Brewery battle: Time to cast your vote in the finals for RI's favorite brewery
What makes a great brewery experience?
Is it the beer? The atmosphere of the taproom? Whether or not you can bring your dog and kids? The event line-up?
Seriously, we are asking you. Welcome to The Providence Journal’s brewery bracket, where you vote on who your favorites are until we get to a winner. We’ve rounded up 32 breweries in the state — yes, we know not all breweries in the state are included, but we hope this offers a good representation — with a little bio on each of them, and plenty of links if you want to do more research.
Through a blind draw, The Journal paired 32 breweries in the state in a bracket challenge to determine Rhode Island's favorite breweries. Voting will take place throughout the month of March as teams advance and others fall off the bracket. The voting schedule is below.
First round: 9 a.m., Wednesday, March 8 to noon, Friday, March 9. Voting closed.
Second round (Sweet Sixteen): 9 a.m., Wednesday, March 15 to noon, Friday, March 17. Voting closed.
Third round (Elite Eight): 9 a.m., Wednesday, March 22 to noon, Friday, March 24. Voting closed.
Fourth round (Final Four): 9 a.m., Monday, March 27 to noon, Wednesday, March 29. Voting closed.
Championship: 9 a.m., Friday, March 31 to noon, Monday, April 3.
Bookmark this page to keep coming back to cast your vote as each round begins and see who survives and advances. Look below for capsules on each of the breweries.
FINALS
Buttonwoods vs. Whalers
ROUND 4
Moniker vs. Whalers
Buttonwoods vs. Vigilant
ROUND 3
Foolproof vs. Moniker
Whaler's vs. LineSider
Buttonwoods vs. Long Live
Vigilant vs. Smug
ROUND 2
West Passage vs. Foolproof
Moniker vs. Norey's
Whalers vs. Proclamation
LineSider vs. Coddington
Revival vs. Buttonwoods
Long Live vs. Narragansett
Shaidzon vs. Vigilant
Smug vs. Crooked
West Passage Brewing Company
Address: 7835 Post Road, North Kingston
A casual and comfortable brewpub, West Passage Brewing Company opened in 2021 with the slogan “good service, great food, and a healthy dose of ocean and beer.”
West Passage has a selection of seasonal offerings and sailing-inspired beverages, including the “Full Keel Brown Ale” and the “Slacksheet IPA.” They have nine drinks on tap.
In addition to the beer, they have a full menu of pub food and a cocktail menu. There’s trivia on Wednesday nights.
Six Pack Brewing
Address: 87 Gooding Ave., Bristol
This brewery is beyond dog friendly — it’s named after a pack of six dogs, not a six-pack of beer.
The owners, Mark and Kris Papi, named the brewery after the six dogs they had over the years. Having since added another doc, seven of the 10 beers on tap are named after their dogs and when a new beer is added it’s named after a guest dog.
The nano-brewery serves small batches of a wide variety of beer. They have food trucks, and events that range from book clubs to home brewing workshops.
Newport Craft Brewing and Distilling
Address: 293 Jt Connell Highway, Newport
As the name clearly spells out this is not just a brewery, it’s also a distillery. In 2006, they branched out into whiskeys, rums and canned cocktails, getting the first distilling license in Rhode Island in 135 years.
But this is about the beer. They’ve produced over 100 styles of beers since first opening in 1999. Classics on their menu include RhodeTrip, a New England IPA, and RhodeRage, a double IPA.
The tasting room is currently undergoing renovations as the facility grows, but when it’s done there will be a rooftop deck with a stunning view of the Pell Bridge, state-of-the-art equipment, and a lot more space for brewing and drinking.
Foolproof Brewing Company
Address: 241 Grotto Ave., Pawtucket
A brewery that is all about the beer experience, Foolproof has over 25 different beers on its menu plus a seltzer. Their philosophy is that beer is an experience to be savored.
“Each one of Foolproof's beers serves as a tribute to a sacred beer drinking experience: watching a baseball game, relaxing at home on a rainy day, or just catching up with friends at the local brewery,” their website says.
