Dogfish Head has revamped and re-released its line of ready-to-drink (RTD) canned cocktails. The new and improved Canned Cocktails are crafted using the brewery’s own house-made spirits and its favorite culinary ingredients.

The new lineup includes Blueberry Shrub Vodka Soda, Strawberry & Honeyberry Vodka Lemonade, and Cherry Bergamot Whiskey Sour. Each flavor contains 7% ABV.

Dogfish Head is Distilling Veteran

“A lot of folks don’t realize it, but Dogfish Head has been distilling spirits for about two decades, and we actually released our first ready-to-drink bottled cocktail back in 2017,” says Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione.

“Just like our award-winning spirits, our Canned Cocktails were born from blissfully inefficient recipes, the overactive imaginations of our uber talented co-workers, and a distinct distilling process centered around innovation and boundless creativity,” Calagione said. “While our spirits have been available to those throughout the Mid-Atlantic for some time, our Canned Cocktails are the first opportunity for off-centered people nationwide to drink in and explore the goodness that is Dogfish Head Distilling Co.”

The new RTDs replace the iteration introduced last summer, Dogfish Head’s Scratch-made Cocktail. According to a report in Delaware’s Cape Gazette, the drinks were available in five punny varieties: Blood Courage, Crushin’ Thyme, Milton Mule, Rum Mint Tea, and Hey Ricky You’re So Lime.  Those original iterations ranged in ABV from about 8 to 13% ABV, and were meant to be poured over ice and shared with friends.

Photo courtesy Cape Gazette.

Boston Beer Brings Distribution and Marketing Savvy

Dogfish Head now has the power (and checkbook) of Boston Beer (NYSE: SAM) behind them, makers of Sam Adams and of course Truly hard seltzer. The new parent company’s influence is visible, as the new RTDs come in a 12 oz. slim can, ala Truly.

Dogfish Head was acquired by Boston Beer in 2019, in a deal valued at around $300 million. Calagione remained at the helm of Dogfish Head and was given a seat on the Board of Directors of Boston Beer. Calagione received 406,000 shares of SAM stock, which currently trades at approximately $1,030 per share, up from a 52-week low of $290.

Along with the new release also comes a shift in distribution. Rather than focusing on mid-Atlantic states, as the brewery did previously, the Canned Cocktails are now available from coast-to-coast. But due to the complications and limitations in control states of selling anything with spirits in the ingredient list, some states will be excluded from the initial offering.

Dogfish Head Canned Cocktails won’t be available to residents of the control states of Pennsylvania, Alabama, North Carolina, Mississippi, Montana, Oregon, Wyoming, West Virginia, Utah, Vermont, or Michigan. Those states restrict alcohol sales to outlets owned and operated by the respective state’s alcohol control board.

The company will also not offer it to those who live in South Carolina or Indiana.

Taproom Genesis

The idea for Dogfish Head’s canned cocktails was born from its tasting room. Fans loved being able to take their favorite beers home, and demand for to-go cocktails quickly grew. The brewery has taken its time perfecting the new recipes.

“Dogfish Head Distilling Co. has always been focused on building our recipes around enticing combinations of natural culinary ingredients in their rawest forms; never adding flavorings or bringing in bulk-spirits for re-distillation,” says Dogfish Head innovation Manager James Montero.

“This commitment has allowed us to produce a wide array of award-winning vodkas, gins, rums, whiskeys and more, and has helped us build a loyal cadre of spirits drinkers. I’m proud to share that that same level of rigorous care was used when creating the recipes for our ready-to-drink Canned Cocktails.”

The new RTDs have already achieved major critical acclaim; one flavor in particular made a splash at LA’s spirit awards.

“We knew we weren’t going to officially release these tasty cocktails until early 2021, but we just couldn’t contain our excitement any longer,” said Calagione. “So, we submitted a preliminary sample of our Blueberry Shrub Vodka Soda to the L.A. Spirits Awards and it ended up winning “Best-In-Show” in the ready-to-drink category. What an awesome way to kick-off the New Year and celebrate the soon-to-be launch of our latest endeavor!”

We’re excited to see – and taste – what this new chapter has in store for Dogfish Head.

Erin Grafton
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