OVERALL FAVORITE BREWERY, FAVORITE DRINK NAME (“SUMMER WHEAT MAKES ME FEEL FINE”), FAVORITE CAN ART (“FLOCK TOGETHER”) – LOPS BREWING
The story behind Lops Brewing goes a little like this … Sean Lopolito, brewer and one of the founders, was having a conversation about what he wanted in a job. This led to the opening of Lops, with the support of his wife Sarah and business partner Andrea Roberto, in July of 2019. You can read about this journey along with the quote below on their website. “I wanted to translate my love of beer, brewing, friends and family into a profession. I wanted to operate a brewery … and lucky for me, I have a supportive wife/business partner, Sarah. After our initial conversations, we decided that bringing on an additional partner made sense, and we knew just the person for the job, Andrea Roberto. Sarah and Andrea added the importance of having a welcoming environment for everyone who loves beer as much as we do.”
– KLC
FIRST RUNNER UP, OVERALL FAVORITE BREWERY, FAVORITE PILSNER (“SLOW JOY”) – ORIGIN BEER PROJECT
Cheyne Tessier, head brewer, and his wife Erika are the owners of OBP. They can often be seen out and about supporting local craft. Their newer and cozy location is artistically decorated and located in Providence. All their beers are true to style. There is a diverse selection of craft including lower ABV beers and non-alcoholic beverage options. Definitely a must visit on your brewery wish list! – KLC
FAVORITE LAGER – SMALL VICTORIES BY ORIGIN BEER PROJECT
This Czech pale lager is fermented in an oak Foeder. It pours a pale yellow and has color. There are notes of yeasty bread and malt on the nose and front-end palate. There is a slight sweetness with light lemon and grass. This 3.5% ABV craft beer is crushable and is a perfect yard beer to pair with your end of the summer barbeques. If you have never visited Origin Beer Project, you are truly missing out. As their website describes, they “focus on process over trends, from old-world process with new ingredients, to modern process with old-world styles.” – KLC
MOST WRITE-INS – SIX-PACK BREWING
Located in Bristol, in a cozy spot, Six Pack Brewing is named after dogs the owner’s family has had over the years (half dozen of them). If you visit, you need to check out the dog tail hooks positioned under the bar. All of the beers brewed are true to style at this nano brewery. Mark Papi, owner and head brewer, told me, “I like the fact that we won the most write-ins. It means our fans want to see more of our beers getting awards!” Yes, we do, Mark Papi! – KLC
FIRST RUNNER UP, WRITE-INS & FAVORITE CZECH PILSNER (“PROVIDENCE PILSNER”) – PROVIDENCE BREWING CO.
Owner and head brewer, Efren Hidalgo is by far one of the most approachable brewers locally. As their website states, “We’ve been crafting refreshing brews since before it was cool, making us the hippest old-timers in town!” The brewery is located in PVD, next to Farm Fresh RI. Locally sourced grains are used in his craft. There is a variety of beer styles to choose from: stout, porter, imperial IPAs, ales, and sour and seltzers just to mention a few! Interstellar dogs adorn the merch and T-shirts available in the clean, spacious tasting room. Their 5.5% ABV Czech Pilsner, named after our state’s fine capital, is made with Czech Saaz hops that provide “A burst of spiciness rounded out by light, cracker-like notes.” What are you waiting for? Go check them out! – KLC
FAVORITE ALE (“NEAPOLITAN”) AND FAVORITE OTHER BEER STYLES (“STRAWBERRY BLONDE”) – CROOKED CURRENT BREWERY
Nichole Pelletier, the owner and head brewmaster of Crooked Current Brewing continues to wow local craft beer lovers with this American brown ale. It pours a dark brown color with finger-width head retention. There are notes of strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate on the nose that follow through to the palate. It is not overly rich, so you can definitely “double scoop” on this 5.2% ABV trio of flavors! The Strawberry Blonde starts out subtly sweet with a hint of strawberry flavor up front, then breadiness from the malt character comes through. The hop’s presence is mild but complementary and brings a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet and bready – KLC
FAVORITE AMERICAN PALE ALE – RISE BY WHALERS BREWING
This APA is Whaler’s flagship orca. It truly is a killer beer. This is one of the first APA beers I ever had, and I never stopped loving it. It pours a clear golden hue. There is citrus on the nose with a slight malt that also follows through in the backbone of flavor. It drinks smooth with a slight touch of hop-bite that makes this 5.5% ABV craft beer very popular at local establishments – KLC
FAVORITE IPA – THE OTHER ONE BY TILTED BARN BREWERY
