WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND
Tucked into the rustic High Street downtown area of Westerly, Rhode Island, THE MALTED BARLEY opened its doors May, 2011. A swell local beer joint featuring excellent freshly-made gourmet pretzel sandwiches that pair well with the 40-plus tapped selections at the left side bar, this moderate-sized wood-furnished craft beer establishment is the pride of owners Colin and Stephanie Bennett (who met at a Honolulu brewery).
As my wife, daughter and I take a seat at the front windowed table, old Blues music blares on this sunny Saturday afternoon in mid-December ’12. The pale blue-walled interior (with red brick sides and exposed pipes) houses twenty bar stools and approximately ten strewn tables. A small TV at the rear of the bar catches the attention of a few customers and eight empty wooden pony kegs at the bar reinforce the beer-centric theme. A midsize back deck with green awning is situated along the Pawcatuck River, providing calm splendor to outside guests.
Alongside four local New england brews, I enjoy the pretzel-breaded bratwurst and sauerkraut while my daughter munches on the creamy havarti-cheesed turkey pretzel sandwich and my wife consumes the roast beef with red onions, cabbage slaw and garlic. Beforehand, we all shared a simply delicious apricot-buttered grureye-cheesed pretzel.
Today’s previously untried beers include two of Westerly’s own Grey Sail selections, coffee-fronted habanero-heated Leaning Chimney Porter and spicy yellow-fruited 1st Anniversary Imperial Pilsner. Nearby Massachusetts’ Revival Larkin’s Dry Irish Stout retained a pleasant black coffee-stained charred oats roast and New Hampshire’s Woodstock Inn Pig’s Ear Brown brought dark-spiced floral hops to peanut-shelled walnut.
During June ’13 lunchtime session, ate summer spinach soup (with chickpeas), Cannellini pretzel (with goat-cheesed walnut, cranberry, sliced pear and arugula) and a spinach artichoke-dipped pretzel with wife. Alongside, quaffed two saisons, a Flanders Red and a wheat ale.
Lemony banana-clove-coriander-fronted Green Flash Saison Diego added a white-peppered herbal respite and botanical grains of paradise briskness to the ‘golden farmhouse ale.’ Summery strawberry-aided Cape Ann Fisherman’s Sunrise Saison brought soft hop spicing to banana daiquiri, bruised peach and cherry rhubard illusions. Peak Organic Pomegranate Wheat invited yellow-fruited cranberry and raspberry tang to the fold. Intimidatingly sour Grey Sail Rouge A Nuit put forth oaken cherry tartness, vinous green grape tannins and balsamic vinegaring for a mouth-puckering eye squinter only a Sour Ale lover could fully appreciate. (Full reviews in Beer Index).
A wonderful upscale saloon in a friendly New England post, The Malted Barley is a sheer delight. Count it alongside Wakefield’s Mew’s and Warwick’s Track 84 as one of the best beer bars Rhode Island has to offer.
