Dogfish Head Alehouse
Dogfish Head Alehouse is a privately held, three-location Mid-Atlantic craft beer restaurant chain serving scratch-made American fare paired with Dogfish Head Brewery beers, catering to local craft beer enthusiasts, families, and corporate event groups across Maryland and Virginia since 1998.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersGaithersburg, Maryland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Dogfish Head Alehouse does
Dogfish Head Alehouse is a privately held, three-location craft beer restaurant chain operating in the Mid-Atlantic United States, founded in 1998 and affiliated with Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware. The flagship location is at 800 West Diamond Avenue in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with additional sites in Fairfax, Virginia and Falls Church, Virginia. The business is positioned as the area's first authentic craft beer restaurant and has operated for over 15 years under the trademarked positioning "Off-Centered Food and Drink for Off-Centered People."
The core product is a full-service casual dining experience pairing scratch-made American fare (burgers, salads, pizzas, sandwiches, smoked meats, seafood) with an extensive rotating selection of Dogfish Head Brewery beers on tap, including flagship 60/90/120 Minute IPAs, ancient ales, beer-wine hybrids, and barrel-aged releases. Ancillary offerings include Dogfish Head Alebus off-site catering, branded merchandise, personalized photo Crowlers, physical and digital gift cards (GiftRocker/Shift4), a weekly Burger of the Week program, daily Happy Hour promotions, private party hosting, a gluten-free menu, a kids menu with monthly Kids Nights, a 15% military discount, and a longstanding community fundraising program that has contributed over $1,022,960 to local charities.
Revenue is generated primarily through in-restaurant dine-in food and beverage sales, supplemented by catering, online ordering via the SkyTab platform, merchandise and gift card sales, and event-driven private party bookings. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer with no wholesale distribution or franchise model; channels are physical retail only, with no app, no API, and minimal digital infrastructure beyond third-party ordering/payment integrations. The customer base is heavily local and repeat-driven, anchored in craft beer enthusiasts, families, and the Gaithersburg and Northern Virginia community, with a separate corporate catering segment.
Dogfish Head Alehouse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dogfish Head Alehouse
- Legal name
- Dogfish Head Alehouse
- Website
- https://dogfishalehouse.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Dogfish Head Alehouse is a privately held, three-location Mid-Atlantic craft beer restaurant chain serving scratch-made American fare paired with Dogfish Head Brewery beers, catering to local craft beer enthusiasts, families, and corporate event groups across Maryland and Virginia since 1998.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dogfish Head Alehouse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Beer Restaurant / Brewpub Dining
- NAICS
- Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF)
Keywords
Where Dogfish Head Alehouse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gaithersburg, Maryland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Dogfish Head Alehouse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Dine-in Food and Beverage Sales: Traditional restaurant revenue from serving scratch-made food and craft beers to walk-in customers at three Maryland and Virginia locations. Menu includes appetizers, salads, smoked meats, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and desserts alongside Dogfish Head craft beer on tap.
- Catering Services: Off-site catering for corporate events and personal celebrations, customizing menu to group size and preferences. Popular items include Jambalaya, Adult Mac N Cheese, sliders, salads, and smoked meats.
- Merchandise and Gift Cards: Sale of branded merchandise including shirts, coasters, beanies, hoodies, personalized photo Crowlers, and gift cards through GiftRocker platform.
- Online Ordering and Takeout: Digital ordering through SkyTab platform for takeout and delivery orders, generating additional revenue outside dine-in service.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Appetizers and Starters |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Salads and Leafy Greens |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Main Entrees |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Burgers (Half pound, wood grilled, brioche bun) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Happy Hour Specials |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Military Discount |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Dogfish Head Alehouse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dogfish Head Alehouse operates full-service craft beer restaurants across three Mid-Atlantic locations (Gaithersburg, MD; Fairfax, VA; Falls Church, VA), serving scratch-made American fare (burgers, salads, smoked meats, pizzas, seafood) paired with an extensive draft selection of Dogfish Head Brewery beers, including flagship IPAs and limited releases. The core offer is supplemented by off-site catering, branded merchandise, gift cards, private party hosting, and a rotating Burger of the Week program.
Product overview
Dogfish Head Alehouse is a single-location craft beer restaurant in Gaithersburg, Maryland, operated in partnership with Dogfish Head Brewery. The core offering is a full-service dining experience featuring scratch-made American fare paired with an extensive selection of Dogfish Head craft beers on tap. The business operates as a unified restaurant with multiple complementary offerings: the main dining room and bar, catering services (Alebus Catering), retail merchandise and personalized Crowlers, gift cards, weekly Burger of the Week specials, daily Happy Hour programs, and community fundraising events. Specialty dining options include gluten-free and kids menus, with monthly Kids Night promotions. The restaurant also hosts private events and offers military discounts. The beer program features flagship Dogfish Head varieties alongside seasonal releases, draft-exclusive blends, and barrel-aged offerings, with current taps viewable via Untappd integration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Dogfish Head Alebus Catering: Off-site catering service bringing Dogfish Head food offerings to events, including jambalaya, adult mac n cheese, sandwiches, salads, ribs and pulled pork.
Products and services
- Craft Beer Restaurant Dining Experience Full-service dine-in restaurant experience offering scratch-made American fare (appetizers, salads, smoked meats, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, seafood) paired with Dogfish Head Brewery craft beers on tap. Available at three Maryland and Virginia locations with dine-in, takeout, and delivery options.
