Review: The Grateful Dead’s New Lager Packs a Surprise Punch of Lemongrass

(Photo: Dogfish Head Brewing)

The Grateful Dead may have disbanded in 1995, but its stranglehold on all things tie-dye merchandising is eternal. Over the past month alone, the band (or rather, its business-savvy estate) has released a shoe collaboration with Nike and the University of Oregon, a set of soccer jerseys with the San Jose Earthquakes and now a damn tasty — if slightly bewildering — beer.

On Tuesday, Delaware’s Dogfish Head Brewery unveiled its second collaboration with The Grateful Dead. The craft beer giant previously teamed up with the psychedelic mainstay for its Juicy Pale Ale, a now-permanent offering that made use of Kernza grains, granola, and El Dorado and Azacca hops.

Much like that release, Citrus Daydream Lager forgoes the brand’s usual ingredient list in favor of something a little more crunchy. The beer is an American rice lager; brewed with Fonio grains sourced from Africa; hopped with a mix of Lemondrop and Contessa; and “brightened” with lemongrass, lime and lemon peel. It’s canned at 5.3% ABV and will soon be rolling out nationwide at a yet unannounced price. No need to rush and grab a six-pack, though, as this is going to be a year-round brew.

It’s an interesting premise right off the bat. Though Dogfish Head is no stranger to an oddball flavor combo, this feels like a purposefully off-center, almost playful twist on expectations. The brewer is by far best known for its range of 30 Minute, 60 Minute and 90 Minute IPAs, making its first lager in years all the more fascinating. Mix that with an unconventional batch of ingredients, and you get a beer that demands closer inspection.

The brand was kind enough to send a sample for review. The can we received did not have the final packaging design, which appears to be a green-and-yellow rendition of the Grateful Dead’s iconic Steal Your Face logo.

Poured into a glass, the lager has a pale-yellow hue and bright, seasonal aromas of rice, cracked biscuits and citrus — nothing to suggest anything out of the ordinary. The palate, however, is a different story, coming into its own with a big ol’ hit of lemongrass flavor. Instead of lime or lemon, the beer homes in on a surprisingly complex herbal note, rounded out by flecks of flower petals and a kick of ginger. Of the three main ingredients listed on the label, I expected lemongrass to be the faintest of the bunch, but the exact opposite turned out to be the case.

So far as Grateful Dead food and beverage collaborations go, I’d rank this above the brand’s limited-edition lettuce mix (no, that’s not a euphemism) and slightly below Cherry Garcia ice cream.