At their taproom, customers can watch the beer being made. A rotating schedule of food trucks offers some tasty food to go with Foolproof’s award-winning beers including the Grotto IPA, Ocean State Lager, Peanut Butter Raincloud Porter, and La Ferme Urbaine (LFU) Farmhouse Ale.
Moniker
Address: 432 West Fountain St., Providence
If lagers are your thing, Moniker Brewery is your spot. A beer garden and tap room, Moniker specializes in lagers, though they have other options on tap.
The goal of Moniker is to build beer and community.
“Our hope is that every beer at The Moniker Brewery is not just consumed but truly enjoyed, because at the end of the day, a great beer is only as good as the company with which you share it,” they write on their website.
To that end, they have an outdoor beer garden with fire pits, lawn games and plenty of seating. It’s both family-friendly and dog-friendly.
Rejects Beer Co
Address: 124 Aquidneck Ave., Middletown RI
Here’s how Rejects Beer Co sums up their vibe, “a local craft brewery focusing on great beer without too much fuss. We pride ourselves on being a spot you would not think twice about bringing your tinder date or your grandma, where you will find great punk rock and hip hop on the radio, your single uncles basement from the 80's vibe & a down to earth local staff.”
Plus, they are located just blocks away from First Beach.
For beer, they have 8 offerings on tap. The selection included IPAs, stouts, porters and seltzers.
Norey’s
Address: 156 Broadway, Newport
This spot is described on the RI Brewer’s guild website as being for “the top one percent of all beer, wine and food connoisseurs.”
“Norey’s is not your typical beer bar,” it reads. “Even for many who are “into” craft beer, the beer menu will appear cryptic and unfamiliar, but for the real beer connoisseurs out there, there is delight to be found among rare beers from around the world.”
The brewpub has 15 selections on tap, including six of its own beers, and a huge menu of in-the-bottle options. And, of course, they have a menu of made-from-scratch dinner options.
Union Station Brewery
Address: 36 Exchange Terrace, Providence
In downtown Providence, Union Station Brewery is a former train station turned brewery with high ceilings, exposed brick and plenty of old-school charm. Founded in 1993, it’s one of the oldest brewpubs in the state.
The brewpub has a rotating selection of 5 beers on tap, all brewed on-site in the 8.5 barrel brewhouse. The beers are named after and celebrate living in Rhode Island. The kitchen cooks classic pub fare, including signature pizzas.
Whalers Brewing Company
Address: 1174 Kingston Rd., Wakefield
Some quick facts about Whalers.
They started as a nano-brewery in 2011, but have since grown to a 100-barrel regional brewhouse as they became more and more popular.
Rise, their flagship ale, won Best American Pale Ale in the country at the World Beer Awards the last three years.
Their seltzer, Drift- Cucumber Lime, was also collecting gold medals in competitions last year.
Founders and head brewers Josh Dunlap, a veteran, and Wes Staschke have said they are “humbled and grateful for all the support we’ve received from beer drinkers around the state.”
For those making a trip to the brewery, there’s a rotating selection of seven drinks on tap. It’s family-friendly until 6 p.m., and then it transitions to being a 21+ facility. It’s also dog friendly. Guests can plan cornhole, giant jenga or pool. Or just sit and drink some beer. It’s bring or order your own food.
Bravo Brewing Company
Address: 75 Pascoag Main Street, Pascoag
A veteran and women-owned brewery, representing a husband-and-wife team, Bravo Brewing Company is committed to making sure there’s something on tap for the beer connoisseur to the newbie to the people who prefer craft root beer.
They have nine beers on tap, plus the non-alcoholic root beer. Their Mayday New England IPA is a popular choice, but they have stouts, wheat beers and sours on the menu. Worth noting, they give 1% of their sales to the charity Home for Our Troops.
Ragged Island Brewing Company
Address: 54 Bristol Ferry Rd., Portsmouth
Having recently moved to their new facility — a remodeled 1980s farmhouse with multiple outdoor decks, a greenhouse, and incredible views of the Narragansett Bay — this 10-barrel brewhouse serves a mix of fan-favorite and experimental brews.
Born as an idea among good friends and owned by a husband-and-wife team, this brewery has 15 beers on tap. Favorites include the Beach Night IPA, the Surfer’s End New England IPA, and the Old Boys Vienna Lager.
