The Rhode Island craft brewery scene continues to evolve, with several new breweries opening over the past six months. That means it’s time to resurrect our column “Brewery of the Month,” which has been on hiatus for a bit.
I visited the brand spanking new Tower Hill Brewery tasting room last weekend, located off Route 1 in South Kingston at South County Commons. The brewhouse is the dream of four friends – homebrewers who came together to build it. Named for the familiar tower that overlooks Narragansett Bay, the new brewery is also on its way to becoming a local landmark, at least in craft brewing circles.
Serving flights, 5 oz. and 16 oz. pours, the operation was up and running after a busy opening week. It’s spacious and comfortable, with an open, sunny feel and ample table and bar seating. On a busy elite eight spring weekend, TV screens were turned to local teams and more. Free parking is plentiful, although we recommend Uber if you’re enjoying more than one or two!
We sampled several featured brews in a flight. Some brief thoughts:
The Blonde Snail, an American golden ale, stood out – a really fine beer, refreshing, not too heavy, yet bold and tasty, one I would definitely order again. She’ll Have That is an excellent IPA, hazy and full bodied, already getting nice reviews from beer experts. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up becoming a regular offering at the brewery. Another IPA, the 6 8 Mine, has a slightly bitter feel, pretty typical, not a standout, but not bad. I also enjoyed the Dunes (Nitro), a seasonal Irish Stout which I look forward to enjoying again next winter.
On future visits, I plan to sample the opening weekend hit Black Falls, a black and tan blend of Beautiful Falls and Dunes Stout, the Easy Rider Hefeweizen, and the 9.2 ABV Pour La Maceta Imperial IPA. Overall, they’re in a good place after less than a month in business, with room to grow, and beers to further develop.
Live entertainment begins this Wednesday at the brewery with John Gonzalez playing the tasting room at 5PM. Patrons are invited to bring in food from nearby restaurants, including those located in South County Commons. They expect to be canning their beer to go in the near future, as well as adding outdoor seating for seasonal events and more.
Click here for more on Tower Hill Brewing.
You didn’t mention the excessive noise volume in the brewery! This needs to be corrected!
Terry, I didn’t notice the noise too much, although it was not that crowded when I was there. However, the brewery posted on their social media that they are aware of issue and will be installing panels to reduce the noise. That should help! (KA)