian Ale. It's sort of a cross between a Belgian Pale Ale and a wine. They crushed Chardonnay grapes on site and brewed the beer with the juice.

Next up is Delaware's Dogfish Head Brewery with the Red and White Ale. This beer starts out as a Belgian White Ale brewed with coriander, orange peel, and Pinot Noir juice. It is then aged in used Pinot Noir oak barrels.

Beers like these are one reason I love the American craft beer scene so much - the innovation. American brewers are not afraid to experiment and come up with what are basically entirely new beverages. Bravo to Allagash and Dogfish Head for leading the way.