It all started when founder & president Sam Calagione sent out the Bat-Signal ... er, Small-Batch-Signal to Dogfish Head coworkers far and wide. Armed with an idea for a small-batch beer (Father Time vs. Mother Nature), he needed the man (or woman) power to help bring it to fruition. 

As fate would have it, the first people to chime in were all women – Megan Linaugh, Aimee Garlit, Alison Schrader and Linda Romanowski. With a brew team assembled, they got cracking on a recipe.

From left to right: Alison, Linda, Megan (she's on the phone in CA), Sam, Aimee.

Writing down ingredient ideas.

After weeks of planning and prepping, they’ve gathered here today to bring Father Time vs. Mother Nature to life. With a Farmhouse Ale as the base, the brew focuses on local ingredients …

• - Grapes and sweet potatoes from our friend Peggy Raley of Nassau Vineyards.
• - Macintosh apples from Sam’s family farm (his dad even helped pick them).
• - Crab apples from our good pals at Fifer Orchards.
• - Oak chips soaked on a 32-year old Port given to Sam as a wedding present.
  *Surprise Mariah!*

Fresh hops from the Rehoboth brewpub.

A little help from brewer Dan.

Testing the Port-soaked oak chips.

Sam creating the apple and grape juice that will be added.

The hope is this beer will clock in somewhere around 6.5% abv and will be ready mid- to-late October. It will be served at our weekly beer:30 where coworkers will have their chance to evaluate its appearance, aroma, flavor, mouthfeel and overall drinkability.

Cheers to Father Time and Mother Nature - we can't wait to see how this one turns out!