If beer enthusiasts were trying to vote someone to the position of craft beer rock star
Sam Calagione's name would surely be on the ballot. Sam is the founder and owner of
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and has been creating innovative beers since 1995. Sam's rock star status not only comes from his imaginative creations but from his various involvements in the beer arena. He's a successful entrepreneur and author of books dealing with the business of beer, homebrewing and the benefits of pairing beer, instead of wine, with food. His
Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats in Rehoboth Beach Delaware also houses a microdistlery that produces specialty vodka, gin and rum. There are now two
Dogfish Head Alehouse restaurants. Sam can also label himself an inventor with the creation of
Randall the Enamel Animal; a 3 foot high cylinder packed with whole hops and hooked into a draft line. Beer flowing from the tap is infused with the hops in the cylinder and thus creates a true fresh hop experience. He's been on national television promoting the virtues of beer. Oh, don't forget that Sam is also part of the funk/hip hop/rap duo the
Pain Relievaz. All of that and the guy brews beer. It's no wonder why he is considered a star in the beer world.
When all is said and done it does come back to the beer. Some of his most inventive and historic have been the recreations he has worked on with senior research scientist Dr. Patrick McGovern at the University of Pennsylvania. The two have already created
Midas Touch; a honey-grape-saffron beer based on traces of a drink found in the tomb of King Midas. A beverage from the preserved pottery jars of a Neolithic village in China was the basis for the rice-honey-fruit beer
Chateau Jiahu. The latest Dogfish recreation,
Theobroma, was released this month in bottles and is based on an ancient alcoholic chocolate drink from Honduras.
On Tuesday Sam Calagione travels to Philadelphia to spread the word about his ancient brews and some of his other creations. He will conduct his class,
Off Centered Ales and Ancient Brews, at
Tria's Fermentation School from 6:30-8PM. Unfortunately this one is already sold-out. The good news is that Sam is appearing earlier at Tria's Washington Square location to pour Theobroma and other Dogfish Head beers. The meet and greet runs from 5-6PM and is Pay-as-you-go.
