Brewing Persuasions

Grey Sail Brewing

When we went: November 19th, 2021

Where: 65 Canal St, Westerly, RI 02891

We were able to stop by the taproom for Grey Sail brewing in Westerly back in November when it was still relatively warm. Grey Sail is divided between two buildings; one where they brew and can their beer and the taproom next door. The brewing building was previously an auto parts shop, and before that, a macaroni factory. The taproom next door is located inside an old house. If you have ever been to Little House Brewery in Chester, it is a very similar vibe. The taproom still has the layout of a house, so seating is broken up into small rooms. Grey Sail has been around for over 10 years, which is a pretty long time for the craft beer world, and has grown quite the following. The name of Grey Sail is a result of its proximity to the New England coastline and the prevalence of sail boats on the ocean horizon. It is a pretty fitting name considering how Rhode Island is known for its beaches, and many of names for Grey Sail’s beers are ocean themed.

It is best to visit Grey Sail in the warmer months because they have a spacious outdoor area. This area offers the feel of an actual beer garden. We have all been to places that put a few potted plants next to outdoor seating and call it a beer garden, but Grey Sail went all in.

Chris: I really enjoyed the space at Grey Sail and had seen their beer everywhere before I was able to make it to their taproom. When Nick and I went in November, Grey Sail had 14 beers on tap, but their variety was limited, with only 1 sour and 1 stout available and the rest were mostly IPA’s. That being said, I did enjoy both the Portside Sour and the Coffee Stout in the flight we got. The Dave’s Coffee Stout uses a local coffee blend of Brazilian and Ethiopian beans, and is very similar in taste to a cold brew. Speaking of cold brews, Grey Sail had their own on tap, as well as South Country Distillers which offers rum, gin, vodka, and agave spirits.

Nick: Gray Sail is certainly a unique space, and it feels like you are drinking at home. As Chris mentioned, this isn’t a brewery that focuses on making a large variety of beers, and they have a definite concentration of IPA’s. But I found a few beers that I enjoyed. The Portside Sour was excellent, and I also liked the Flagship Ale. Cream ale’s can be really hit or miss for me, but this one had a nice smooth flavor. The Dinghy Party was one that I was very interested to try, as you don’t see many Fruit Punch Ale’s. But I found it strange more than anything else. It had a sweet aroma, but the taste did not match my expectations.

Other Cool Things:

Lots of merch
Hive beer for sale
South Country spirits for sale
Cans to go

What we drank:

Chris: Dave’s Coffee (Stout) 6.3% – 4 out of 5

Chris: Flagship Ale (Cream Ale) 4.7% – 3.5 out of 5

Chris: Portside (Sour) 7.2% – 4.5 out of 5

Nick: Portside (Sour) 7.2% – 4 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 4 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

Aspen Brewing Company

When we went: October 3rd, 2021

Where: 121 S Galena St, Aspen, CO

Nick and I went to a wedding out in Snowmass, Colorado, and the only brewery nearby was Aspen Brewing Company. The taproom opened in 2008 and is located in a nice downtown area with a good amount of outdoor space. Inside the building, Aspen Brewing Company has a nice modern aesthetic with local art work and plants all around. They had plenty of beers on tap and cans to go, but they had no darks or sours at all. Cocktails and wine were also available with appetizers and pizza on the menu. In the back, they also had a weird ring game that I could not figure out how to play.

Chris: I was pretty disappointed that there were no sours or darks on tap, so I stuck to lagers and wheats. My favorite from Aspen was the This Season’s Blonde, a wheat ale that was pretty clear, carbonated, with a nice citrus taste. I was not really impressed with anything else Aspen Brewing Company had to offer, but that has a lot to do with my personal preferences of darks and sours, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Despite my preferences, if you ever go back maybe let them know that beer can be more than just hops. Aspen Brewing Company has a nice space and is the only brewery in town, but their lack of variety was a big turn off for me.

Nick: Aspen Brewing Company is right in the middle of Aspen, Colorado. It has a nice outdoor seating area, and the indoor seating is very open with lots of windows. The Cloud 9 Saison was my favorite and is apparently one of the brewery’s more popular beers. They had a lot of IPA’s, which is very Colorado of them, and none of their other beers really interested me. However, at nearly 8,000 feet above sea level, atmosphere comes first, and Aspen Brewing company definitely has a good atmosphere.

Other Cool Things:

Draft beer van
Merch for sale
Cans to go
Cocktails and win available

What we drank:

Chris: This Season’s Blonde (Wheat) 5.6% – 4 out of 5

Chris: Vista Lager 4% – 3 out of 5

Chris: Ajax Pilsner 4.5% – 3.5 out of 5

Nick: Cloud 9 Saison: 3.5 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 3 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

30 Mile Brewing Company

When we went: November 12th, 2021

Where: 39 Ragged Rock Rd, Old Saybrook, CT 06475

30 Mile Brewing Company opened in Old Saybrook in 2015, and sadly it will permanently shut down on January 16th. Many small businesses, breweries especially, have been hit hard by the pandemic. 30 Mile Brewing is not the first or last brewery to shut down. Please support your local restaurants and breweries. 30 Mile Brewing doesn’t close for another week, so there’s still time to get some of their great beer.

30 Mile Brewing is a garage style brewery located in an industrial area. They have a decent amount of indoor and outdoor seating space. While they don’t have a huge number of beers on tap, they have a mix of styles so there is something for everyone.

Chris: 30 Mile Brewing is located about half way between my brother’s place and mine so we ended up going there a few times. My favorite beer was their Don’t Be A Karl, a Imperial Marshmallow Stout that clocked in at a whopping 12.5%. Don’t Be A Karl had a nice marshmallow taste that made this beer dangerously good. Have a DD if you are having more than one of these. They have an old style oil popcorn maker, and it was the great snack to go along with their beer. I will miss 30 Mile Brewing, their convenient location, delicious popcorn, and very alcoholic beer. I doubt anyone there is completely done with craft beer and hope they try some new ventures soon.

Nick: 30 Mile Brewing was definitely not afraid to try different things. Their Rymley’s Winter-Warmer Barleywine and the aptly-named Golden Something both stand out in that regard. My favorite beer was the I Got My Peaches Out in Georgia, a sour. As Chris mentioned, we’d meet at 30 Mile as it was a good half way point for us. Also, the brewery is pet friendly, so we were able to bring the dogs. Minerva hung out under one of the picnic tables and Jax enjoyed sneaking our popcorn. The last time I went with my wife, and we saw the infamous Karl, namesake of the “Don’t Be a Karl” and a regular of the brewery, enjoying a brew at the bar. He had great banter with the staff and other patrons, and brought smiles to many faces. The staff was helpful and knowledgeable about their beers and everyone seemed to be having a great time. I am disappointed to see 30 Mile go. I always hope that every small business and every brewery will be successful.

Our Favorite beer:

Chris: Don’t Be a Karl (Imperial Stout) 12.5% – 4 out of 5

Nick: I Got My Peaches Out in Georgia (Sour) 5% – 4 out of 5