Photo courtesy of Dogfish Head
By Gabby Houck
As the event’s official beer sponsor for the sixth consecutive year, the Milton brewery is celebrating with a new brew, virtual happy hour and more.
Music and beer lovers rejoice: Record Store Day is just around the corner, and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery is celebrating in a big way.
This year, the Delaware brewery will collaborate on a limited-edition beer and vinyl release beginning on Saturday, Aug. 29. Dogfish Head has been the official beer of Record Store Day for the past six years, collaborating with bands like the Flaming Lips and the Grateful Dead to create a fun and unique experience for brew fans.
“I’m a raging music geek, so I reach out to bands that I admire and that I think will appeal to our drinkers,” says Sam Calagione, the founder and brewer of Dogfish Head.
To keep the tradition going, this year the brewery is teaming up with indie rock trio Galaxy 500 for the beer and vinyl release. The new brew, Coping Haven, is a play on the band’s live album, Copenhagen, which will be released on vinyl for the first time since its debut in 1987.
The limited-edition beer will be available in four packs of 16-ounce cans priced at $17.
Coping Haven is a Danish style rye pilsner that’s been crafted to match Copenhagen’s fervid performance. It includes a floor-malted light golden pilsner malt, hearty malted rye and a blend of Moravian hops. The result is a characterful lager with floral and herbal hop aromas, a bready and gently spicy malt flavor, and a clean, dry finish, according to the brewery.
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic Record Store Day made some changes this year, including rescheduling from the original April 18 event date. In addition, instead of just one designated release day there will be three drop dates, including the one on Aug. 29. The other two will take place Sept. 26 and Oct. 24. Coping Haven will only be available for curbside pick-up at Dogfish Head’s EmPOURium in Rehoboth as Dogfish Head’s indoor and outdoor dining is currently closed for safety reasons.
Galaxie 500 fans can celebrate with a collection of videos curated by David Newgarden, longtime manager of Guided By Voices and Yoko Ono, which feature 20 bands paying homage to Galaxie 500’s music. Featured performers include Circuit des Yeux, Mercury Rev, Thurston Moore, Real Estate, Surfer Blood, Xiu Xiu and more, according to the brewery. The series can be watched at 20-20-20.com.
Dogfish Head will also hold a live-streamed happy hour with Calagione and others on its social media channels on Aug. 27 at 7 p.m.
Although things look slightly different this year, the spirit of the event is still the same and Calagione is hopeful that music and beer can bring a little happiness during these uncertain times.
“These are these are tumultuous times, and the combination of enjoying awesome beer alongside listening to awesome music is exponentially enjoyable,” Calagione says. “ I think it’s a great opportunity for joy in a moment that’s creating a lot of anxiety for people.”
For more information, visit dogfish.com.
