Just don’t look for it at your local bar. Despite its grand ambitions, Life & Limb saw a limited first run. Distributed by Sierra Nevada, Delaware received only 50 cases and 12 kegs. Calagione said he took some heat from bars and liquor stores.

Sierra Nevada founder Ken Grossman instigated the collaboration. Based in Chico, Calif. and founded in 1980, Sierra Nevada is one of the nation’s oldest craft breweries and a touchstone for Calagione.

“Sierra Nevada was kind of an epiphany beer for me,” said Calagione, who started home-brewing in the early 90s. As Milton-based Dogfish stormed the world of artisan beers, Calagione and Grossman struck up a friendship.

“Ken’s been a great mentor,” Calagione said. When Grossman extended the offer of collaborating on a beer, Calagione said he was a bit intimidated. “We know how established and daunting they are, but it was a really fun experience.”

Calagione said he wants Dogfish Head to remain a family business, much as Grossman’s children work at Sierra Nevada. Each brewer contributed an heirloom to the brew, limbs off the metaphorical family tree: Calagione pitched in maple syrup from his family farm in Massachusetts; Grossman offered barley from the brewery farm in Chico. Naturally carbonated with birch syrup from Alaska, Calagione said the beer should age well. Years from now, he mused, Grossman’s and Calagione's children could split a 24-ounce bottle.

“It’s kind of a liquid family crest,” Calagione said.

Currently, Life & Limb isn’t available beyond Dogfish Head’s brewpub in Rehoboth Beach. Assistant manager Matt Patton said supplies are abundant, but Calagione said he’s disappointed in the limited production run. He said Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada are planning to brew more Life & Limb in 2011, and in greater quantity.

“My only regret is that we didn’t make more,” he said.