The Grateful Dead have joined forces with the Milton, Deleware, microbrewery Dogfish Head to whip up a new brew called, what else, "American Beauty." The new beer is described as "a strong pale ale with all-American hops and barley," but it's not finished just yet: To top off the recipe, the brewery and band are asking fans to send in suggestions for the final, special ingredient along with the Dead story behind it. 

"The feedback the band got from Dead Heads was always an important factor in their shows," said Dogfish Founder and President Sam Calagione in a statement on the brewery's website. "And at Dogfish, we've always thought of our pub regulars and brewery tour guests as an informal focus group, so we're sending a shout out to all those Dead Heads and Dogfish Heads by making them a driving force behind this beer." 

Fans will be able to submit their ingredients online throughout December, after which the Dogfish and Dead camps will pick the one they believe fits the pale ale best. The statement added they hope to invite the fan with the winning suggestion to Dogfish's brewpub in the spring of 2013 to help with a test batch. 

"American Beauty" is expected to reach bar taps and store shelves in the 27-states Dogfish distributes to in October 2013. More details regarding how to participate and send in ingredient suggestions will be available on their website soon. 

"My wife, Mariah, and I went to our first Dead show together in the summer of '91," added Calagione, "and I've been listening to Workingman's Dead and Shakedown Street, two of the earliest albums I ever owned, on my morning kayak trips. It’s amazing how timeless those albums are."

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