On tap at Seven Lakes Station, pumpkin pureed cinnamon, ginger and clove seasoning given mild perfume musk and sight herbal tease for middling Sleepy Hollow-inspired Halloween sendup.
GREY SAIL HEADLESS ORSMAN PUMPKIN ALE
Tag Archives: GREY SAIL
GREY SAIL DAVE’S COFFEE STOUT
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, stark dark-roast Ethiopian/Brazilian coffee onrush not unlike dry Irish Stout, with its charred Brazil nut and walnut bittering plus dark chocolate and espresso tones reinforcing the heavy caffeinated java distinction.
GREY SAIL WHEELHOUSE KEGNOG MILKSHAKE IPA
Fully dimensional Christmastime milkshake IPA initially serenades lemony orange-grapefruit-pineapple tanginess and resinous hop pining with vanilla-creamed powdered sugaring for pastry-like affability. Tangy orange fruiting glazes confectionary powdered sugar pastry dough continuance and mild rum-spiced sweetness to contrast bitter wood-dried Amarillo hop sting.
GREY SAIL HAZY DAY WIT
On tap at The Oath, well-balanced light body drapes herbal lemondrops upon perfumed orange peel subtlety and wispy perfumed banana-clove tartness, subsiding too soon over its light white wheat backdrop.
GREY SAIL GREAT KETCH INDIA PALE LAGER
Fetching 3rd anniversary India Pale Lager unites multiple hop variety (Amarillo, Simcoe, Galaxy, Citra, Equinox) with German pale malts. Fluffy white-headed, yellow-hazed moderation renders spicily perfumed citrus zest. Lemon-seeded orange peel and grapefruit rind bittering settles across mild resinous hop earthiness.
GREY SAIL POUR JUDGEMENT IPA
On tap at Poor Henry’s, sessionable hazy-yellowed moderation stays soft on tongue as lemon-dropped grapefruit bittering contrasts candied pineapple-mango-peach tang over dank pine-oiled hop peppering.
GREY SAIL CHALKBOARD SERIES SOJA SAISON
On tap at Doherty’s, dry Citra-Galaxy hop influence provides salty lemon spritz and light mandarin orange misting for palest yellow saison. Sour apple respite drifts inside crisply clean citrus stead.
GREY SAIL BREWING COMPANY
WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND
Tucked away in a rustic industrial section at an old red brick warehouse that served as a macaroni packager ’til World War II and a Post Office thereafter, GREY SAIL BREWING COMPANY came into existence November 11, 2011 (following a 2010 flood that wiped out Napa Auto Parts). Making consistent midrange beers for mainstream and highbrow drinkers alike, the Connecticut-bordered Rhode Island brewery hopes to do 1,200 barrels per year.
Owned by passionate home brewing enthusiast, Alan Brinton, and his hands-on Jersey-bred wife, Jennifer, a fruit and pumpkin ale fan, Grey Sail has gained the attention of the li’l Ocean State with its rock solid selections.
At the front windowed tasting room, brewer Josh Letourneau (former Mayflower associate) graciously poured Grey Sail’s best-known suds for me, August 2012. Adorned by a beautiful brewroom mural, the oak-floored space has a cozy living room feel backed by insulated silver kettles and thousands of empty cans readied for filling.
Much like nearby Connecticut competitor, New England Brewery, Letourneau prefers cans over bottles. A huge fan of Maine-based Allagash White and Belgium’s Wittekerk Wit, his brews ‘play well into the surrounding coastal beach area.’
Letourneau claims, “Cans are better for packaging. There’s zero light exposure and caps on bottles will allow oxygen ingress over time. Plus, freight costs are lower and recyclability is easier. Also, the artwork envelops the whole can.”
Though I’d miss his darkest offering, Leaning Chimney Smoked Porter, two easygoing year-round offerings, one neat Belgian-styled knockoff, a surefire autumnal seasonal and a trusty bitter proved to be one nifty step beyond stylistic parameters on tap.
The highly approachable fare included scintillating lightweight, Flagship Ale, a winning cream ale with a misty Long Island Sound crispness. Its silken pale-caramel malting, soft citric-hopped bittering, recessive lemony orange spritz and honeyed wheat base reached the salty bottom with casual aplomb. Equally impressive, medium-bodied IPA crossover, Flying Jenny Extra Pale Ale placed orange-peeled grapefruit pith bittering above bark-dried Columbus hops and fruited Cascade hops, finishing with a sassy lemon-seeded twinge. (Canned versions are reviewed in the Beer Index).
Summery pleasantry, Hazy Day Belgian Wit, spliced softly-spiced lemony orange peel bittering with sugary crystal malts to its unmalted white wheat base, picking up a slight juniper boozing at its delicate citrus finish.
Since September’s right around the corner, Letourneau brought out busy fall seasonal, Fest, to close out my initial visit. Its autumnal foliage and leafy Noble hops set the stage for orange-oiled apple-peach-pumpkin fruiting, caramel-roasted Vienna malting and honeyed tea sedation.