Conveniently located next to Courtyard By Marroit and La Quinta hotels just off Route 95 in a freestanding brown and gray vintage mill, Warwick-based DOHERTY’S ALE HOUSE opened in January ’13. Serving a remarkably copious 124 tapped craft beers alongside Americana and Cajun-styled cuisine, the roomy barn stable-like wood interior features a spacious central bar (with 3 TV’s and a large ‘Craft Beer’ insignia), several oak booths, seperate left side family dining space, massive exposed pipes and wood-pillared ceiling.
My wife and kids grab a pew near the burnt sienna-hued right wall next to the glass-encased private event room for a Saturday lunch in September ’13. Classic sandwiches, fish ‘n chips, ribs, bacon-wrapped pork chops and burgers fill the menu. We share cheese-dipped pretzel balls before munching down Beer Can Chicken, jambalaya and a muffeletta (with provolone cheese, Genoa salami and capacola). Besides the awesome draught beers, Doherty’s also offers well-selected spirits, original cocktails and Beer Fusions such as Banana Split (Youngs Double Chocolate Stout with Wells Banana Bread), Dirty Hoe (Murphys Stout with Hoegaarden) and Scarlet Begonia (Lindemans Framboise with champagne and orange juice).
I settle on two previously untried libations while consuming the generous food portions. First up, Foolproof King Of The Yahd Imperial IPA brought wood-dried grapefruit rind bittering, tart orange peel briskness and gin-like juniper berry dryness to resinous hop fodder. Caramelized crystal malts contrast the overwhelming bitterness.
Afterwards, Two Roads Roads Mary’s Baby Pumpkin Ale allowed pumpkin puree spicing to saddle plastique gin-soaked boozing and astringent hop sharpness. For contrast, brown-sugared nutmeg, cinnamon and pecan illusions gained sweetness over time.
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Tossed back a few more untried brews during Johnson & Wales Parents weekend, October ’13. Alongside moist beercan chicken (with roasted Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes), quaffed rye-fruited Smuttynose Rhye IPA and citric-crisped Magic Hat Humdinder Over The Pils (reviewed in Beer Index) while watching shocking upset of New England Patriots at the hands of long-time rivals, the Jets.
Thanks to Doherty’s, Track 84, Shannon View and Dave’s, Warwick has become one of New England’s premier craft beer towns.