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Is it wrong to expect an innovative brewery to have equally forward thinking alehouses? Because heading to the Dogfish Head Alehouse in Gaithersburg, MD, I was trying to think what kind of otherworldly experience it would be, coming from folks who turn out great beer like the 60-Minute IPA as well as interesting mixes like the Midas Touch. Would the menu continue fusions where the beer left off? Would the atmosphere push together styles that have never met?
If you’ve had Dogfish Head beer, you know that they don’t mess around. As the slogan says “Off-centered ales, for off-centered people.” Even their standard line of beers (60 Minute IPA, 90 Minute IPA, Indian Brown, et al) are all known for having bold flavors and just about lead the pack for east coast “big” beers. At the same time, their more experimental flavors like the Midas Touch (with Muscat grapes, saffron and honey) or the Palo Santo Marron (aged in a specific Paraguayan wood) push the limits of what Americans will call beer. But it seems like Dogfish Head used all of their originality in the brewing.
The eating at their alehouse is not bad per se, as we noted in our visit to the Falls Church location in 2007. But how many more restaurants do we need with the same bacon cheeseburger, blackened chicken sandwich and wings? It’ll soak up the high ABV beer that you’re enjoying, but not much more than that. It’s like they consulted with the same chefs that designed Friday’s or Tuesday’s or Hooters. And the décor of old black and whites with random knick-knacks on the walls makes that suggestion all the more plausible. Having the beer at home is much more appealing.
Now I realize that criticizing a great brewer for bad food is like criticizing Michael Jackson for being such a public weirdo (“But he made ‘Off the Wall’ and ‘Thriller,’ who cares what he does off the mic!”), so let’s get to the beer:
60 Minute IPA - A classic in the world of IPAs. The continual feeding of hops stopped at 60 minutes (unlike its 90 and 120 minute brethren) brings out the citrus and sweetness in the blend of three hops without crossing the line into bitterness or extreme ABV. Nice gold color, easy to drink and possibly the best East Coast IPA.
SAH’ TEA - Christmas in July! Dogfish Head again digs up a beer recipe from centuries back and twists it into something new. The aroma was similar to chai (thus the name) and the coloring like a karmeliet. To taste, the sugars matched the karmaliet coloring, but with some cloves, cinnamon and ginger mixed in. Beautifully complex, almost tasting of bitters (the digestif, not the taste of dry hopping), this new release is sure to make waves.
Festina Peche - some Dogfish Head beers are more interesting or clever than great, and this one walks the line. We only had a sample (at the waitress' suggestion) and it’s hard to say how a whole pint would go down. A mix of tart and sour peach flavors, as if they mainly used peach skin and not nectar in the process. Sparkling wine lovers could really fall for this as a summer alternative as its crispness and carbonation come off like a flavored Prosecco. Best of all, it’s around 4 percent ABV, which means all of the implied sugar should not necessarily mean a headache in the morning. Good enough that I’m going to buy some for the porch and give it a second go.
Indian Brown Ale - a mash up of different styles and a great choice for when you can’t decide on what to drink. A hop flavor dialed back a bit from the 60 Minute, with the nuttiness of a brown and a strong malt character. Better in a pint glass where it has a chance to breathe.
Some of these were part of the “Sampler,” which I got to see how the beer differed on tap from my usual bottle experience. For the record, it’s just as great. This also included the 90 Minute IPA, Shelter Pale Ale, and Raison d’Etre. So if you haven’t had much Dogfish Head, this is a good start.
If you love the typical chain-food fare with baseball on big-screen TVs, you could do much worse than the Dogfish Head Alehouse. At least you know the beer will be fantastic.
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Oh what I would give to have something like this near me in downtown Silver Spring :(
Cosign
Huh?
Quarry house almost always has some DFH offering and makes a pretty dope burger or wings.
But I just go there for the complete lack of sunlight.
60 minute is frequently on tap.
60 minute is frequently on tap.
Gaithersburgist.com?
Oh please. . . Would you rather they go back only doing things outside of DC if they're in Arlington?
Gah.
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Next time you go, order the buffalo chicken sandwich. It's not on the menu anymore, as it's apparently too hard to make more than a few at a time (they use a fried bread that adds a step to the process). Last time I was there, they said if they stopped making it all together, all the employees would go hungry -- you just have to ask for it. Great stuff, and yes, their beers are fantastic.
I would say my complaint with a lot of microbreweries is similar. Great beers, but nothing special about the food. Capitol Ale House, Gordon Biersch, & Rock Bottom are essentially interchangeable except for the beers.
