PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND
Initially visited harbor-bound state capitol October ’05, finding contrasting upscale brewpub and blue collar watering hole within walking distance. Opened in ’93, below-street level pub, UNION STATION BREWERY, situated in the foreground of ritzy Marriott Hotel, was converted from an old train station cellar.
A subsidy of John Harvard’s Brewhouse, its large courtyard deck fronts the side door entrance. The homey brick walled interior features prominent bar with glass-encased copper kettle brew tanks, green leather-seated wood chairs, a mid-size left side dining area, and exposed ceiling pipes. Burgers, pizza, filet mignon, hickory-smoked ribs, and crabmeat-stuffed Atlantic cod were fab menu choices.
Lighter beers on ’05 stopover included mainstream Family Guy-inspired namesake Pawtucket Patriot Pilsner (a lemony wheat-straw-backed phenol fizzy) as well as grapefruit-embittered dank-grained wheat-dried Golden Spike Pale Ale.
Soft-tongued piney-hopped dark-fruited Ripple IPA, dry sour-fruited wheat-husked Oktoberfest, and musky hickory-smoked coffee-softened black cherry-tinged cask conditioned Espresso Stout were firmer choices. Sipped the latter with Pumpkin Tiramisu dessert.
While driving through Rhode Island’s capital June ’11, spent a few hours at Union Station watching Boston Bruins defeat Vancouver Canucks in Game 6 of Stanley Cup championship. Venturing from mildest light hued fare to heavier dark-bodied fare, I enjoying six wide-ranging, previously untried libations with wife.
A pair of Belgian-styled ales got perused first. Light-bodied, orange-peeled, coriander-spiced Belgian Wit retained a hard-candied sweetness while medium-bodied, fig-spiced, prune-stewed Abbey Ale received a latent orange-spiced courvoisier kick that also befit caramel-drudged, lemon-rotted, fungi-dried Dunkelweizen.
Bittersweet blueberry-perfumed Brew Berry Ale lost up-front blueberry-seeded essence to soapy lemon Seltzer fizzing. A woody Pine Sol lacquering and wafting cologne musk fluttered through buttery citric respite to alcohol-burnt finish of sharp hop-headed bitter, J.K.’s Simcoe IPA. Soft-textured Jay’s Breakfast Stout blended Vermont maple syrup into oily hop-charred coffee bean bittering, oats-toasted black chocolate serenade, and acrid charcoal singe.
Stayed at Marriott Hotel October ’11, sampling several untried libations and one improved year-round staple. Brewmaster Aaron Croffit, a spirited homebrewer originally from Grass Lake, Michigan, has been at Union Station for nine years, continuously improving his recipes. Standard fare such as dry, perfume-hopped, grapefruit-peeled Golden Spike American Pale Ale boasted a brisker lemon-soaped apricot-apple-pear fruiting that’s nearly as bitter as bolder, juniper-pined, spruce-tipped Simcoe IPA (with its tangy grapefruit-peeled peach-apricot swerve).
Providence Pale Ale brought an earthen-grained ESB-like musk to pale-malted toffee and woody Chinook hops. Just a tad richer, River Otter Red draped dried-fruited fig sugaring atop fungi yeast must. Unassuming Blueberry Ale lost its ripe blueberry tartness and wheat-crackered backdrop to metallic hop astringency and soapy oiliness.
On cask, College Hill Porter provided an oily coffee bittering to charcoal-smoked pipe tobacco, walnut, peat and cocoa bean nuances, contrasting wavered cherry-bruised blackberry tartness.
Seasonal dessert treat, Pumpkin Spice, maintained a pilsner-malted, brown-sugared pumpkin pie spicing, pleating cinnamon-nutmeg-allspice-clove niceties with vegetal gourd astringency and light lemon rind wisps.
