The Grateful Dead Just Dropped Their Own Beer

When you think Grateful Dead, you don’t think beer. That’s definitely not the first mind-altering substance that comes to your mind.

Yet, the iconic band and Dogfish Head Brewery have teamed up in hopes that marijuana and an assortment of psychoactive drugs aren’t the only things that come to mind when you’re mellowing out to “Casey Jones.”

The Delaware-based brewery that has fallen under the ownership of the Boston Beer Company has released special six-packs and 12-ounce cans called Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale. Being that I was in Delaware at the time of this release, I can proudly say I was among the first people to get my hand on one of those cans without even knowing this was a thing.

I was walking through the liquor store when it was impossible not to notice’s the band signature skull logo.

The Grateful Dead Has a Beer Now

This is the first time the two parties have released an extended beer together. In the past, the brewery has done special limited-edition releases with the band’s imaging that dates back to 2013.

They’ve always been very popular, so it’s no wonder then that Dogfish opted to produce a mainstay beer.

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Sam Calagione, the founder and CEO of Dogfish, shared with Forbes that the beer is “refreshing and easy drinking” and is “exactly what you want at a Dead show.”

The flavor profile describes the taste as tropical with hints of pineapple, mango, and passion fruit. Those are all calculated as Calagione said it’s to “mirror the vibrant and free-spirited nature of Grateful Dead’s music.”

The relationship between the brewery and the band traces its roots back to Calagione being a Dead Head himself. He told Forbes he was about 13 years old when he purchased the “Shakedown Street” album. Since then he’s consumed thousands of hours with the music and has “been doing that over the last four decades.”

Perhaps the coolest thing about this beer, and one that I imagine is a proud moment for the fan himself in Calagione, is that Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale will be available at the Dead & Company’s residency in Las Vegas at the Sphere. There are 18 concerts scheduled between March 20 and May 17 and the beer will be sold at every show.