Got Beer? What’s Brewing? Swim into an ocean of beer news

Another “Got Beer?!” column, and another new brewery has joined the 401 craft crew! The General’s Crossing Brewhouse, at 34 Narragansett Ave in the heart of Jamestown, opened on August 23 – it’s the 28th brewery in the Ocean State. And yep, that’s the same address as Conanicut Brewing, the home-brewing/wine-making supply shop run by Will Tuttle and Tom McNiff, who have added “pro brewers” to their CV. The GCB proudly proclaims itself the “second-smallest brewery in Rhode Island.” The name is a nod to the auspicious day in March 1781 when General George Washington crossed Conanicut Island to plan the battle of Yorktown with the French – and the future-first-prez would have walked past their door if Narragansett Avenue existed 238 years ago. Will and Tom’s first offerings included a Caribbean stout, a cucumber/ginger kolsch, Conanicut Pale Ale and a Vietnamese lager. They’re having an Oktoberfest party on Saturday, September 21 (mmm, märzen!), if you need an excuse to check ’em out ASAP; visit ’em virtually at facebook.com/GCBrewhouse

It’s official: Narragansett Beer will be opening a new hotspot on the India Point Park waterfront. ’Gansett prez Mark Hellendrung said, “Since 1890, Narragansett has been Rhode Island’s beer. To have a brewery right at the top of Narragansett Bay that’s easy to get to in Providence and is connected to the picturesque India Point Park and the East Bay Bike Path is really a dream come true. As a kid, I lived a mile from the new brewery on Gano Street. I eventually moved across the river to East Providence and then returned to attend Brown University. This really feels like a homecoming for me. I can’t wait to add a new chapter to the already bursting Narragansett history books.” The taproom/beer garden/event space is aiming for a spring 2020 debut. The outdoor beer garden is slated for a spring 2020 debut, and the taproom should be ready in the fall. Huzzah to the “Hi, Neighbor!” crew!

Short stuff: Speaking of beer gardens, Shaidzon Beer Company will celebrate the last few official days of summer by christening its palatial outdoor space on September 21, with music all afternoon and night supplied by Back Track and DJ Donnie Dee (shaidzonbeer.com) … Community Bruin – still the state’s smallest brewery – is growing incrementally – they’re now serving full pours, including Down Under IPA, Mesquite-Oh! (a smoked porter), Slam Dunkel and Wood U?, which was made for the Ocean State Beer Festival … And be on the lookout for a sure-to-be hit beer from Grey Sail: Little Sister, a sessionable (4.5% ABV) sibling of the revered Captain’s Daughter double IPA (8.5%) that will be available the first week of October.

We did the Big Fall Preview thang the last time around, but here’s a quick reminder of the Big Beer Events on tap in the next coupla weeks (because who-the-heck can remember what they read two minutes ago, never mind two weeks ago?; hit the archive for more details). Gas up the Kia and get ready to get thee to these happenings: Buttonwoods Brewery throws a Oktoberfest bash on Sunday, September 22 … the Pawtucket Craft Crawl runs from September 22 – 28; hoist a glass at the Guild, Foolproof, Crooked Current, Smug, Rhode Island Spirits and White Dog Distilling and get a souvenir glass for your efforts (restaurantweekpcf.com/craft-crawl-2019) … the 7th Annual Stadium Beer Fest is on September 26 at the namesake theater in Woonsocket (unlimited sampling!; stadiumtheatre.com) … and the German American Cultural Society turns its Pawtucket HQ into an authentic Oktoberfest haus of bier and wursts on September 28 and 29 (gacsri.org). Get thee outta your haus and (figuratively) into a stein!

For more beer news, check Lou’s blog, bottlescansclaphands.wordpress.com, or follow @BottlesCansRI on the Twitter machine.