Dogfish Head & Qualified Captain: A Collaboration of Your Coastal Dreams

I brought you a peek at this beer back in June 2025, and now I have the full release details from Dogfish Head in Milton, Delaware:

We’re teaming up with The Qualified Captain to bring you something swell … from a new brew to a clothing capsule and more!

When the worlds of coastal comradery and maritime mojo collide, a new collaboration is born. Our love for the ocean alongside our admiration with stories of the sea led us to the one and only, Qualified Captain. The Qualified Captain has carved out a reputation as a bold advocate for safety, camaraderie, and seafaring pride — values that resonate deeply in coastal communities that perfectly complement the spirit of a coastal-inspired collaboration.  

We teamed up with our pals from The Qualified Captain to come up with the perfect post-boat day brew. Introducing … The Qualified Cast Ashore! Crafted for the coast, this crisp and refreshing American Pilsner is brewed with North Carolina-grown ingredients to pay homage to The Qualified Captain’s home state. Brewed using a blend of Epiphany Modern Pils Malt, Tuxpeno Corn Malt, Tidewader Gold Rice Malt, flaked rice, and flaked maize, The Qualified Cast Ashore has a brilliant golden hue, a light body, and a clean, dockside-ready finish. This goodness will be available at our coastal Delaware properties starting Wednesday, Jul 29, as well as select locations in and around Ocean City, Maryland and Beach Haven, New Jersey.

This collaboration is fueled by our shared love for the ocean, drinking good beer and telling great stories, so we’re taking it on the road to Ocean City for the upcoming “World’s Largest Billfish Tournament”. On Tuesday, Aug. 5, we’ll be dropping anchor at stops around Ocean City to sample the beer, celebrate the tournament, and show folks the off-centered ropes!  

We’ll be starting our day at Pure Lure from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., where Sam and The Qualified Captain’s founder Aaron will be recording an episode for their podcast. So stop on by, say hi and try our new collaborative brew. After that, we’re heading to Sunset Grille from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. where we’ll have samples, giveaways and more, and then we’re finishing the day with a Happy Hour at Micky Fins from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. We’ll also be heading up to Beach Haven, New Jersey’s upcoming billfish tournament, where we’ll have samples and freebies available at Bird & Betty’s on Thursday, Aug. 14 from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.  

And, finally, Aaron’s making his final anchorage right here at Dogfish Head on Sunday, August 17. We’ll have a fireside chat at our Dogfish INN that evening at 6 p.m. where folks can swing by, share their stories from the sea, and sample The Qualified Cast Ashore.  

But that’s not all! To pair with a pint of The Qualified Cast Ashore, we’re also releasing a capsule of collaborative, coastal-inspired merch items to have you geared up for all your off-shore adventures! From quick-drying hats to sun protective shirts and more, head over to limited.dogfish.com to get your hands on this goodness while you still can!  

Here’s the full Press Release:

REHOBOTH, Del. (July 29, 2025) – Dock your boat and raise a glass! Dogfish Head is teaming up with The Qualified Captain, a North Carolina-based lifestyle brand renowned for championing responsible boating, to unveil The Qualified Cast Ashore, a crisp and refreshing American Pilsner brewed with North Carolina-grown ingredients. Since its founding, The Qualified Captain has carved out a reputation as a bold advocate for safety, camaraderie, and seafaring pride — values that resonate deeply in coastal communities and perfectly complement the spirit of this coastal-inspired collaboration.

Crafted for the coast, The Qualified Cast Ashore (5.2% ABV) is brewed using a blend of Epiphany Modern Pils Malt, Tuxpeno Corn Malt, Tidewader Gold Rice Malt, Flaked Rice, and Flaked Maize for a brilliant golden hue, a light body, and a clean, dockside-ready finish. Hopped with Zuper Saazer hops and fermented with Andechs Lager yeast, each sip delivers crisp notes of citrus and peppery spice … the ultimate apres-cruise tipple.

