Chew It, Boil It, Brew It! Dogfish Head Brings Back Chicha

From Dogfish Head:

Milton, DE ., February 22, 2018 – Spit happens – and when it does, you brew Chicha.  An ancient Peruvian beer brewed with corn that’s chewed up and spit out, Chicha is one of the most talked about brewing creations from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.  First brewed in 2009, this new batch of Chicha was brewed with corn chewing contributions from over 100+ Dogfish Head  coworkers who banded together to prepare the beer’s main ingredient for brew day – chewed purple maize (corn).  To welcome the return of this historical beer and to celebrate the off-centered collaboration that brought it to life, Dogfish is releasing (200) 750ml bottles in the Tasting Room at the Milton brewery, as well as on tap, on March 10 at 11am. 

So what exactly is Chicha?  In Peru, small communities produce it from masticated maize, naturally fermented in large clay pots & often flavored with indigenous fruit and spices. Dogfish Head reproduced the ancient beer by creating Chicha from coworker-masticated purple Peruvian corn, malted corn and malted barley.  The wort is then boiled for full sterilization, chilled and blended with strawberries. Fermented with a unique blend of yeast strains, Chicha clocks in at 3.1% ABV with fruity, spicy aromas and a dry finish.

At the ‘Hootenanny’, the annual Dogfish celebration party hosted by Sam and Mariah Calagione, co-founders of Dogfish Head, hundreds of coworkers gathered together to toast their accomplishments from the previous year and cheers as they head into the next.  In the ultimate spirit of teamwork, each attendee was given a cup of purple corn to chew up and spit out to contribute to the brewing ingredients needed for Chicha.

“Chicha is one of the most unique beers we brew at Dogfish and each batch has its own special story,” said Sam Calagione, CEO and founder of Dogfish Head . “I’m especially excited about this year’s Chicha as I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with my coworkers chewing purple corn and spitting it into cups to create the most physically-collaborative batch of beer we’ve ever brewed.” Available while supplies last, bottles are priced at $18 and will be sold on a first come, first served basis – limited to two bottles per person. Chicha’s a beer that should be enjoyed fresh, so each bottle will include a ‘drink by’ date for reference.

Want to make a night of it?  Book an overnight stay at the Dogfish INN on Thursday, March 8, guaranteeing you two bottles of Chicha (for purchase) at the Milton brewery on March 9. Reserve your INN package online using the code ‘CHICHA!” in the special request section or by calling the INN and mentioning the promotion during booking.  

For more information about Chicha, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and the Tasting Room (#6 Cannery Village Center, Milton, DE, 302-684-1000), Dogfish Inn (105 Savannah Rd., Lewes, DE) or to learn more about delicious off-centered beers, visit www.dogfish.com.

Dogfish Head:

Dogfish Head has proudly been focused on brewing beers with culinary ingredients outside the Reinheitsgebot since the day it opened as the smallest American craft brewery 22 years ago. Dogfish Head has grown into a top-20 craft brewery and has won numerous awards throughout the years including Wine Enthusiast’s 2015 Brewery of the Year and the James Beard Foundation Award for 2017 Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional. It is a 300+ coworker company based in Delaware with Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, an off-centered brewpub and distillery, Chesapeake & Maine, a geographically enamored seafood restaurant, Dogfish Inn, a beer-themed inn on the harbor and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, a production brewery and distillery featuring a tasting room and food truck.  Dogfish Head supports the Independent Craft Brewing Seal, the definitive icon for American craft breweries to identify themselves to be independently-owned and carries the torch of transparency, brewing innovation and the freedom of choice originally forged by brewing community pioneers. Dogfish Head currently sells beer in 40 states and Washington D.C. and will expand into additional states in 2018. For more information, visit www.dogfish.com, Facebook: @dogfishheadbeer, Twitter: @dogfishbeer, and Instagram: dogfishhead.