Tomorrow is 11/11/11, and while this interesting numerical alignment has snuck up on most folks, the crew over at Newport Storm has had it marked on the calendar for months. Back in February, all of Rhode Island’s professional brewers united at the Newport Storm Brewery with malt, hops, boots and buckets in tow to craft a one-of-a-kind collaboration beer to coincide with the brewery’s annual release.
Marshall Righter of Middletown’s Coddington Brewery, Dave Sniffen of Mohegan Café & Brewery on Block Island, Sean Larkin and Tom Tainsh of Trinity Brewhouse in Providence, Aaron Crossett of Union Station Brewery in Providence, and Derek Luke of Newport Storm were the players. Together they invented a brew fermented with a Belgian yeast strain with much of the hops contributed from local hopster start-up, Ocean State Hops. The beer's “Rhode Island Red” color is named in honor of the state’s unofficial mascot. To lend hints of oak, the brew was aged in Thomas Tew rum barrels and has been bottle-conditioned with local Aquidneck Honey since that date.
The unveiling of the “’11,” as its simply called, will be celebrated tomorrow, 11/11/11 at the Newport Storm Brewery at 293 JT Connell Road in Newport, where brews from all of the contributor’s breweries will be on tap. Tickets are an apropos $11 dollars and are available at www.NewportStorm.com.
Newport Storm ’11, Rhode Island's first collaboration beer, will be on sale in CT, MA, and RI liquor stores, as well as on draft at each of the aforementioned brewer’s establishments and select venues around Rhode Island. Cheers!