 “The Qualified Cast Ashore not only celebrates Dogfish Head’s coastal roots but speaks to The Qualified Captain’s commitment to maritime heritage,” said Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Founder & Brewer. “This collaboration came out of our shared love for the ocean, drinking good beer and telling great stories. It’s brewed for those who appreciate good company, simple moments by the water, and a cold drink at the end of the day.” 

Hitting shelves now, just in time for the “World’s Largest Billfish Tournament,” The Qualified Cast Ashore will be available in select east coast markets, including Ocean City, Md., where the annual contest takes place. Folks can also stop by Dogfish Head’s Rehoboth, Del., locations or The Milton Brewery to enjoy a draft pour of The Qualified Cast Ashore or to pick up a 4pk/16oz cans to-go. Priced at $16 per 4pk/16oz cans. Available only while supplies last
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“We built The Qualified Captain around respect for the water and good times with good people. Teaming up with Dogfish Head to brew The Qualified Cast Ashore was a no-brainer, “said Aaron Stasiak, a Qualified Captain Representative. “It’s the kind of beer we’d want in our cooler to celebrate with the entire crew after a great day on the water.”

But that’s not all! To pair with a pint of The Qualified Cast Ashore, Dogfish Head and The Qualified Captain are releasing a suite of collaborative, coastal-inspired merchandise. Gear up with the limited-edition Dogfish Head x The Qualified Captain collection—featuring a lightweight, long sleeve hoodie with moisture-wicking performance and built-in sun protection that adds an extra layer of defense against everyday exposure, a quick-dry snapback hat, and a signature boat flag, available for purchase beginning July 29, on both brands’

websites, www.dogfish.com and www.thequalifiedcaptain.com, respectively.
Dogfish Head and Qualified Captain will be hosting a series of events in August. Visit www.dogfish.com for all the details.

For more information about The Qualified Captain, visit www.thequalifiedcaptain.com or follow @thequalifiedcaptain on social media.

zzubreebym

About Dogfish Head:

The story of Dogfish Head began in June of 1995 when we opened Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats – the first state’s first brewpub – in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The plan was to bring original beer, original food and original music to the area … and we did just that!

Not only was Dogfish Head Delaware’s first brewpub, it was the smallest commercial brewery in America. With our very first batches brewed on a system that was essentially three little kegs with propane burners underneath, we were brewing 12–gallon batches of beer for a whole restaurant. It proved to be more than a full time job and when the doors to the brewpub first opened, we brewed three times a day, five days a week! The benefit? Brewing on such a small system gave us the ability to try out a myriad of different recipes.

Insert ‘off-centered ales for off-centered people.’ Our hunger for weird ingredients and venturing off the beaten path was just getting started.

Fast-forward to 2002 and after spotting a stainless-steel bin in a rural Delaware scrapyard, our wandering eye led us to explore the wild and wonderful world of spirits. Sam worked with engineers and welders to reshape the tank in the form of a pot still – lovingly named ‘Frankenstill’ – and Dogfish Head’s days of hand-distilling gin, rum and vodka began. We’ve since expanded our distillery operations to our Milton campus with Frankenstill standing guard.

The off-centered fun doesn’t start and stop with beverages though … oh no. Here at Dogfish Head, we have places to eat, places to drink and places to play. The missing link? A place to stay. That’s why in 2013 we designed a basecamp for both beer lovers and adventure seekers alike – the Dogfish Inn. Located in historic downtown Lewes, it’s chock-full of style, quality and craft … let’s spend the night together!
But Wait, There’s More…


But before we get ahead of ourselves, we have a bit more to tell you. With connections to both the Maine and Chesapeake regions from our founders Sam and Mariah, it only makes sense that our coastal roots would lead to our very own seafood restaurant, and in 2016 we opened the geographically enamored Chesapeake & Maine. Featuring fresh seafood sourced exclusively from the coastal waterways between the Chesapeake & Maine, you’ll find our take on coastal dishes, handcrafted cocktails and Dogfish beers in a casual, nautical-themed atmosphere.
And just when you think there couldn’t possibly be more…

Still motivated by non-conformity, by spontaneity and by experimentation, Dogfish Head turned the page of our American craft beer story in May of 2019 and started our next chapter by merging with our longtime friends-in-beer – The Boston Beer Company. With complementary portfolios and a band of like-minded co-workers, we combined our own superpowers in the beer, spirits and off-centered experience worlds with Boston’s superpowers in building strong, diverse and innovative brands in craft beer and beyond-beer.