The farm – which plans to have fields of hops and walking trails — is kid and dog-friendly. They have food trucks regularly, but you can also bring your own food.
Proclamation Ale Company
Address: 298 Kilvert St., Warwick
Affectionately known as ‘Proc,’ this woman-owned brewery serves creative beers with a sense of fun.
Their taproom has a small arcade, regular food truck rotation, and, of course, 12 taps. They have the state's largest oak-aging and mixed fermentation program, which is visible from the large windows in the taproom. Some of their most popular beers include the Tendril, a hazy New England IPA with notes of orange and grapefruit, and the Derivative, which is also a hazy New England IPA.
The taproom is family-friendly, and well-behaved dogs are allowed on the patio.
Linesider Brewing Company
Address: 1485 South County Trail #201, East Greenwich
This East Greenwich brewery has wide-ranging beers and wide-ranging events.
For beers, this 10-barrel production system tries to have something for everyone. They’ve got flagship New England IPAs like the “strIPAh”, sours like their “Wicked Taht” cranberry sour, and the “Carolina Common” which is a California Common with Carolina Reapers, the hottest pepper out there.
Their large facility also plays host to a huge variety of events, from the ones you expect, such as trivia nights and food truck nights, to the ones you don’t, such as bonsai classes, line dancing and live wrestling. The taproom is family-friendly and well-behaved dogs are allowed in the courtyard.
Pivotal Brewing Company
Address: 500 Wood St., Bristol
This colorful and funky brewery thinks of beer as art and aims to deliver an experience.
The taproom has 10 beers on tap in addition to their canned options. They aim to “create unique and interesting beers that continuously push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.” For them, that means hop-forward New England and West Coast IPAs as well as fruit-forward beers and lagers, stouts, porters and some barrel-aged options.
Decorated with vintage furniture and bold colors, the brewery is family-friendly and dog-friendly.
Tilted Barn Brewery
Address: 1 Helmsley Place, Exeter
Named after the slightly tilted barn this farm brewery started out in, it has grown and expanded into a barn with plumb walls while retaining all of the character.
Set on a working hops farm, this brewery is “beyond that of the normal brewery experience,” the website reads. “Visitors to the brewery can get a firsthand look at what goes into each batch of our hand-crafted beer. You'll get to learn a little history of not only farming in our area but hop farming throughout all of New England (Matt could go on for hours about that...). Walking through the fields and looking over our tranquil farm, you’re able to enjoy the fruits of our labor.”
The beers are, as you can imagine, fresh as can be with ingredients coming straight from the farm. They’re known for their ales, but make the full range of beers.
The farm is family-friendly, but it’s a farm – with chickens, barn cats and other dogs – so your dog is a no-go.
Coddington Brewery
Address: 210 Coddington Highway, Middletown
Opening in 1995, this brewpub is one of the oldest in the state. The seven-tank operation brews an ever-changing menu of beers on-site with a wide variety to choose from. Plus, their pub-style restaurant has a full menu of comfort food.
Revival Brewing Co. At Lost Valley Pizza Brewpub
Address: 50 Sims Ave., Providence
It’s a timeless combination – wood-fired pizza and good beer.
Revival makes beers they describe as “bold, furious and full of passion.” They aim to provide a beer experience for both the beer geeks and those new to craft beer, with favorites like their Extra Thirsty Triple IPA, the award-winning Pinky Swear kettle sour, or the smooth Star Child Pilsner (which celebrates Pride).
And then there’s the pizza. The Providence spot used to be a blacksmithing shop in the 1900s and had the giant chimney to prove it. When reinventing it as a brewpub, the chimney made for a great pizza oven, with a bit of work. Now, they serve a full menu of pizza and other bites, sourcing ingredients from other local businesses when possible.
Trinity Brewhouse
Address: 196 Fountain St., Providence
Established in 1994, Trinity is one of the old brewpubs in New England.
With filtered water from the Scituate Reservoir, all of the beers, ales, porters and stouts offered at Trinity were brewed right on the premise. With a 20-barrel system, there’s always plenty on tap.
The brewpub is in the heart of downtown Providence, making it a great spot for dinner dates, casual lunches or a night out. They have pool tables in the basement and a great late-night menu.
