New Brew Thursday: 'Creatures of Magic' from Burlington Beer Company

Christmas this year was pretty good for yours truly. Aside from spending time with my family, after quarantining of course, I got some pretty solid gifts. Two of which were beers from Burlington Beer Company, a brewery that I had not tried before. I had seen their cans in the liquor store and always put them on the “maybe next time” list, but I was very happy that I finally had a chance to try them and they didn’t disappoint because opening ‘Creatures of Magic’ tonight was a great choice. With a  funky can that prominently unicorns, sphinxes, yetis, and Cthulhu I was already happy even before I had my first sip.  

‘Creatures of Magic’ pours into the glass a devastatingly hazy yellow with a small white head. It has strong notes of melon and citrus with a slight note of pine. it has a great and juicy mouthfeel and a fantastic taste. A little research on my part states that the hops used are Mosaic, Simcoe, and Ekuanot. While I have never had Ekuanot hops and cannot find them in the beer the Mosaic and Simcoe hops play really well with one another. The Mosaic provides that initial juiciness with the Simcoe coming in at the end to give a slight lingering sweetness. The oats help to coat the mouth with a thicker mouthfeel. Coming in at a perfectly balanced 6.5% ABV it is a great beer for sitting and sipping.

Rhode Trip: Tilted Barn Brewery

(The next part in a multi-part series as we complete the Rhode Island Brewer’s Guild Passport. To learn more about the passport and download the app click HERE)

While it has been a while since the last #RhodeTrip entry I can assure you that I have been frequenting many of our fine breweries but more on that in future posts. Those who know me know that I have been preaching the good word of Tilted Barn since I first tried ‘The Chosen One’ back in 2016 and my love of this brewery has only grown since then. I had made multiple trips to the old barn and with them only doing to-go cans during the pandemic I eagerly awaited the opening of the new barn, plus seeing it take shape with each trip down only heightened this anticipation. When it opened and the pictures were posted online my expectations grew even higher.

Now, I have a history of being let down due to having unrealistically high expectations. I had been trying to lower these expectations as the pictures gave Tilted Barn a “Tree House” type vibe, which is an INSANELY high bar but with each picture I just could not help myself. Let me be the one to tell you though, Tilted Barn’s new location is one of the most beautiful breweries I have ever been to.

Located on top of a hill that overlooks the farm, the outdoor patio area has a breath-taking view of the entire farm. Inside there is a picture-perfect wooden bar with a dozen taps and refrigerators full of cans. The front facing windows let in the sunlight that showcases the white tile floors, light brown wood, and open atrium for an absolutely gorgeous entryway. I was seated on the second floor that has artwork of their cans and a view of the actual brewery. 

The woodwork on the second floor is stunning. While my knowledge of the subject is very limited it looks like the various joints are fitted with pegs and not screws which really fits into the rustic feel of the barn. Even more exciting are all of the tanks on the lower level which filled my head with joy for the beers that are about to come down the line… and speaking of beer.

While they are not doing flights they are doing six ounce pours of all offerings and I was allowed to order two at once. I was able to try a few offerings as my girlfriend ordered something different than I did. However, my two standouts were ‘DDH Cactus’ which was juicy, hoppy, and full of flavor. There was also ‘Lawn Boy’ which was the first Tilted Barn Lager I have had. It was crisp, clean, and perfect for a hot day… or in this case a supremely cold one. I hope it is brewed again once the weather turns. Also there was 'Tupelo' an Imperial Stout named after one of the brewery dogs. It had great notes of both chocolate and coffee and is a perfect cold weather beer. 

In all, the new barn is amazing. It is sad losing the old barn as it was a cozy and intimate setting, but this new location really raises the stakes and will certainly allow for more experimentation and collaboration from one of Rhode Island best breweries. Plus, I’m pretty sure Matt is happy to have everyone off his front lawn.

Tilted Barn is located at 1 Hemsley Place. Exeter, RI 02822. For more information about the brewery, their beer, and to book a reservation please click HERE

Part one: Long Live Beerworks

Part two: Buttonwoods Brewery

Part three: LineSider Brewing Company

Part four: Taproot Brewing Company

Part five: Community Bruin (CLOSED)

New Brew Thursday: 'Subtle Victories' from Origin Beer Project

Over the weekend I was able to make a trip to Buttonwoods Brewery with my girlfriend and another couple friend of ours and we had a great time. While I was there, I was able to pick up my order from Origin Beer Project which included their sequel to ‘Small Victories’ (check out that review HERE) one of my favorite beers from last year, their new lager ‘Subtle Victories’.

‘Subtle Victories’ pours into the glass with a rich amber color and a light brown head. It has rich malty notes with a subtle (see what I did there) note of oak from the foeder. The taste is fantastic. it has an impossibly light mouthfeel with a nice soft malty taste that is both crisp and clean with a slight maltiness that lingers on the back of the tongue just ever so slightly. Coming in at 5.5% ABV it is perfectly crushable while still having the perfect amount of body. ‘Subtle Victories’ is a great sequel to ‘Small Victories’ and it continues Origin Beer Projects run up the RI brewery power rankings.

New Brew Thursday: 'Broken Skull' from El Segundo Brewing Company

Gimmie a “Hell Yeah!” As soon as I heard one of my favorite wrestlers of all time, Stone Cold Steve Austin, had teamed up with El Segundo Brewing Company to make his own beer I knew I had to try it. The most surprising, WHAT? I said the most surprising part is that they teamed up to make an IPA. ‘Broken Skull’ is characterized as a West Coast IPA and while I have been pretty indifferent towards this style recently, ‘Broken Skull’ is making me change my mind.

‘Broken Skull’ pours into the glass a cloudy, but not hazy, light yellow with a white head and has subtle and soft piney notes. The flavor is fantastic, it has a classic West Coast IPA taste with an interesting twist. While it has the classic big hop taste that gives way to a long and lingering malty finish, the twist comes from the hops. Citra gives it that initial hoppy bite with Cascade and Chinook combining for a sweet and crispness right before that malty finish. Coming in at 6.7% ABV it is the perfect balance of boozy and crushable.  This beer is awesome, and that’s the bottom line!