- Dogfish Head Alebus Catering
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $1 million in charitable donations to local communities
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Dogfish Head Alehouse
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Dogfish Head Alehouse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature4 records
Dogfish Head Alehouse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Dogfish Head BrewerycoreDogfish Head Alehouse restaurants are affiliated with Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware. The restaurants serve craft beers from Dogfish Head Brewery and feature their flagship brews, intriguing reissues, and new seasonal offerings. The partnership provides access to exclusive and rare Dogfish Head beers including 60 Minute IPA, 90 Minute IPA, 120 Minute IPA, and limited barrel-aged releases.
- Fifer OrchardsminorFifer Orchards supplies local Red Delicious apple cider for the Fall On Me seasonal beer. This local sourcing partnership supports the farm-to-table approach and local agriculture in the Delaware/Maryland region.
- Alexandria Nicole CellarsminorPartnership with Alexandria Nicole Cellars in Prosser, Washington for sourcing wine grapes and must for beer-wine hybrid brews including Noble Rot, Oak-Aged Noble Rot, and Mixed Media.
- Five Islands Lobster Co.minorSourcing partner for live lobsters shipped from Georgetown, Maine for the annual Chocolate Lobster summer brew.
- Dr. Patrick McGoverncoreCollaboration with molecular archaeologist Dr. Patrick McGovern of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology to recreate ancient beers from chemical analysis of archaeological vessels, including Midas Touch, Chateau Jiahu, Theobroma, Kvasir, and Birra Etrusca Bronze.
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.minorCollaboration on Rhizing Bines Imperial IPA, deepening the bond forged with the 2009 Life & Limb collaboration.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Dogfish Head Alehouse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Yard House: Upscale casual dining chain distinguished by an extensive rotating craft beer tap list alongside a full American menu, addressing the same craft-beer-plus-food use case at chain scale.
- BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse: Large casual-dining chain with an in-house brewhouse producing proprietary craft beers and a deep scratch-made menu, offering the same brewpub-meets-restaurant positioning at greater scale.
- Gordon Ramsay Steak: Upscale steakhouse concept with full bar programs serving the DC/MD market, indicative of broader full-service restaurant competition in the same geography and occasion-based dining occasions.
Regional players
- Flying Dog Brewery: Mid-Atlantic craft brewery that has operated affiliated taproom/food venues, comparable as a regional craft brand pursuing the same beer-plus-food experiential model.
- Sweetwater Tavern: Virginia-based brewpub/restaurant group with in-house brewing and scratch-made food, directly comparable as a Mid-Atlantic brewpub competitor serving a similar suburban clientele.
- Clyde's Restaurant Group: DC/MD-based independent restaurant group operating multiple full-service concepts focused on community gathering and scratch-made fare, comparable in regional footprint and segment focus.
- Heavy Seas Beer: Baltimore-based craft brewery with an affiliated taproom/food concept; comparable as a Mid-Atlantic craft beer brand extending into on-premise food experiences.
Direct peers
- Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery: Long-running brewpub chain pairing house-brewed craft beer with full-service American fare, comparable in customer experience, menu structure, and brewpub operating model.
- Bar Louie: National craft beer and casual dining bar chain offering an extensive beer selection alongside American fare, targeting a similar after-work and social-gathering customer.
- Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant: National brewpub chain that pairs in-house brewed craft beer with a full-service scratch-made American menu, directly comparable in concept, customer mix, and revenue model to Dogfish Head Alehouse.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Dogfish Head Alehouse social profiles
Digital presenceDogfish Head Alehouse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dogfish Head Alehouse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Dogfish Head Alehouse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dogfish Head Alehouse M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dogfish Head Alehouse
What does Dogfish Head Alehouse do?
Dogfish Head Alehouse operates full-service craft beer restaurants across three Mid-Atlantic locations (Gaithersburg, MD; Fairfax, VA; Falls Church, VA), serving scratch-made American fare (burgers, salads, smoked meats, pizzas, seafood) paired with an extensive draft selection of Dogfish Head Brewery beers, including flagship IPAs and limited releases. The core offer is supplemented by off-site catering, branded merchandise, gift cards, private party hosting, and a rotating Burger of the Week program.
Is Dogfish Head Alehouse a public or private company?
Dogfish Head Alehouse is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Dogfish Head Alehouse founded?
Dogfish Head Alehouse was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Dogfish Head Alehouse based?
Dogfish Head Alehouse is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dogfish Head Alehouse make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Dine-in Food and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are catering Services, merchandise and Gift Cards and online Ordering and Takeout.
Who are Dogfish Head Alehouse's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Yard House, BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse and Gordon Ramsay Steak. Regional players are Flying Dog Brewery, Sweetwater Tavern, Clyde's Restaurant Group and Heavy Seas Beer. Direct peers are Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, Bar Louie and Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant.
Does Dogfish Head Alehouse have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dogfish Head Alehouse.
What industry is Dogfish Head Alehouse in?
Dogfish Head Alehouse's product category is Craft Beer Restaurant / Brewpub Dining. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFALAA, Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service), with a secondary code of THAFAEAG, Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms. Its NAICS code is 72251 and its SIC code is 5810.