Twelve Guns Brewing
Address: 549 Metacom Ave., Bristol
At Twelve Guns, named for the early Rhode Island Naval vessel the U.S.S. Providence, patrons can order both their beer and their hard seltzers, which is great news for someone who is gluten-free.
From their 10-barrel brewhouse, expect a lineup of a variety of styles. The Meg, a well-balanced pale ale, is a favorite. In their seltzer line, Cannon & Anchor, they offer three flavors — pineapple, strawberry lime and blueberry pomegranate.
Every Wednesday night is game night and Thursdays are for trivia. They invite food trucks on the weekends, but people can bring or order whatever they like. And, Twelve Gun is dog friendly.
Buttonwoods Brewery
Address: 530 Wellington Avenue, Cranston
With well-hopped IPAs, simple lagers and unique barrel-aged beers, Buttonwoods opened in 2017 with the goal of always making the best beer possible. The menu changes, like life.
Buttonwood has a rotating schedule of food trucks and pop-ups, but people are also welcome to bring in their own food. It is dog-friendly.
Grey Sail Brewing of RI
Address: 63 Canal Street, Westerly
Once a macaroni factory, “grain now courses through the building once again,” as owners Jennifer and Alan Britton put it. Only now, they’re making beer.
The 30-tank brewery is one of the most ubiquitous in the state, having won Rhode Island Monthly’s Best of Rhode Island three years in a row. Some of their most popular pours include Captain’s Daughter, Flying Jenny, and the Pour Judgement IPA.
Their taproom in Westerly has indoor and outdoor seating and allows for leashed dogs. Food is available from Vetranos Wood Fired Pizza, which is located in the brewery.
Long Live Beerworks
Address: 40R Sprague Street, Providence
With a constantly rotating menu, you never know exactly what you are going to get at this brewery. The menu literally changes every couple of weeks, creating room for the brewers to serve seasonal options or just whatever they fancy. Expect some great names.
Located in an old mill building, the taproom has a mezzanine level that allows guests to look down at the brew barrels and fermenters. The taproom has 18 draft beer lines, giving people plenty of options. They bring in food pop-ups most days of the week and have quite a few events.
Taproot Brewing Company
Address: 909 East Main Rd., Middletown
Set at the Newport Vineyards, Taproot is an extension of the 100 years of farming and culinary roots of the Nunes family. Started in 2018, Taproot, a seven-barrel brewhouse, focuses on “unfiltered hop-forward beers made in small batches and meant to be enjoyed immediately for the ultimate freshness,” according to their website.
They have 12 beers on tap, and a consistent favorite is the F-bomb, a New England IPA. They have a full restaurant of farm fresh foods that range from snacks to full meals to pizza to dessert.
Taproot is kid-friendly but doesn’t allow pets.
Narragansett Brewing Company
Address: 271 Tockwotton St., Providence
Having been around since 1890, Narragansett Brewing Company has seen a lot. In the early 1900s, they were one of the largest breweries in New England. During prohibition, they switched to selling soda, ice and some doctor-prescribed beers. They were the first beer company to sponsor a sports team — the Red Sox obviously. They got a cameo in Jaws. And then in the 1980s, it fell apart, only to be reborn in 2005.
Today, they’re considered one of the top 5 breweries in New England. The lineup of beers includes favorites like the Narragansett Lager, Del’s Shandy and Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout. At their brewery in Providence, they have 11 beers on tap and a seltzer, plus a small food menu if you’re hungry. Regular events include Monday night trivia and a Wednesday night running club.
Guild Brewing Company
Address: 461 Main St., Pawtucket; 99 Water St Suite 2, Warren; 200 Dyer St., Providence
The guild has grown since it opened in 2017 to not one, not two, but three locations, plus a special events space. With two beer houses to support the operation, they have a Pawtucket Beer Hall, the seasonal PVD Beer Garden and the Warren Beer Hall.
The Guild is a big operation with a changing tap list that includes both their own brews and some great beers from other brewers. On their menu, you can expect to find classic drinks like The Observatory, an IPA with bright hop character with melon, citrus and floral notes, but also more daring drinks, such as The Mollusk, a lager, which is brewed with Rocky Rhode oysters.
