The first flowers sprout from the ground, and our thoughts turn to lighter fare and wine. Pinot noir, with bright cherry fruit flavors, light body and purity, creates perfect synergy with everything spring. One failing of pinot noir, however, lies in the value the grape offers. Thin skins, small berries and tight bunches mean tiny yields and […]
From the old guard represented by Sons of Liberty to new kid on the block, RI Spirits, distilleries seem to be having a moment and it’s one we hope lasts and lasts. I recently took a tour through Rhode Island’s four distilleries to bring you all the info you need to know before you plan […]
The clocks spring ahead on March 10, and in this edition of “Got Beer?,” we’re springing ahead to guide you to some of the season’s notable gatherings, plus some more immediate pleasures. The 8th Annual Newport Craft Beer Festival presents its VIB (Very Important Beer) session on April 26 from 8 – 10pm at Newport Craft Brewing […]
I’m so done with this winter. My yard is an ice rink, my fingers are perpetually frozen and I look like a vampire. The only way I’m getting through this month is day-drinking. I’ve come to realize that drinking during the day is way better than doing so at night. It only takes one or two to get […]
Right over the line from Providence into Pawtucket, on the former site of Bucket Brewery, is one of the newest of the many breweries in RI, Smug. I recently checked out their Blocker Pale Ale and their Short and Stout. The pale is billed as an American pale ale, which I assumed means significantly more […]
If there’s one thing I always look forward to, it’s a new Revival brew, and Revival’s Doug and Scarpetti Vanilla Porter has been on my to-do list for a while. The track record for Revival’s beers is a great one, and the partnership with WHJY to brew in honor of their more famous personalities has […]
In January, noted beer scribe Stephen Beaumont suggested that the craft beer world should celebrate venerable, and increasingly taken-for-granted, legacy beers. He tweeted: “Flagship beers are down in sales across the board because drinkers get bored. In the spirit of alliteration, how about we make next month Flagship February!?! The focus would be on drinking […]
Beer is a many-splendored and (responsibly) intoxicating thing, but navigating the beer business is a sobering experience. The beer/wine/distilled spirits industry is controlled by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which was established in 2003 when it was separated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The TTB issues permits to […]
It’s that time of the year to talk romance in the beer column, though you might be tempted to ask what is romantic about beer. It causes gas, can be very filling and has about half the strength of a glass of wine. Au contrair, my friends. You clearly are not selecting the proper brew […]
The new year has ushered in some “new” places to get your beer on. Let’s start with the evolution taking place at Revival Brewing Company. On New Year’s Day, Sean Larkin and his hearty crew took over the upstairs space at 505 Atwood Ave in Cranston that was formerly Brutopia. Revival PR guru Mat Medeiros […]