Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, DE is the 13th largest brewery in the United States and produces almostĀ 200,000 barrels of beer annually, but they don’t sell beer… they sell stories.
They were one of the first craft breweries I became familiar with over a decade ago. Craft beer friends raved about their beers being super flavorful and high in alcohol, but I was hesitant dueĀ the price point – their beers were about $10-12 for a 4 pack, compared to about $6-7 for a normal 6 pack. I quickly discovered the value of their beers went beyond quality and taste, giving customers a story to tell when they shared these beers with others.
There is a story behind every single one of their beers. For example, one of their first successes (and one of the first beers of theirs I tried) was their Punkin Ale, which was developed by their founder for the local Punkin Chunkin festival – where he won the first prize in the pumpkin recipe contest and it became an incentive for him to start the brewery. Their Midas Touch is a beer they created based on an analysis of the liquid residue found in ancient clay pots in King Midas’ tomb in Egypt. They even made a Chicha beer based on the tradition of Peruvian women chewing up and spitting out corn to make beer – except they had their entire staff at the brewery do it.
Every single bottle of their beer has a unique design which contributes to their story, and each label contains a short synopsis of the story/lore behind that beer. Company information on their website starts with, “The story behind Dogfish Head…” Ā Their website is what has really allowed them to tell their story and expand upon both how they came up with each beer, what goes into it, and what they can expect when they drink it.
Like any modern day storyteller, they use video to expand the experience, offering “Quick Sip Clips” of their founder sampling and explaining each beer. Each video isĀ like a personal tasting with the brewmaster. Ā More recently, they have continued to expand their video offerings, creating “Dogfish Dish” cooking/food pairing videos for their beers.
A lot of the storytelling they have done has been based around historical beers, partnering with an archaeology professor to learn about and re-create ancient styles. Dogfish Head is able to get beer enthusiasts even more excited about the beers they are trying by taking them on a journey of discovery behind these historical beers. Their founder’s genuine enthusiasm fosters a feeling of mutual learning about, and appreciation for, these beers.
Craft beer makes up a small percentage (around 10%) of the overall beer market, and while it’s growing, the number of craft breweries also continues to grow around 20% each year to nearly 3,500 this year. It takes something unique to stand out in this crowding market, and Dogfish Head knows that selling is aboutĀ more than just the beer, it’s the story behind it.
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