This was one of the first beers I had from the Tilted Barn. Luke Gerwek is making some amazing craft beers. If you haven’t been to the brewery, it is a must! The Other One is an imperial IPA clocking in at 7.9% ABV. Its winner pours a hazy mango-orange color. There is tropical fruit on the nose and front palate. There are flavors of mango, citrus, and orange rind. It’s deliciously well balanced with slight carbonation. – KLC
FAVORITE NEW ENGLAND IPA – QUIT PLAYIN’ WITH YOUR DINGHY BY VIGILANT BREWING
This IPA won for best beer name at the 2023 Awards. This year’s award is proof that people don’t just buy this craft beer for its name. It is no surprise that this double-dry hopped beer won fav NEIPA. It is a big request among local establishments, and has been on the brew schedule at Vigilant every other week to keep up with its high demand. I bet you didn’t know that this beer wasn’t planned. “It was essentially a mistake, but a great one,” Kevin Amaral told me. Citra, centennial and motueka are the trio of hops added that lend to the layering of flavors. This 7.1% ABV beer pours a hazy orange hue. There are flavors of stone fruit layered with citrus with just enough hop bitterness on the end sip to leave you wanting more! – KLC
FAVORITE SOUR – PEANUT BUTTER JELLY BY VIGILANT BREWING
Second year in a row win for this dessert sour from Vigilant! Once brewed and canned, this beer doesn’t stay in the to go coolers at the brewery for more than a few days. This sought-after delight pours a hazy ruby red. There are notes of peanut butter and jelly on the nose. Each sip is rich and flavorful with these two flavors from beginning to end. It’s literally like drinking a PB and J minus the bread and with an ABV of 5%! – KLC
FAVORITE DIPA (TIE) ALL SEEING EYE BY LONG LIVE BEERWORKS CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER BY GREY SAIL BREWING
Congrats to Armando DeDona, owner and head brewer for the tie in this category that has been dominated by Grey Sail Brewing for years. This extra-sensory DIPA is hopped with citra, simcoe, and kohatu. It has an ABV of 8.4%. This DIPA has a hazy, golden pour with notes of citrus, grapefruit rind and tropical fruit. The front-end palate has mango, mandarin orange and a slight resinous pine. It finishes smooth and the front-end flavors pull through. It is truly a masterpiece. Jessica DeBry, DeDona’s wife explained “while we don’t brew ‘flagships’ this beer has been a part of our journey since the early days. Our first batch was brewed at the end of our first year, in December 2016.” She adds, “When naming this beer, I think we were leaning into defining our identity a little bit – being the first production brewery in Providence since 1957. The Eye of Providence played inspiration for the naming of this beer – as we began to further lean into the spooky, mysterious themes that have become part of our visual identity.” “We take our beer seriously – but we LOVE to have fun with the names of our beers! We are inspired by anything from a song, themes from mythology and legend, and even popular culture references. At the end of the day, we’re looking to have some fun!” Huge congratulations to Grey Sail Brewing and its head brewer, Rich Welsh. Captain’s Daughter is celebrating three years of winning fav DIPA at Motif’s Food Truck and Drink Awards! I have had a few conversations with Welsh about CD. He always tells me, “I am always a little surprised that CD keeps winning when you consider all the quality of beers and brewers in the state.” Although I agree that we are truly immersed in amazing craft beer, I am not surprised by the win. CD is a staple in my beer fridge, and I hang out with “her” almost every weekend. Heavily hopped with citra and mosaic hops with an ABV of 8.5%, this DIPA pours a hazy golden hue. It has notes of citrus on the nose and front-end sip with a delicious bitter bite that lingers on the back-end palate. Welsh added, “I think it stands out because it is able to walk the line between old-school and new-school IPAs.” – KLC
FAVORITE PALE ALE – FLYING JENNY BY GREY SAIL BREWING
Grey Sail also picked up this nod for Flying Jenny, their pale ale. Named after a championship racing sailboat of yore from around these parts, this pale ale is extra pale. Old-school and citrusy, it carries an ABV of 5.3% and has a pretty good distribution footprint around these parts, although not quite as prolific as its sisters, the Captain’s Daughter and Little Sister. – MR
FAVORITE STOUT – PENNY BY SIX PACK BREWING