With a never ending thirst for exploring new waters, in 2021 we swam south for our next great adventure – Dogfish Head Miami. Located in the Wynwood neighborhood, this off-centered outpost was a place to celebrate all of our favorite things – innovative ales, tasty eats, and immersive art. Sadly, due to significant rent increases throughout the Miami area, we made the difficult business decision to permanantly close our Dogfish Head Miami doors in Nov. 2022. 

At every turn, our restless desire to create what hasn’t yet been imagined keeps us bringing new stories, new tastes, and new experiences to you.

Because we don’t jump on the bandwagon, we are the funky drummer.

Every day is an exploration. A thoughtful search through a crowded world, we search for that thing that makes us pause – that idea that excites us, the inspiration we can’t ignore. The journey can be unpredictable … but that’s what makes it kind of magical.
Dogfish Head Brewing & Spirits…


If you haven’t had the chance to taste Dogfish Head, find a beer, track down one of our spirits or visit one of our restaurants! You’ll quickly see why international beer writer Michael Jackson called Dogfish Head “America’s most interesting and adventurous small brewery.”

We’re beer geeks with a music problem. We’re analog beer for the digital age. We take what we do seriously … ourselves? Not so much. But mostly importantly, we make off-centered goodness for off-centered people and there’s a whole mess of us that work hand-in-hand to make it happen.

Founded in coastal Delaware by Sam and Mariah Calagione back in 1995, Dogfish continues to move in a slightly off-centered direction, motivated by non-conformity, spontaneity, and experimentation. We’ve been known to march to the beat of our own drum, and that’s just the way we like it.

There are over 2,000 of us now thanks to joining forces with our longtime friends in beer at the Boston Beer Company … so lots of people work together day in and day out to make Dogfish Head, well, Dogfish Head.
When we opened in downtown Rehoboth Beach as the smallest commercial brewery in the U.S., we began with a straight-forward, but unorthodox mission: off-centered ales for off-centered people.

Flash forward to today. We’re a bigger – but still small – brewery (with a distillery, tasting room, two restaurants, and a hotel!), with the same mission.

Thanks to a lot of awesome fans who believe in what we are doing as a company we have a lot of passionate, talented, and team-oriented co-workers who have come together to grow this company into a very special community. A community that has supported us fiercely since the day we opened our doors and a community that inspires us daily.

Here at Dogfish Head, yes, we make off-centered ales for off-centered people. The key word though … people. People means that all are welcome in our off-centered world. A world where we’re dedicated to providing a safe environment for our coworkers, guests, and partners. A world that is free of discrimination and intimidation, and where all are treated with respect and dignity.

With people at the heart of everything we do, the following behaviors are just not going to fly when you find yourself in any of our locations:

Physical touch without consent
Unwanted attention – staring, stalking, or trapping an individual
Hate speech or attire
Inappropriate, disruptive, or offensive behavior that crosses personal boundaries (unwanted nicknames, sexual remarks, remarks on physical appearance)

If we find that a guest is having a hard time sticking to the house rules listed above, they will be asked to leave. Actions that repeatedly threaten personal boundaries of our co-workers and guests have no place here.
There’s nothing we love more than sharing our space with new and old friends alike, but we want everyone to feel safe and respected. We’ve typed this out to make sure we’re all on the same page – because together we can craft a world where everyone is welcome. Now … who wants a beer?!