Shaidzon Beer Company
Address: 141 Fairgrounds Rd., West Kingston
Just up the road from where co-owner Chip Samson grew up, Shaidzon is a very local brewer. Jointly owned by Josh Letourneau who started homebrewing at the age of 21, this brewery is a fun, quirky little bar with a great sense of humor.
A classic on their menu, check out the Buffalo Czech – Pilsner, “a crisp Czech style pilsner with subtle sweetness and assertive noble hoppiness."
It’s pet and kid-friendly, and they even have games and children’s books on site. When it comes to food, you can order Twisted Pizza Exeter right to your table or bring in your own. Wednesday night is dart night.
Apponaug Brewing Company
Address: 334 Knight St., Warwick
Located in the former Pontiac Mill building right on the water, Apponaug is a 10-barrel brewery with a full menu of delicious bites. Crowd favorites include Thousand Ways, a hazy IPA with hints of dragonfruit, passionfruit, lemongrass and raspberry, and Walk Crawl Run, an IPA with notes of pineapple and lemonade.
They are dog-friendly in their outdoor spaces, and kid-friendly, though you might want to pack a juice box is soda is off-limits.
Vigilant Brewing Company
Address: 44 Ballou Blvd., Bristol
A newcomer to the Rhode Island brewery scene, Vigilant Brewing Company opened in June of 2022.
The brewery has 16 drinks on tap, and their signature beer is Windward, a double IPA. As an experiment, they brewed a five-gallon batch of seltzer, and when it sold out in an hour, they decided they should probably make more seltzer. So now, they also have a Blue Hawaiian seltzer on tap with coconut and pineapple.
The taproom is bring or order your own food, and has a robust events calendar.
Providence Brewing Company
Address: 10 Sims Avenue, Providence
Every part of the beer-making process is on display at this taproom, where guests can not only see the tanks but chat with the brewers. They even have a program, URBN Brewdega, where homebrewers can brew with them.
In their tap room, you’ll find 10 beers on tap. One of their more unique offerings is their frozen beers, with options like their Dirtysundaes: Matcha & Vanilla Macarons Cafe Au Láit, which has their holiday sour mixed in, or the Dump Cake: Peppermint Toffee Sugarplum Dreams, with a Stout-Imperial mixed in.
For food, there are food trucks on the weekend, or you can order in. It’s dog-friendly.
Smug Brewing
Address: 100 Carver St., Pawtucket
This brewery is a little... smug about its beers. But they make great beer and take pride in that, so who can blame them?
A 10-barrel brewery brews a whole range of beers. Some of the crowd-pleasers are Driving Miss Hazy, a New England IPA with a tropical and citrus aroma, and the Chubby Unicorn, a double IPA with tropical flavors, a bit of citrus, and a smooth, slightly sweet finish.
The taproom is a comfortable lounge space in an old mill that hosts events that range from music bingo to trivia nights to bonsai classes to a makers class for the kiddos while you relax with a beer. They regularly have food trucks.
Lops Brewing
Address: 122 North Main St., Woonsocket
An idea hatched over a campfire in the White Mountains, Lops Brewing is a small brewery with a changing menu of eight beers on tap. They focus on using fresh and local ingredients, like coffee in their Villa Novan Coffee Porter coming from New Harvest Coffee Roasters.
Their tap room is family-friendly until 7 p.m., when it transitions to a 21+ space. Dogs are welcome on the back patio. If you want something to do while you sip, there are all kinds of board games to play with, provided that you pick up after yourself. You can bring or order your food.
Crooked Current Brewery
Address: 560 Mineral Spring Ave, Pawtucket
Self-proclaimed “the smallest brewery in the smallest state,” Crooked Current is a tiny brewery in Pawtucket founded by two life-long Rhode Islanders. In addition to providing “wicked tasty brews,” this brewery aims to provide a little levity with the name being a joke about the “crooked” politics and history of the Ocean State.
A 3.5-barrel operation, they offer a rotating menu of beers with names like Plunderdome Pumpkin Maple Ale, Extortion Eggnog Milk Stout, Kickback American Wheat and The Devil You Know IPA.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island breweries: Voters determine the state's best beer maker
