NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
Since 2009, microbrewery COASTAL EXTREME, makers of Newport Storm brand beers, has occupied its new freestanding building two miles down the road from Newport’s historic downtown district and one mile south of Coddington Brewery, visited February 2011. Behind the green aluminum exterior lies a clean brewing operation with up-front tasting room, high ceilings, silver brew tanks, observation deck and rum distillery (apparently 22 rum distilleries were located in Newport during 1769, but floundered over time).
For $7, patrons receive a tulip glass to try four ample samples. While my wife enjoyed sweet blueberry-juiced, Graham Cracker-honeyed dessert treat, Rhode Island Blueberry (bottled version fully reviewed in Beer Index with brewers’ other products), I tried two similarly styled Black IPA-inclined aspirants.
Firstly, rich ruby-browned Newport Storm Spring Ale (listed as an Irish Red Ale but previously known as Maelstrom IPA) brought piney molasses sapping, coarse nutty sharpness, roasted hop char, and burnt toast shavings to cocoa-dried blackberry, black currant, and black cherry rasp.
Even better, bottle conditioned Newport Storm 2010 11th Anniversary Black Ale spread resinous hop-oiled bitterness across dark rum-spiced molasses-soaked cocoa-dried chocolate malting, date nut-breaded black grape, black cherry, and blackberry illusions, and floral wisps (with teasing ethanol hints).
Over the years, I’ve picked up a nice selection of craft beers at Newport-based Vicker’s Liquors (next to the Tennis Hall of Fame). On April ’12 visit, bought Newport Storm Ryan Rye Pale Ale and Sabrina Belgian Pale Ale plus Mayflower’s IPA, Golden Ale, PAle Ale and Porter as well as Haverhill GestAlt Brown Ale and Cisco The woods Monomoy Kriek.