I made sure to fully charge my HD video camera before the dinner. What I forgot to do was turn the camera off. And unfortunately, when I arrived at the dinner my camera was dead. So I had to resort to using a FLIP camera, which was not ideal. But what can you do?

I understand that the video is long, by “internet” standards. In my opinion, although I’m not particularly interesting (or visually appealing) to watch, Sam is a great interviewee and has given me 19 minutes of compelling material.

Without further ado, I present The Wench’s Interview with Sam Calagione!

Interview With Sam Calagione from The Beer Wench on Vimeo.

Dogfish Head Brewery, located in Delaware, is hands down one of my favorite American brewers of craft beers. International beer writer Michael Jackson calls Dogfish Head “America’s most interesting and adventurous small brewery.” Each one of their beers has a unique story and interesting character. I have not been disappointed by them yet.
In my opinion, one of Dogfish Head’s most interesting beers is the Midas Touch Golden Elixir. The recipe is a re-creation of the ingredients found in King Midas’ Tomb, as revealed through molecular archeology.

BEER WENCH REVIEW: “This is the beer for wine drinkers, and the wine for beer drinkers. It is mild enough to please even the most fickle, yet flavorful enough to impress the pretentious. Winos will enjoy the subtle hints of white muscat grapes, foodies will appreciate the honey and saffron undertones, and hopheads won’t be disappointed its balance and body.” MIDAS TOUCH GOLDEN ELIXIR: bottle, 9% ABV. Appearance: Off-white/spare head, little lacing, hazy body, caramel amber orange color. Aroma: moderate malt, grassy hops, light yeast, honey, grapes, spice. Palate: full body, thick texture, lively carbonation, sweet finish. Flavor: long duration, moderate tart acidity, heavy sweetness, light bitterness.

Take heed, this beer packs a powerful ABV!

Here is Dogfish Head’s official description:

MIDAS TOUCH GOLDEN ELIXIR

Availability: Limited monthly release, Year-Round

This recipe is the actual oldest-known fermented beverage in the world! Our recipe showcases the known ingredients of barley, white Muscat grapes, honey & saffron found in the drinking vessels in King Midas’ tomb! Somewhere between a beer, wine and mead, this smooth, dry ale will please with Chardonnay or I.P.A. drinker alike.

9.0% abv

20 ibu

Calorie content (per 12-ounce serving): approx. 307

Tasting Notes: Honey, saffron, papaya, melon, biscuity, succulent.

Food pairing recomendations: Pan-Asian dishes, risotto, curries, baked fish and chicken.

Glass recommendation: White Wine

Comparable wine style: Sauterne Champagne

If you like our Midas Touch, try our Zwaanend’ale – it has some similar honey characteristics! Of course, you’ll have to come to Delaware during the 2006 375th Anniversary celebration because the beer is limited release (only in Delaware, only in 2006!)

More on Midas… His golden touch may have conferred fabulous wealth on King Midas, but he nearly starved to death when even his food and drink were converted into the precious metal. The well-known legend is based on an actual ruler of the ancient kingdom of Phrygia in central Turkey around 700 B.C. Under a huge mound at the capital of Gordion, a University of Pennsylvania Museum expedition in 1957 excavated an intact burial chamber which likely belonged to King Midas himself. The body of a 60-year-old male was laid out in state on a thick pile of purple and blue-dyed textiles inside a unique log coffin.

Most remarkably, the tomb held the largest Iron Age drinking set ever found–157 vessels, including a ram-headed and lion-headed situla–for preparing, serving, drinking and libating a special beverage at the funerary feast of the king. The secrets of the beverage were revealed by the new methods of Molecular Archaeology. Dr. Patrick McGovern of the Museum discovered that the residues inside the vessels belonged to a “Phrygian cocktail,” which combined grape wine, barley beer and honey mead. Starting with the ancient chemical evidence, Dogfish Head Brewery “re-created” a marvelous golden elixir, truly touched by King Midas.

Here are just some of the comments made about Midas Touch by world-renown beer expert, Michael Jackson… “A wonderfully complex beer, a wonderfully delicate beer, a dangerous thing, a great drink to welcome people to a party… Fill your bath full of ice, put some bottles of Midas Touch on there a serve it in champagne flutes. Not some freak of nature, not some gimmick, it’s something to be taken very seriously… It used to be wine… but King Midas touched it and turned it to gold!

CHEERS!