As I neared 21 years, not too long ago actually. I longed for the day that I could go to Dogfish Head, pound a few beers, and eat a great meal.
I later found out that I wasn't going to get that meal, but as the articles states, the beer is great.
I actually picked up a 4-pack of Dogfish Head Aprihop a couple days ago. I'm not one for sweet beers, but WOW was it great.
Now I realize that criticizing a great brewer for bad food is like criticizing Michael Jackson for being such a public weirdo
Are you saying they have "bad food" or generic food choices? Because I definitely think most of their choice you can find at any Chachkis or Flingers but the food quality is excellent for said choices. Their pizzas are also really good. And since I've been to both brewpubs( Gaithers and Falls church) many a time, the food at the maryland location is better than you'll find at that price anywhere near Gaithertucky.
I hear they have beer there too.
i agree with brew, here. i also take issue with the "It’s like they consulted with the same chefs that designed Friday’s or Tuesday’s or Hooters" comment. i appreciate humor in the sentence but the content borders on hyperbole. ingredients alone set dfh far apart from the chains eric is attempting to draw parallels to.
having said that, i very much appreciate the article. i've long been a fan of dfh ever since i had lunch at the rehoboth beach location in 2003 or 2004, and i frequently recommend the gaithersburg location to anyone wanting to avoid places like chili's and chachkis. many of my peers can't, don't or won't appreciate a good beer, but i try to get the word out anyway.
Totally off topic, but any news on the closure of Penn. Ave. at 28th NW (the bridge over Rock Creek Park). Rumour is sinkhole.
Hi Eric, nice article.
However, I dont know how fair it is to say, "but it seems like Dogfish Head used all of their originality in the brewing." I am sure that you are aware that the owners of the Alehouses have simply licensed the name from Sam and the brewery folks. The brewpub in Rehoboth that is 100% owned by the folks of the brewery is much, much better and yes higher in originality than the local outposts. Sure, they have some connection, but this is closer in form to a "Bud Light Alehouse" at the airport where one should have low expectations that a true Dogfish Head brewpub. Take the drive out to Rehoboth, its worth it!
I second the Rehoboth comment, and it's a short drive from there to Milton, where the brewery is.
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Yeah, sign up for the free tour in advance of going, get the free beer samples after the tour, then drive the next half hour to the original brewery and ale house. That's also where they try out their new beers.
I had the sah'tea there when it was being tried out, delicious. But it's in the style of a Finnish beer called sahti, Sam added a tea-like mix of herbs and spices, hence the chai smell and play on the name.
Thanks for the great article. I've been going to this location since soon after they opened a few years ago (I used to work down the street and still work close). Always good to see them get some press, even if they don't need it. And no, I'm not affiliated with them -- I just really enjoy the place and seeing some extra reviews for the Maryland side of the border.
As pointed out above, the two DC area DFH brewhouses aren't affiliated with the one in Delaware. They don't have the most imaginative food choices, but I'm not sure I've seen many brewpubs that do. It's a step up from bar food, and well, I'm ok without seeing a brewpub do "tuna sliders" are variations on tapas. I will say, though, it's pretty damn good food. Seriously, they make one of the best restaurant burgers I've ever had[0], fairly good pizzas, and oddly for a brewpub, good salads. Lack of imagination doesn't mean you're using flavorless ingredients.
Spot on reviews of the beers, and note that they do rotate them pretty much seasonally with whatever the brewery is producing. The G'burg one has the Sah'tea out earlier than Falls Church did due to them running out of Immortale (which is fantastic, btw).
And yeah, Festine Peche is pretty. . . interesting. To date, it's the only Dogfish beer I've ever had that I didn't like.
On a side note, not covered here, they have special events from time to time, like dinners with beer pairings, live music on weekends, etc. G'burg isn't the most exciting place[1], but this is definitely one of the spots worth heading out to.
[0] No, I have not been to either Good Stuff or Rays Hellburger, despite wanting to get there. Unfortunately, it seems I'll have to wait a few years now before the Presidential hype dies down.
[1] I should know, I lived there for 7 years before moving closer to the city.
For anyone else who doesn't care for the Festina Peche (or any other Neo-Berliner wiesses for that matter): Next time ask for a little bit of 90min added to it. It completely changes the character and the malty backbone that is usually merely a mouthfeel in the 90 pairs and actually compliments the tartness of the Peche. This creates a much more balanced (and thus more appealing to the masses) beer. I've had several people try this and all were quite surprised how different it comes across the palate makes for a great summer beer experience.
