Dogfish Head and CREEM Launch Boy Howdy!, ‘The Official Beer of Rock ’n’ Roll’
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Editorial Dept.
Dogfish Head and CREEM Magazine are turning a legendary piece of rock ’n’ roll culture into a real beer with the arrival of Boy Howdy! The collaboration brings CREEM’s iconic fictional beer can to life as a 5.5% ABV cream ale, backed by a shared history of music, art, and rebellious creativity. The launch also expands a partnership that began as a festival-exclusive brew into a broader celebration featuring new merchandise and a Philadelphia launch party.
In a press release, Dogfish Head announced that Boy Howdy! is making its way to taps and shelves, in 6pk/12oz cans, now.
Check Dogfish Head’s Fish Finder for availability.
Brewed in collaboration with CREEM Magazine and inspired by its iconic “Boy Howdy!” beer can, this real-deal cream ale features the satisfying smoothness of select corn brightened by the zesty vibrancy of Michigan-grown hops, a nod to the magazine’s Detroit roots. Boasting notes of bright citrus and a touch of soulful herb, this true American original is the perfect back beat for any rock ‘n’ roll adventure!
“At Dogfish, we like to call ourselves a brewery with a music problem, because since the day we opened, we’ve not only been focused on brewing original beers, but opening folks’ eyes and ears to new, original music,” said Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Brewer & Founder. “That’s why, when the opportunity to partner with CREEM to create the beer that would finally fill its iconic Boy Howdy! can came about, we jumped at the chance!”
Lovingly dubbed Boy Howdy!, CREEM’s milk-bottle mascot was drawn by legendary cartoonist R. Crumb, and made its first appearance in 1969, in the magazine’s second issue. Through the years, the simple yet psychedelic cartoon took on a life of its own, being featured on merchandise – famously, everyone from John Lennon to Blondie to Axl Rose, all wore the “Boy Howdy!” T-shirt – and in the pages of the magazine as a fake beer can. That’s right … the original Boy Howdy! “beer” was merely a “stunt can” used as a prop in “CREEM’S Profiles” photoshoots. Photographed in the hands of rock ‘n’ roll legends, like Tina Turner, KISS, Iggy Pop, Van Halen, Keith Richards, Patti Smith, Queen, Bruce Springsteen, Rick James and many more, this fictitious brew gained widespread recognition throughout its nearly 60-year “non”-existence. That is, until Dogfish Head and CREEM teamed up to make Boy Howdy! a drinkable reality.
Dogfish Head and CREEM Magazine first brewed a version of Boy Howdy! in 2024, as an exclusive offering for Dogfish Head’s Analog-A-Go-Go festival, an annual Delaware-based celebration of analog beer, music and art. This year, the dynamic duo is turning up the volume on their collaboration, expanding Boy Howdy!’s distribution footprint throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
“Having a mythical beer – which many people claimed was real – was always a huge part of CREEM’s DNA in the ‘70s and ‘80s,” said John Martin, CEO of CREEM Magazine. “So, imagine our mischievous smile when Dogfish Head proposed actually brewing Boy Howdy! beer. They love rock ‘n’ roll as much as we do, so it was a no-brainer.”
To accompany the launch of Boy Howdy!, Dogfish Head and CREEM will also release a limited-edition lineup of collaborative merchandise – a T-shirt, trucker-style hat, can-shaped glass and can cooler, all which will be available on Dogfish Head’s e-store beginning Monday, August 10.
And that’s not all, folks! CREEM Presents: The Official Boy Howdy! Beer Launch Party, and all fellow rock ‘n’ roll fans are invited to join in the fun. Taking place on Friday, August 28, from 6-11 p.m., in Philadelphia, the event will feature performances from a lineup curated by the editors of CREEM: rock ‘n’ soul party host, Jonathan Toubin; street punk ‘n’ roll band, No Time; the Philly debut of the Seely Jurgens Band; and Philly’s own garage rock favorites, The Out-Sect. Tickets drop this Thursday, August 6 – keep an eye on @creemmag socials for more details.
Since the day Dogfish Head opened as the first brewpub in the first state more than 31 years ago, it has focused on original craft beverages, original food and original music. Throughout its history, Dogfish Head’s live music stage has hosted acts of all sizes and genres, including The Strokes, Black Pumas, The Mountain Goats, Guided by Voices and more. In addition to its weekly calendar of live music shows, Dogfish Head manifests its music heritage through collaborations with industry icons, having created products and compiled vinyl records with folks like The Flaming Lips, the Miles Davis Estate, Deltron 3030 and most recently, the Grateful Dead.
For more on Dogfish Head and CREEM Magazine, check out visit www.dogfish.com and www.creem.com, respectively.
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