Celebrate Record Store Day 2017 with the Dogfish Head x Crosley Cruiser Tour

As the official beer of Record Store Day (RSD), Dogfish Head Craft Brewery proudly celebrates the yearly occurrence. Whether it’s from afar at their respective locations, or by parking in front of a plethora of record stores in collaboration with Crosley Radio, Dogfish Founder Sam Calagione makes sure his business is knee-deep in the celebrations. With the calendar counting down toward the big day on April 22, you might see the Crosley Cruiser out and about at record stores like Crooked Beat in Alexandria, Va. and Joint Custody on U Street. We caught up with Calagione about the inspiration behind Dogfish’s collaboration with Crosley, why he thinks beer and vinyl pair so well together, and what locals can expect from the Dogfish x Crosley Tour stops in the DC area.

On Tap: What inspired this collaboration between Dogfish and Crosley?
Sam Calagione: Our brewery has been obsessed with music since the day we opened, and we have enjoyed every opportunity to weave together the art of brewing with our love of music as often and meaningfully as we can.

OT: How long has Dogfish Head been celebrating RSD? 
SC: We’re in our third year as the official beer of Record Store Day. Each year, we look forward to bringing fans another round of unique Dogfish offerings to help celebrate the moment of recognizing analog music, including a celebratory brew, compilation vinyl, nationwide events and for 2017, a 29-city tour.

OT: Why do you think beer and vinyl go together?
SC: I fell in love with music at the same time I fell in love with beer, and in an increasingly digital age, vinyl records provide a deep, tangible connection to music that reverberates with craft beer fans.

OT: We were particularly excited to find out about the Dogfish/Crosley partnership because our beer writer, Jamaal Lemon, wrote a piece for our April issue on beer and vinyl pairings. He even blogs on the subject regularly. Why do you think this is a rising trend?
SC: It’s definitely a movement. For the last couple years, we’ve hosted a “Vintage & Vinyl” happy hour every Thursday at Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton. I always look forward to digging into my beer stash to share a few of our rarest, ageable ales with old and new friends that stop by the tasting room. Along with the throwback beers, we spin vintage vinyl on our old-school turntables – always a good time.

OT: What demographic are you hoping to attract at the RSD events?
SC: We’re hoping to celebrate the love of good beer and great music with longtime fans, and hopefully introduce a couple new friends to the magical movement.

OT: What is your favorite record to listen to on vinyl?
SC: My favorite album to listen to on vinyl while drinking beer is Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, because we collaborated on a beer with the Miles family and Sony Legacy called Bitches Brew that was designed to be paired with the album. The enjoyment of a beautiful beer with an amazing album at the same time is an exponentially awesome experience.

OT: Is the Beer to Drink Music to ’17 a limited edition brew or will it stick around? Has anything like this been released before?
SC: This is our second year of doing a Beer to Drink Music to. The 2017 version that’s in the market now is a tropical golden ale brewed with kiwi and hibiscus. We love it and have received lots of awesome feedback, but we’ve yet to decide if we’re doing the exact same liquid for Record Store Day 2018 or if we’re changing it up again. Rest assured, we are doing something special as we continue our romance and partnership with RSD.

OT: What do you hope people take away from going to the tour date event in their respective cities?
SC: I hope folks that come out to the Record Store Day and [Dogfish Head x Crosley Cruiser Tour] events leave with a renewed respect for their local music scene, especially the indie record stores that are the bedrock of any local music community. We hope they appreciate how passionate Dogfish Head is about indie music and how deep it runs in our brand. We’re hopeful that they’ll not only seek out Dogfish Head beers in the marketplace, but also come make a pilgrimage to our Milton brewery and see a live band on our own stage in Rehoboth Beach, Del.

OT: Why do you think vinyl is still relevant today?
SC: Vinyl is more relevant today than ever. Listening to music on vinyl presents an unparalleled aural experience where music sounds warmer and has more depth. In the digital age, when so much information is shared via the cloud, holding an art form tangibly in your hands and taking in the artwork that was thoughtfully put together at the same moment you’re listening to the music is a palatable and memorable experience.

OT: What can locals expect from the events at Dogfish’s Falls Church and Fairfax locations?
SC: [At] both events, we’ll be showing our love for music, art and beer at each spot. We will be giving away Dogfish hats, key chains and RSD stickers. Each person who comes onto the cruiser can take their picture in our photo booth and hashtag it to enter to win a Crosley record player.

For more information about the Dogfish Head x Crosley Cruiser Tour, click here.