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…

On tap at Andy’s Corner Bar, luxurious limited edition 2012 farmhouse ale (brewed with French yeast ale) surges forth with tart red cherry, sour red grape and sweet red peach overtones securing buttery white oak aging. Musty papier-mached clay hops contrast maple-honeyed wheat bed. Tertiary cantaloupe, mango, blackberry, raspberry and lemon meringue undertones deepen floral-tinged stone fruiting.

On tap at Andy’s Corner Bar, muscle-bound draught-only 2012 witbier offers profound lime-peeled sourness and spiffy corainder dash to brazen juniper berry bittering. Wood lacquered ethanol whir, perfumed hop swerve and plasticene grouting saturate crisp citric-splashed finish. Seasoned hopheads will delight in its brash bitterness and boozy buildup.

Presumptuous amber-hazed pilsner (with heightened 8.3% alcohol burn) scatters coarse juniper-grapefruit bittering across hard-candied lemon tartness and obverse creamy crystal malting. Sweet apricot, peach, tangerine, marmalade and strawberry undertones register below grassy-hopped floral aspect.

Revelatory hybridized full body brings expressive espresso coffee theme to the forefront. Persistent bitter coffee bean rampage pleasantly relegates sweet caramel roast and toasted hop levy. Charcoal afterburner reinforces plentiful java rush. Tertiary cappuccino, vanilla bean, caramel latte and chocolate hazelnut biscotti illusions slide by. An ambitious amber ale easily mistaken for a stout. Betters all Peak Organic offerings (though I haven’t tried one since ’09).

Impressive lactic farmhouse ale gathers wild yeast aged in unlined wood barrels, blending Hollandish oud broun with musty Dortmunder bock for richer Flanders red ale offshoot. Tannic red-white-green grape dryness receives leathery oaken cherry pucker and light balsamic vinegaring to counter infiltrating brown-sugared honey malting. Tart green apple, cranberry, raspberry and plum undertones settle in the midst.

Feisty 10% alcohol-fueled ‘ale brewed with spices’ (from French-bordered fishing town brewhouse) gets major lift from gooey black licorice resonation. Heavy anise influence takes full control ahead of rich Belgian chocolate spicing, noirish red grape wining and distant plum-raisin-prune snip, bringing tongue-coating black licorice uplift to the forefront. Strangely, the wafting compost pungency never consumes tertiary hazelnut coffee and chocolate liqueur illusions. Betters annisette as an after dinner relaxer.

On tap at Copper Mine, mildly creamed stove-burnt coffee persistence and astringent carbolic fizz outdistance anticipated peanut-shelled hazelnut-walnut roast. Brown-sugared burnt caramel, vanilla latte, toffee and almond untertones envelop grain-charred hop roast. Tertiary cedar snip and dried fig-cherry nip waver through peaty backend of resilient medium body.

On tap at Copper Mine, ‘majestic’ 2012 version enjoins the creamiest brown chocolate sweetness with an ’extremely complex’ black-roasted coffee richness that settles above serenely soured black cherry tartness. Beautiful molasses-soaked creme brulee, sherry, espresso and hazelnut undertones cut across its cocoa-buttered black chocolate finish. Light wood-smoked charcoal burn deepens mocha penetration. Tertiary red grape, black grape and blackberry tannins offer latent sour ruse. A marvelous dessert treat perfect for Valentine’s Day.   

On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, vibrant citric-embittered dry body perfect for hearty hopheads. Piney resinous hops gird broadened grapefruit-peeled frontage and brisk lemony orange rind bittering, picking up bark-dried parch and latent alcohol burn. For contrast, ancillary apricot-pineapple-tangerine tang, ripe peach-pear juicing and snazzy sugar-spiced tingle come into play.

On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, versatile Finnish-styled sahti could pass for a splendid American India Pale Ale. Mild juniper berry bittering upended by appeasing cherry-apple-apricot-grape-banana conflux and black-peppered cinnamon-allspice-nutmeg seasoning. Creamy crystal malting counters laquered pine tones and herbal tea spell.