Dogfish opens the doors on new brewpub

Dogfish Head has officially opened the doors on a new era.

The company opened its new brewpub May 19, and those used to the small, rustic look of the old brewpub next door will be in for a culture shock.

Dogfish founder Sam Calagione said the new brewpub was built from the stage out. Every seat is designed with a view of the large, new stage, and the video wall behind it. To tie in the old Dogfish with the new, the old brewpub’s facade sign now sits above the stage. The center of the dining area has picnic tables revealing a German-style beer hall with booths providing great views of Rehoboth Avenue on the side.

A sprawling bar area offers beer menus displayed on TV screens - two at the bar, one in the main dining area and one on the balcony. The upstairs area offers great views of the stage, plus areas to stand to watch performances.

For Calagione and Dogfish General Manager Ryan Schwamberger, opening the new space was a long time in coming.

“We’ve been talking about the project for about three years and doing the project for two years,” Calagione said. “It’s a testament to the vision of a lot of amazing people.”

Architect Jeff Goldstein said when he was first approached by Calagione and asked what he could do to improve the sightlines, he half-jokingly told Calagione, “Knock it down.” Goldstein said the design process began by taking stock of the available land - the old brewpub and its adjacent parking lot - and imagining what could be put on it.

“It seems like the most compelling design solution was also the easiest to implement because it allowed us to build this on a parking lot and keep that (the old brewpub) operational, so it was easier to phase,” Goldstein said.

Schwamberger, who oversaw much of the design work, said he solicited input from Dogfish’s staff to incorporate into the building. The bar staff offered input on their ideal bar for the brewpub, which Calagione said has over a mile of beer lines.

Regarding the stage, Calagione said, “We always had amazing equipment to do beer and to do food, but the music next door, we had world-class acts but our equipment, our stage, our acoustics, our sightlines were not world-class. So we took this opportunity to build everything from the perspective of, ‘Let’s start with the sightlines, the acoustics and the vibe of music lovers.’”

The sound system was designed by B&B Music in Lewes. Calagione said it was important to work with a local company on such an important part of the new brewpub experience.

B&B Music owner Roy Voshell said system took about three weeks to install, as the crew had to work around other contractors.

“This is a pretty small venue for the size of the rig, actually,” Voshell said. “But it’s very advanced.”

The new brewpub, though larger than the old one, has five fewer seats.

“The experience of our customers and the experience of our coworkers is going to be exponentially more awesome,” Calagione said.

Dogfish rang in the new brewpub with a special preview for friends and fans May 17, leaving visitors in awe of the new space.

Rehoboth Commissioner Stan Mills said, “Following along with all the designs, all of a sudden seeing this with all the dimensions, it’s very exciting. It’s very contemporary. The outside does not even hint at what’s on the inside. This certainly isn’t the old Dogfish Head.”

Lewes resident Matt Carter said, “I remember when we showed up in ‘94, ‘95 at the old brewery, and just what we thought of it, ‘Like, wow, this is the greatest thing ever.’ And to see them expand to this, it’s come a long ways. I think it’s going to be great.”

Matt’s wife, Sara, said, “It’s awesome to see the evolution. I think it’s more family-oriented because there’s more space.”

Scott Thomas, executive director of Southern Delaware Tourism, said, “I think it’s a great new chapter in Dogfish history. This new venue is going to be a great gathering place for our area.”

As for the fate of the old Dogfish brewpub, Schwamberger said the building will last through the summer as a merchandise store before being torn down in October. A new building will be constructed to house the merchandise store and brewhouse. The site will also feature a courtyard between the two structures.