Thanks for the tip!
This actually makes a lot of sense -- in food and in beer, I like bitter and/or strong flavors, but I don't like much in the way of tart anything.
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Thanks for mentioning this restaurant. I'm a long-time Gaithersburg resident, and eat at this place on a regular basis. Yes, most of their menu is traditional bar food, but I have to say that they do a damned good job of it. Heck, we sometimes go there to get take-out, although I will say that it's the only only take-out place where I wait until I get there to order, so I can have a beer or two while I wait. They do have a few dishes that transcend the traditional bar fare, e.g. the Jambalaya (order it over rice) and the pork tenderloin. One major loss when they redid the menu a year or so ago was the "Summer Arugula Salad" -- big pile of Arugula with bacon, Gorgonzola and a mustard dressing -- if you go there harass them about not having it anymore. Mondays you can get a burger & fries for $5.
I will also say that I've never, in the probably 100+ times I've been there over the years, seen them have an off night. Service is always great, even though they're usually packed, and the stuff that comes out of the kitchen is perfectly consistent and reliable.
My personal favorite beer there is the "Alehouse 75", which is just a 50-50 blend of the 90 minute and the 60 minute, but I think it turns out better than either of them separately.
If you're going to seriously road-trip it for good beer, then head up to Brewer's Art in Baltimore and get some of their Resurrection ale.
Come on!!!! Is it easier to just bash the food and praise the beer? What did you order, did you even eat? Most likely, nothing. You just read the menu and decided that you would not need to get food you already knew. The reason that all of the places have cheeseburgers and blackened chicken sandwiches are because those are what people want to eat with great beer. But if you would have done any homework prior to entering the restaurant you would have known about the buffalo chicken sandwich (Nominated as the best sandwich in America on the Today show), or you would have ventured past the "same" dishes until you saw to one of their great salads, steak, pork tenderloin, or anything else on their vast menu (Not to mention the calamari or andouille Cajun egg roll appetizers). Even if you settled for the bacon cheeseburger, you would have noticed that the fresh cut fries are the best around.
I am not affiliated with these guys at all, I just hate when "bloggers" do a half ass job, but still want to be recognized as real journalists. Do us all a favor, stay in DC and continue to praise those restaurants without doing anything other then reading the menu and ordering a beer.
I just hate when "bloggers" do a half ass job
Actually, if you read any other of Jamie's articles you would see she never does a "half ass job". I actually enjoy her articles quite a bit and constantly look forward to what she has to say even when i disagree (as to some extent in this article).
If you think calamari and cajun egg rolls are completely off the beaten path for real beer bars you should probably get out more.
Thanks for the article Jamie.
Yes, Jamie's reviews are usually very well done. This one was half-ass. The beer reviews were great, but I didn't see any mention of Jamie actually having eaten anything. Their food choices may not be original, but a good review would've included a something about how the food actually tasted.
Kudos, however, for stepping outside the beltway.
I thought I would point out that this is written by Eric Axelson, and all the excellent beer tasting notes are written by him.
That being said this was largely written to focus on the beer. And also may come down to personal taste.
I would also point out that when coming up against beers that I think are extremely unique, you want to also have the opportunity to try something that isn't typical to go with it.
You are correct. I wasn't clear. My point on the food is the quality, not the diversity. Try the cheeseburger, calamari, and the cajun egg rolls. You will like them, even if you have seen them before.
Also Jamie, please don’t say that the article was "largely written to focus on the beer". That crack about Friday’s and Hooter’s made the article as much about the food as the beer.
I agree with Garrett. I love the food at Dogfish Head Alehouse! The "canary" pizza is one of my favorites and their burgers, fries and onion rings are some of the best in the area. I live in DC and will drive to Gaithersburg just to eat and drink at Dogfish Head.
Hey everyone, sorry for the delayed response, I've been off the grid in Maine since last Thursday. Thanks for the thoughts / ideas / comments.
I didn't know that the Alehouses were just licensing the name - that's intriguing. Makes me that much more interested in heading up to Milton / Rehobeth. Field trip anyone?
I had a whole Festina Peche while in Maine and I've moved into the "I like" camp. Some friends want to go to the Falls Church DFH Alehouse (my food comments be damned), and I'll try the 90 Minute / Peche blend then.
For the record, I'd eaten some junk at a soccer game earlier, so I ordered the Wood Grilled Shrimp Salad. Seems that it's not as easy to sample much of the menu like you do beer. I'll see about going with a larger group to FC and see what the thoughts are on an array of menu choices.