Dogfish Head and Brouwerij Rodenbach launch Crimson Cru
With more than 225 years of collective brewing experience, Delaware’s Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and Belgium’s Brouwerij Rodenbach join forces to release Crimson Cru, a 7.1% ABV blended red ale.
Deep copper in color, Crimson Cru begins with Rodenbach’s world-renowned Grand Cru, a Flemish red-brown ale aged in oak casks, which made the overseas trek from Belgium to Delaware via tanker ship. Rodenbach’s Grand Cru is artfully blended with a red ale from Dogfish Head infused with sumac and sweet orange peel, and dry-hopped with Hallertau Blanc hops. The resulting beer is full-bodied and slightly warming with aromas of candied citrus, cherry, caramel and toffee, complemented by malty flavors of stewed fruits, plum, cherry, dried citrus and toffee. Crimson Cru will hit shelves nationwide in mid-October, for a limited time, in 6pk/12oz bottles.
“It was awesome to once again work with the folks at Rodenbach to create a deliciously complex, multi-continental brew. Just as with our first joint venture, Vibrant P’Ocean, a blended sour ale Dogfish Head launched with Rodenbach back in 2020, every facet of Crimson Cru was truly a collaborative effort,” said Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head founder and brewer. “We worked side by side with Rodenbach Brewmaster Rudi Ghequire on every component of this collaboration from ingredient sourcing to blending, and even composing the beer’s artful packaging. I’m really proud of the end result and feel that Crimson Cru is a liquid love letter we collectively floated across the Atlantic Ocean and back.”
As part of Dogfish Head’s Off-Centered Art Series, an annual collection of four beers highlighting artwork by a featured artist, Crimson Cru boasts a bold packaging design by Max Mahn. The artwork centers upon both breweries’ logos, pulling in colors iconic to each brand – forest green for Dogfish Head and crimson for Rodenbach. The label highlights a wooden foeder as a nod to Rodenbach’s well-known foeder-aging techniques and sumac leaves to not only showcase an ingredient in the beer, but subtly reference Dogfish Head’s focus on brewing with real, high-quality culinary ingredients.
“After more than 33 years of brewing sour beer at Rodenbach, it was a special pleasure to work with Sam and his team at Dogfish Head,” said Ghequire. “Our brewery is a few years older and across the Atlantic, but we bonded immediately due to a shared passion for brewing sour beer, learning and pairing with food. I am proud of the collaboration we created together and believe it’s a special beer many will enjoy. Thank you to Sam and his team.”
In honor of the Crimson Cru launch, Dogfish Head and Rodenbach will continue their collaborative efforts with a series of celebratory events Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14 and 15, at Dogfish Head’s Delaware hospitality properties. On Friday, folks are invited to a Belgian-themed prix fixe dinner at Dogfish Head’s seafood and cocktail spot, Chesapeake & Maine, in Rehoboth Beach. Saturday morning brings a guided beer and cheese pairing experience aboard the Cape Water Taxi, departing from Lewes and touring the waters along southern Delaware’s coastline. Later that evening, Dogfish Head’s Rehoboth brewpub, Brewings & Eats, will host a four-course beer dinner featuring pairings from both Dogfish Head and Rodenbach. While enjoying their thoughtfully crafted menus, guests will hear Calagione and Ghequire discuss beer and their unique partnership. For details about reservations, menus and tickets, go to dogfish.com/events.
To learn more, go to dogfish.com and be.rodenbach.be.
