How Dogfish Head Finally Found Growth Again — With the Grateful Dead | VinePair

Band-brewery partnerships are rarely smash hits. A co-branded beer might generate immediate buzz, but sustaining interest and sales is difficult in a crowded, churning marketplace. (R.I.P., Barenaked Ladies imperial stout, Luke Bryan lager, and that Gwar pale ale.)

“It ends up being part of the same cycle,” says David Steinman, the vice president and executive editor at Beer Marketer’s Insights.

But fans of the Grateful Dead “have always enjoyed a beer, whether it’s in the parking lot after a show or at home listening to the Dead,” says David Lemieux, the archivist and legacy manager for the Grateful Dead.

Last February, Dogfish Head released the Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale in striking cans featuring the Dead’s colorful skull logo. The fruity, approachable flavor reverberated with the fan base for the Dead and spinoff touring band Dead & Company. Pints of Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale paired well with 12-minute jams. The collaboration became Dogfish Head’s fastest-growing beer ever and, in tandem with the brewery’s ready-to-drink canned cocktails, helped return the brand to volume growth for the first time since 2019.

“We tapped into this cult following,” says Sam Calagione, the Dogfish Head co-founder.

For VinePair, I take a look at how the band-brewery partnership is propelling Dogfish Head forward.