Re-visited: The story of Dogfish Head Ta Henket
With the label approval for Dogfish Head Ta Henket coming through this week, I thought it would be appropriate to re-link to this epic piece that appeared in the Smithsonian about the beer and one of Sam Calagione’s closest co-conspirators, Dr. Patrick McGovern.
It’s just after dawn at the Dogfish Head brewpub in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where the ambition for the morning is to resurrect an Egyptian ale whose recipe dates back thousands of years.
But will the za’atar—a potent Middle Eastern spice mixture redolent of oregano—clobber the soft, floral flavor of the chamomile? And what about the dried doum-palm fruit, which has been giving off a worrisome fungusy scent ever since it was dropped in a brandy snifter of hot water and sampled as a tea?
Breweries: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Beers: Dogfish Head Ta Henket