Rhode Trip: Lops Brewing

(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) 

Now I have written about my “Rhode Islander quirks” before, but one of the big ones is complaining about driving anywhere that is more than 15 minutes away. Now I have gotten better as the years have gone on and now it really only applies when traveling inside the state but it is still one of my, and many other peoples, quirks. This quirk exists because here in the Ocean State we are cursed with so many good options within five to ten minutes of our immediate location and it is often hard to venture out (insert TLC ‘Waterfalls’ joke here). However, it is when we venture out that we find new and equally amazing places. None more so than Lops Brewing. Located in Woonsocket it is more than 15 minutes from where I live but it was worth the trip.

Lops Brewing is located on the first floor of a multi-story building that might actually have some apartments above it. It also has an outdoor patio. While we went back in late March and were greeted by a small snow squall it was still very nice and dog friendly, so Mr. Bradley had fun as well. Inside is a slightly narrow tap room with several tables and a service bar with incredibly friendly staff. Classified as a Nano Brewery, a concept I am learning more and more about, it has that perfect feel of a small local bar with a nice warm feeling to it.

Now all of the positive aesthetics do not mean anything if the beer is not good. But here, the beer is fantastic. While I cannot remember specific tasting notes on all of them, all of the IPAs were fantastic with the session IPA being one of my favorites. However, the big standout and I mean BIG standout was ‘Breakroom Snack’ their peanut butter and jelly porter. While peanut butter stouts/porters are quickly rising up my power rankings I have always found that PB&J stouts and porters are a bit off, but not this one. With the perfect peanut butter taste up front that perfectly transitions into a nice sweetness that rounds things out and doesn’t linger too long it was an absolute treat.

While I do not get to Woonsocket often, I can now safely say that each time I go there I will be stopping at Lops.

Lops Brewing is located at 122 North Main St. Unit 1A Woonsocket, RI 02895. For more information about their offerings and the brewery 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)

Part six: Shaidzon Beer Company

Part seven: Moniker Brewery

Part eight: Six Pack Brewing

Rhode Trip: Moniker 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 I have never done it, I think my assumption that opening a brewery in your own dedicated space is no easy task. Obtaining the licenses, equipment, and décor along with fine-tuning your recipes, hiring staff, and the hundreds of other things that I cannot even comprehend. I can also make the assumption that doing it during a global pandemic is even harder. But this is exactly what Moniker Brewery did and I for one am glad they did it.

Moniker has a great location right off West Fountain St. in Providence and is located across the street from Beer On Earth and just down the road from Bayberry Beer Hall making this one of the places to be come summertime. Along with a quaint taproom it has two patios, one in the front and the other on its side. The back bar has about a dozen or so taps which makes me excited for their future.

While we were there I was able to get two flights and try all of their offerings and I was quite impressed. The IPAs were nice and hoppy, their pale ale ‘Modern Chemistry’ has a nice hop but a crisp finish, and their lager was crisp, clean, and very refreshing. However the big standout was their coffee porter ‘Hypercaffium Spazzinate’ which was exceptional. It had strong roasty notes of coffee and a rich, but light, mouthfeel and a big coffee finish that lingers and builds with each sip. It was so good I had to get a four-pack to go. While Moniker is one of our newest breweries I am very excited to get back to there and see how they use their space, location, and try more of their beer.

Moniker Brewery is located at 432 West Fountain St. Providence, RI 02903. For more information about their offerings and to make a reservation 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)

Part six: Shaidzon Beer Company

Cooking With Beer: Chili

While the Super Bowl this past Sunday saw Tom Brady win number seven (not a Buccaneers fan but happy for my guy) I was able to make chili. Now, whenever I make chili, I do tend to experiment a little with my spice paste and with the beer.

Finished Product

When it comes to beer in chili I have seen people use Mexican style lagers and saisons but I have always had great success with stouts and porters. Typically, I stay away from pastry stouts as I think their sweetness would have an adverse effect with the meat. I also stay away from stouts and porters with certain flavors like peanut butter, marshmallow, coconut, and vanilla. I look for stouts and porters that feature chocolate, coffee, and oatmeal. I did recently experiment with a milk stout that produced an exceptional batch of chili, my theory is that the lactose in the stout acted similar to the milk/cream that is added when making a Bolognese sauce to make it creamier. It did produce a richer chili. I also try to go with imperial stouts as the flavors are more intense. This time I used an oatmeal stout from Beer On Earth called ‘Stout’s Meal’ that produced a slightly lighter chili that was still quite delicious. Here is the recipe so you can try it for yourself.

Spice Paste:

2 dried ancho chilis

3 dried pasilla chilis

5-6 dried arbol chilis (these are for spice, add/reduce to increase/decrease spiciness)

¼ cup dried Dominican Oregano (Mexican or Italian is fine)

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)

1 tablespoon cornmeal (optional)

 

Chili

3lbs chuck roast (or 1lb chuck roast/1lb of 80/20 ground beef)

2 medium sized onions (I prefer vedalia)

1 jalapeno pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 large cloves of garlic

1 16 oz beer

2 cans crushed tomatoes

1 can red kidney beans

1 bay leaf

Salt and Black Pepper to taste 

Method:

For the chili paste, cut/tear the chilis into small pieces and remove the seeds. Place them into a dry pan and lightly toast them until they are warm and fragrant. Then add about two cups or enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil and let go for about two minutes. Kill the heat and then let them steep for at least ten minutes. In another pan toast the cumin seeds and black peppercorns until they are fragrant. Next place them into a spice grinder and grind into a fine powder. Combine the chilis, water, black pepper, cumin, oregano, thyme, cocoa powder, and cornmeal into a blender and blend into a smooth paste.

For the meat, I typically take a three-pound chuck roast and cut it in half and grind the fatty portion into ground beef and cut the leaner half into half-inch pieces. If you do not have a meatgrinder get 80/20 ground beef and a 1lb chuck roast and cut that into half-inch pieces. Next, roughly chop the onions and jalapeno pepper and set aside. In a very hot dutch oven or pot add the oil and pieces of the chuck roast to sear adding salt and black pepper and once seared, remove from the pot and let sit. Next, add the ground beef pressing hard to the bottom of the pot to get a hard sear. Add salt and black pepper and once well browned remove from the pot. Then, reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and jalapeno and sauté until they are slightly translucent and grate the garlic into the pot and cook for roughly one minute. Now add the meat back to the pot and thoroughly combine with the spice paste and cook for another minute or so. Next add the beer to the chili and bring to a boil stirring so it does not burn. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release all of the fond and reduce until only about four ounces are left. Now add in the tomatoes, one can of water, and the beans with the bay leaf and stir thoroughly. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about two to three hours stirring occasionally. If you like a thicker chili then let it reduce further or if it gets too thick then add some more water.

Garnish with cheddar cheese, green onion, and sour cream to enjoy. Feel free to experiment with your choice of beer and let me know what works for you.