We’re throwing it back to the hat that started it all for our Beer & Benevolence Program

Beer & Benevolence has been part of our DNA since we started brewing off-centered ales in 1995, but it wasn’t until we stamped a tagline on a baseball cap in ‘96 that the program became official. Now that we’re THREE DECADES down the line of both Dogfish Head and this program, we figured it was the perfect time to bring this merch back. 

To celebrate 30 Off-Centered Years, we’re doing a series of continual drops for continual hops! All year long, we're dropping exclusive, limited-edition merch items EVERY. SINGLE. MONTH in our online shop. For May, we wanted to shine a light on our Beer & Benevolence program and bring back the hat that started it all (well ... officially, anyway). When Sam and Mariah stamped those words onto a cap, they fell in love with the sentiment and soon the simple words morphed into the driving force for how we engage with our local communities. And now you can get your own replica of this legendary hat! 

Plus, we’re also releasing a limited-edition, throwback style tee shirt sporting our Beer & Benevolence mark along with the original Brewings & Eats logo from back in 1995! 50% of the profits from both of these items will be donated directly to our friends at Sussex County Habitat for Humanity.  

Every year, our coworkers participate in an organized Benevolence Day where we join several local organizations and volunteer our time for a full work day. Sussex County Habitat for Humanity was actually the very first organization that we partnered with as part of this program, so we wanted to give back to them while we’re throwing it back!  

Sussex County Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness and making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. When we first began our partnership with this incredible organization, it was a much smaller operation consisting of ‘framing frenzy’ events in the parking lot of the original Brewings & Eats. These consisted of coworkers building frame walls that were then transported to home sites in nearby Georgetown, Del. Now, the operation has grown immensely and our coworkers complete projects directly on Habitat homesites throughout Sussex County.  

“Benevolence Day offers a fantastic chance for team building among Dogfish Head coworkers,” says Beer & Benevolence program manager, Jason King. “Habitat has been the cornerstone of these volunteer days, and it’s truly exciting to reflect on the incredible impact our coworkers have made while working with Kevin Gilmore and the Habitat for Humanity team over the past 15 years.” 

As our philanthropic branch of Dogfish Head, Beer & Benevolence is how we give back to the communities that have nourished our roots in coastal Delaware. Through this program and with the support of so many incredible organizations and supporters, we’ve been able to raise more than $500,000 each year for hundreds of non-profit organizations in our own backyard. 

How do we do it? And how can you help? We’re so glad you asked! There are a lot of ways Beer & Benevolence comes to life, from Benevolence Nights at Brewings & Eats and Chesapeake & Maine, to Benevolence Beers that we brew quarterly in collaboration with different organizations, to Benevolence Tips raised at our Milton Brewery. We also continue to participate in annual Benevolence Days and let benevolence come to life at events like the Dogfish Dash, 302 Day, fireside chats at the Dogfish INN and more!  

So, if you’re looking for a way to give back, now is your chance! Hop on over to our online shop to get your hands on our limited-edition throwback hat and / or tee shirt, and 50% of the profits will go to Sussex County Habitat for Humanity. To learn about more ways to get involved and other work we’ve been able to support over the years, visit our Beer & Benevolence page.  

And, as always, thank you, dear drinker, for all of your support that allows us to give back.