Brewing has come a long way in Rhode Island since I left the Ocean State in 2001. Narragansett has come back, breweries and brewpubs are popping up everywhere, and there are a slew of new beers I can’t get here in Georgia. That being the case, I headed north last September to see what I could find and bring back with me. Amongst the goodies I scored were my first ever beers from Grey Sail in Westerly, including Grey Sail Flagship Ale.
Grey Sail Flagship Ale is a cream ale by style, light but flavorful and as refreshing as a day at Misquamicut beach in Westerly. It’s an approachable brew that you don’t have to be a beer connoisseur to appreciate, though the latter can and should appreciate its flavor and simplicity. It’s a beer that you can enjoy in a session or perhaps as a single serving with a meal (local Rhode Island lobster perhaps?).
From the can label:
Thank you for hoisting our Flagship Ale.
First brewed on II/II/II, Flagship Ale has charted the course for Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island.
Our golden-colored cream ale offers great balance between malty sweetness and noble hop bitterness. This gold-medal winner is the perfect session beer for any occasion.
Grey Sail Flagship Ale has an alcohol content of 4.9% by volume with 22 IBUs. I bought a six-pack for $9.99 at Haxton’s in Warwick, Rhode Island.
Grey Sail Flagship Ale pours to a hazy yellow color with a medium sized head of creamy foam and a light bready malt nose with hints of grassy hops. Taking a sip, the beer is smooth and clean malty, again in a bready way, with a subtle sweetness and a creamy mouthfeel. The beer is well punctuated by a subtly grassy, gently bitter hop character and the faintest hint of citrus. Flagship Ale has all the drinkability of an American cream ale with none of the adjunct flavors. It is sessionable and delicious, and the more I drink it the more I like it.
Judged to style, it doesn’t get any better than this, folks.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft