Town Beach is a beach in Narragansett, Rhode Island. Town Beach IPA is a beer brewed by Rhode Island’s Narragansett Brewing Company. The latter, of course, is named for the former, and there you go. The beer isn’t brewed in Rhode Island, though, it’s actually brewed under contract at Genesee Brewing in Rochester, New York. All the same, the goal is to open a new Narragansett Brewery in Rhode Island someday.

Some neat things about Town Beach IPA: the 2015 edition seems to be styled as a “Session IPA”, though I don’t really consider that a style. American Pale Ale would be a better style to peg such beers in. Anyway, this is different from last year’s release of Town Beach IPA, which was a double/imperial IPA of much higher alcohol content. Then too, that beer was sold in 22-ounce bomber bottles, while this year the beer comes in 6-packs of 16-ounce cans.

You may be aware that the Sun King Brewery of Indiana released one of its beers in cans stamped with “Tom Brady Sux” on the bottom earlier this year. I’ll offer my opinion that the Sun King Brewery sucks (much like their local Colts) and their beer will never be reviewed on bruguru.com. Narragansett, a much classier brewery, has countered by stamping the bottom of Town Beach IPA cans with “Free TB12 15”. I’ll drink to that!

By the way, in case you hadn’t noticed? Town Beach=TB=Tom Brady=Free TB 12. And there you go.

I happened to be in Rhode Island for a few days, and loaded the trunk of my car with lots of Narragansett beer from Haxton’s Liquors on Bald Hill Road in Warwick. Haxton’s was an old haunt of mine back in the 80s and 90s; its where I bought my first Anchor beers.

From the can label:

When ‘Gansett Beer was founded in 1890, Rhode Island’s Narragansett seashore was emerging as a top summer destination. In those golden days before the automobile, tourists were accustomed to extended, stationary vacations. Featuring 19 major, luxury hotels and countless things to do, Narragansett was a favored destination, and “bathing” at the town beach was a beloved pastime. Over the years, a series of fires and nor’easters got the better of the hotels, but the town beach still endures. Nearly every New England seaside town has its own town beach, each with a unique story. Next time you pack up the sunscreen and head for your local slice of sand by the sea, make sure to pack a cooler full of crisp, flavorful Town Beach IPA. It’s as uniquely refreshing as a dip in the Atlantic.

Narragansett Town Beach IPA has an alcohol content of 4.7% by volume with 55 IBUs. I paid $8.99 for a six-pack at Haxton’s. The beer is brewed with Pale, Cara Pils and Wheat malts and Hallertau, Nugget, and East Kent Golding hops; it’s dry-hopped with Citras.

Narragansett Town Beach IPA pours to a light clear orange amber color with a moderate head of creamy foam and a soft spicy hop nose of resiny pine. Taking a sip, the beer has light caramel malt up front followed by lots of grassy, resiny hop aroma and flavor, all leading into a quite bitter herbal grassy resiny pine finish. Like most of the beers in this vein, Town beach IPA is a little thin on the malt, but it is a very hoppy beer all the same.

I’d give this beer 3.5 stars on its own merits, with a half star bonus for value. A “session IPA” I guess as I said above, but an enjoyable, refreshing beer and one I can easily see sipping at the beach. Town Beach. With Tom Brady. Who doesn’t suck.

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



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