Rhode Trip: Pivotal Brewing Company

(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) 

In the recent years the number of breweries here in Rhode Island has exploded and it seems like every couple of months there is a new brewery opening their doors and offering delicious beer. Our most recent inductee into this beautiful world is Pivotal Brewing Company in Bristol. This place is on the larger side and is much bigger than some of the other Rhode Island Breweries with their space being located in an old industrial space. Their motto is “follow the stack” and as soon as you are within a block of Pivotal you’ll be able to see why it’s so easy to follow.

The brewery itself is a large open room with space for the brewing and a wide-open tap room with funky furniture from all walks of life. Mismatched tables, chairs, and couches dot the room giving an added dose of character and color to the worn brick of the building. There is one long bar in the middle of the taproom with several stools and multiple stations to get a pour.

When I visited this past weekend for an event I only grabbed two pours trying ‘Aero Cow’ a pale ale that was pretty good and ‘Bomb Cyclone’ a DIPA that was absolutely delicious. ‘Bomb Cyclone’ was that perfect balance of juicy and bitter that makes the perfect New England IPA and is a must try when you visit. Additionally, in a prior visit I was able to try ‘Sippican Fruit Salad Witbier with Pomegranate’ which was quite good. However, I must say that their ‘Extra Special Bitter’ was out of this world delicious. While I have started to warm up to the ESB style it is not one of my favorites but this one was sublime and another must try.

While Pivotal Brewing Company is definitely the new kid on the block they are by no means brewing novices and you have got to check them out.

Pivotal Brewing Company is located at 500 Wood St. Bristol, RI 02809. 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

Part nine: Lops Brewing

Part ten: Grey Sail Brewing

Cooking With Beer: Allagash Jerk Chicken

North meets south in this is a recipe I have been working on for some time. Tinkering with it to get something truly special and while I will continue to play with it, mostly because that is just how I cook, I feel that this is something truly special and is absolutely delicious.

When it comes to the beer, I used Allagash ‘White.’ Not only because it is my favorite Wit but in my humble opinion it is one of the best Belgian Wits on the market. While you can use another Wit, I do not see why you would do so as ‘White’ is just fantastic. However, if you must, just make sure it has coriander and citrus in it as they help bring out those ingredients in the brine and marinate.

Brine:

6 cups water

1 habanero pepper

1 bay leaf

1 knob ginger

½ lemon (plus its juice)

1 clove of garlic

¼ cup dark brown sugar

¼ cup kosher salt

1 tablespoon Black Peppercorns

1 tablespoon Allspice berries

1 teaspoon Coriander seeds

24 oz Allagash White

1 tray of ice cubes

 

Marinate:

1 knob ginger

4 cloves of garlic

2 fresh bay leaves

¼ of a medium size onion

3 scallions

½ cup cilantro

2 habanero peppers (3 if you like it spicy)

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

1 tablespoon allspice

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon clove

½ cup low sodium soy sauce

½ cup Allagash White

¼ cup Worchester sauce

¼ cup lemon juice

 

Method:

Bring the water up to boil and then add all of the ingredients for the brine except the Allagash and Ice. Let boil for five minutes before taking off the heat and then add to your brining bucket and then add ice and Allagash. Once the brine is cold then place your chicken into the brine and let sit for 24-48 hours.

Next, take the chicken out of the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken on a tray and put back into the refrigerator for 12 hours to allow the skin to tack up.

For the marinate, combine all of the solid ingredients and spices into a high-powered blender (rough chop the ginger, scallion, and onion) and pulse five times. Next, add the liquid ingredients and blitz until it is chunky-smooth. Once the chicken is ready, place into a plastic bag with the marinate and let sit for 24-36 hours.

When you are ready to cook, take the chicken out of the refrigerator and let sit for 15 minutes. Bring your smoker up to 275 degrees Fahrenheit, I used a combination of hickory and cherry pellets, and then place the chicken skin side up for 30 minutes and then flip so it is skin side down. Cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees and then let sit for at least 15 minutes (the carryover heat will cook to completion).* and then enjoy.

*NOTE: my smoker has a very high deflector plate that acts almost like a broiler. If your smoker doesn’t have one, then you may want to put it under a broiler to crisp up the skin. If you are using a grill, you will definitely want to introduce some smoke through wood chips.

While this recipe is very time consuming it is most assuredly worth it. Proper Jerk Chicken is a labor of love using the brine, marinate, and smoke to make something that is warm, spicy, and smokey all at once. Even if you cannot brine the chicken and just want a nice chicken marinate for the grill this is perfect for you.

Fourth of Brew-ly

Happy Fourth of July! I hope everyone is enjoying the day and has already started their festivities. Yours truly has already prepped his wings, made his hot sauce (more on that in a future post), and has the pork shoulder on the smoker. But today is not just about food, or celebrating this country's birthday... it is about the beer. But since certain beers do not play well with this hot weather and you'll want to make it to the fireworks it's all about finding the right beer(s) to take you through the day while not sacrificing the taste. Here are some styles and beers to fill your cooler with today. 

Pilsner: Pilsners are definitely one of the best styles for a hot day. With a mid-tier ABV and a light mouthfeel and a crisp finish you'll be able to have a few as stay upright and still enjoy what you're drinking and eating as well. This would be one of the first I would reach for.
Good selections: 'Pils' from Lagunitas and 'Buffalo Czech' from Shaidzon

Kolsch: Kolsches have a similar crispness as pilsners but since the kolsch style uses ale yeast the taste lingers a bit longer. They are still very crisp but are slightly more complex on the back end. This is the style I am currently enjoying and would definitely recommend.
Good selections: 'Outlier' from Treehouse and 'Handline Kolsch' from Devil's Purse

Witbier: Wits have a nice and citrusy taste that can linger. Light mouthfeel with a subtle complexity and a lingering wheat taste these are more common than the other two so you may be able to find them more easily. Always a good selection in a pinch.
Good Selections: 'Bottom Up Wit' from Revolution and 'White' from Allagash

Hefeweizen: Unfiltered with big fruit flavors that vary from beer to beer. Nice complexity with a good mouthfeel and a lingering fruit flavor.
Good Selections: 'Hefeweissbier' from Weihenstephaner and 'Hefe-Weibier' from Paulaner Munchen

Those are the some of the best styles with good and readily available options to fill out your cooler. If you are feeling extra adventurous some other styles to look for: Wild Ale, Berliner Weisse, Gose, Lagers, and Session IPAs.

Have a great Fourth and please comment below on what you're going to be enjoying today.