“Penny” is a second year win from Six Pack Brewing for fav Stout at Motif’s Food Truck and Drink Awards. I am not a sweet fan but would gladly order this liquid dessert. Mark Papi, owner and head brewer, told me, “It tastes like liquid Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I have to agree this is truly my favorite combination of chocolate and peanut butter.” Papi added, “we add a ridiculous amount of peanut butter.” This stout has an intense peanut butter aroma that falls deeply into the front palate and through to the back end sip. There is a touch of sweet milk chocolate that lingers on the tongue. “Penny” is impossible not to love. – KLC
FAVORITE SELTZERS & SHANDY – DEL’S SHANDY BY NARRAGANSETT BREWERY
It’s a well-known collab between two RI legends that normally live in different worlds. Del’s has won many of our awards over the years, and so has Gansett, but clearly this summer-time half-brew still has a real fan following. Served from a can that looks like a lemonade-swirly cup, the shandy is a good all-day sipper that will get you to your tipsy place at half speed (4.7% ABV) and with a refreshing lemonade-like kick. Del’s has been sweetly puckering RI tastebuds for almost 80 years, and Gansett was started about 120 years ago. Their combined 200 years might make them even more venerable than Sunset Farms (150) or Haven Bros (166). – MR
FAVORITE CIDER – HONEY CRISP BY MULBERRY WINERY
David Wright, winemaker at Mulberry Winery creates his Honey Crisp Hard Cider using Honey Crisp apples from Barden Apple Orchard. The cider has a light, refreshing, and delicious taste. Wright started his vineyard with his wife in 2011 after taking classes in Enology, Chemistry, and Microbiology at the University of Rhode Island. They create all their wine and hard cider on a 300-year-old farm in Chepachet, RI. – BJ
FAVORITE WHITE WINE (“IN THE BUFF”) AND FAVORITE RED (“ROCHAMBEAU”) – NEWPORT VINEYARDS
Of the stodgy old vineyard culture in New England, Newport Vineyards has really distinguished itself by embracing new ideas and evolving in exciting new directions. Over the last decade, they’ve added a five-star chef (Andy Teixeira), begun brewing beer, introduced live music to their space and emerged as a local and regional destination. Yet it’s the classic categories that you, dear readers, voted them up for, in this year’s awards. In the Buff is a blend with a base of “unoaked” Chardonnay – the wine equivalent of going in the buff – it also includes Gewürztraminer and Riesling, “for added complexity.” The vineyard recommends pairing it with spicy food, southern fried chicken, seafood … and hot tubs. Newport Vineyards calls Rochambeau their boldest red. It’s a Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Named after General Rochambeau, who brought 6,000 French troops to Newport during the American Revolution (and has parks and streets named after him around the state). They suggest pairing it with French food, truffles, mushrooms and green beans with garlic. – MR
SPARKLING WINE – FARMERS FIZZ WHITE BOTTLE BY WESTPORT RIVERS WINERY
Richard Romero, hospitality manager at Westport Rivers Winery described Fartmer’s Fizz: “Prosecco-style sparkling wine made with a blend of Chardonnay and Riesling varieties. It has notes of ripe apple and Bosque pear with just a subtle touch of sweetness” He asked me, “How’d that read?” My answer was “It reads like I need one asap!” – KLC
FAVORITE GIN (“SONS OF LONDON DRY GIN”) & FAVORITE VODKA (“CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO VODKA”) – SONS OF LIBERTY
Arguably, Rhode Islanders committed the first act of violence in the American Revolution on the HMS Gatsby. And almost certainly, most of them were drunk off their asses when they did it. So what better way to honor independence and alcohol in RI than by naming yourselves after a secret society of colonials advocating for American Independence? In Rhode Island, Sons of Liberty are the trailblazers when it comes to hard alcohol. If you haven’t heard of them, get out from under that rock and check them out. Their winning London Dry Gin is distilled in a traditional London process with a citrus-forward flavor. They suggest it for G & Ts or a negroni. Their winning Chocolate Espresso Vodka is exactly what it sounds like – and who doesn’t love at least one of those tastes? Check them out at drinksol.com. – MR
OTHER SPIRITS – BARK WHITE DOG WHISKEY BY WHITE DOG DISTILLING
In their small, intimate tasting room, you can smell the TLC and savor the attention to detail that goes into every bottle of White Dog. If you time it right, you might even run into the white dog herself. As another in a line of fine alcohol producers named after dogs, White Dog distills whiskey that will get your tail wagging. Founded in 2016 by Carlo and Alecia Catucci, White Dog is actually named for a prohibition-era slang term (there were many) for moonshine. Bark is a corn whiskey made from 85% corn and 15% barley and aged in former bourbon kegs to give the taste a slight bourbon-like quality. It’s lightly aged and packs a tasty punch. – MR
