It’s a Dogfish Day afternoon. The forecast is for temperatures in the mid-90s. And this time, the weatherman is right.
Dave and I are in Lewes and bound for Dogfish Inn, a hip, mid-century inspired motel.
We have taken the hospitable folks at Dogfish up on their invitation to explore the property. It’s a super location, downtown and right on the canal. Further, the inn has personality, a friendly vibe that includes such niceties as a communal fire pit, lawn games, a super-sized ice machine and open outdoor showers for a quick post-beach rinseoff.
The room is clean and cool, with a king-size platform bed, a bit of seating, a rack for hanging clothes and blessedly effective AC. A large sink—the kind you might find in a farmhouse—is open to the main area, flanked on either side by a stall shower and a water closet. It’s fun and funky, just enough space for a pied-à-terre near the sea.
With Cape Henlopen State Park a few miles down the road, Lewes is a bike-friendly destination. We hossed our bikes down from New Castle County but we need not have gone to the trouble. Dogfish has a fleet of bikes, offered gratis to guests on a first-come, first-served basis. There is even an air pump for quick tire recharges.
At dinner time, we head to downtown Rehoboth Beach to Chesapeake and Maine, the brewery’s restaurant highlighting the cuisine of the Eastern Shore and New England. It’s located right next door to Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats.
We start with a selection of plump, briny oysters, so fresh they practically leap off their shells. It’s an auspicious beginning. (You also should try “Smoke in the Water,” a collaboration between Dogfish and Hoopers Island Oyster Aquaculture in Maryland in which oysters are settled in holding pens of Chesapeake Bay water, infused with wood-cured salt and smoked raw in their shells.)
In addition to Dogfish Head brews, there’s a wine list and a selection of cocktails, including such potent potables as the Bierre-Hatten ($12), a concoction of Temptation rye, Palo Santo Marron Bierremouth, Immort Ale bitters, and Immort Ale-infused cherries.
For the main course, Dave reels in the Maine shore dinner ($38), a traditional pairing of steamed lobster, steamer clams, Johnny Blues mussels, fingerling potatoes, and corn on the cob. It’s cooked perfectly and the melding of seafood and veggies reminds us of why this dish is a time-honored classic.
In the interests of geographic balance, I take a dip in Maryland waters, with lush crabcakes made from sweet backfin and jumbo lump crab ($28). From a list of seasonal sides, I choose decadent sweet-and-spicy hushpuppies, piping hot and oozing bacon, and summery creamed corn succotash.
For dessert, we share gooey, creamy cheesecake with fresh, ripe strawberries.
Service is attentive and engaging. There’s a lively hum in the room but it doesn’t drown out conversation.
Back at the Inn, it’s still too hot to hang out by the firepit. But the gentle breeze on the balcony suits us just fine.
In this relaxed atmosphere, it’s easy to get to know our neighbors. To our left are four guys from Jersey, friends and brothers who own two small businesses: a beauty salon and a landscaping company. To our right are newlyweds, teachers from Harrisburg, Pa.
They have come for the Dogfish All-INNclusive Experience, in which guests leave their cars at the inn and let the hosts do the driving for a VIP tasting and private behind-the-scenes tour of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, home to a 200-barrel brew house, wood-aging room and state-of-the-art bottling line. Afterward, the group goes to lunch at Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats.
Only a day before, Dave and I were at WPXN’s XpoEntial Music Festival at Wiggins Park on the Camden Riverfront, where we drank Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPAs while listening to a great lineup of artists. (On Sept. 17, we’ll be at Bellevue State Park when Dogfish Head presents XPN’s Analog A-Go-Go music festival.)
So we and the other guests all start out with something in common. We enjoy Dogfish Head beer.
Dave gets out his guitar. We sit on the balcony as he plays. Soon, our neighbors are singing along. We drink beer. We chat.
The Jersey guys tell me they are voting for Trump. I keep drinking. Dave keeps playing.
Eventually, beer and music trump Trump. After a pleasant evening, we all shake hands and retire to our respective rooms.
The next day, we pack up the car before walking into town for a late breakfast at Notting Hill Coffee, where we sip fresh-brewed joe with sandwiches of egg, cheese and sausage folded into buttery croissants.
We learn that the hospitality at Dogfish Inn extends beyond checkout time. We are welcome to leave the car in the lot as we head into town. In a locale where parking is at a premium, we appreciate this courtesy. We also have access to the restroom in the inn’s freestanding lobby, as well as the outdoor showers.
Clearly, Dogfish takes hospitality seriously. But in a light-hearted way.
We drive off to Cape Henlopen to celebrate Dave’s birthday, another trip around the sun. But not until Dave gets his requested gift: a Dogfish Head ball cap, conveniently sold in a small gift shop in the Inn’s registration area along with other branded Dogfish merchandise. We leave Dogfish Inn with a warm feeling for a cool concept.
Each year, food and wine enthusiasts gather at a location that’s kept secret until the day of the event, although hosts Vince and Elizabeth Moro have been known to let the cat of the bag early. No word yet on this year’s destination but Vince promises it is exceptional. And with clear skies and a high of 80 degrees, it’s shaping up to be the best BIW yet.
