Let me tell you, it’s a long drive from Canton, Georgia to Warwick, Rhode Island. I made the trip in two days, really two long days of solid driving. I don’t get back to Rhode Island, the state where I grew up, as much as I should, so when I do, it’s a big deal for me. Of course, people ask me why I don’t fly, but hey, you can’t bring back cases of Narragansett beer and other assorted goodies on a plane.

Anyway, I arrived at my brother’s house late on a Thursday night, just in time to watch the Patriots beat the Steelers to open the 2015 NFL season. We did some shopping the next day and took a ride to Gillette Stadium, but it wasn’t until the next afternoon that I got my first taste of beer at Brutopia Brewery & Kitchen in Cranston. I sampled just about every beer they had, ordering two samplers and two pints while I was there (my brother was driving, that's him in the red Patriots shirt). One of the stronger beers I tried was Revival Bi-Frost, a barleywine.

A few things to note about Brutopia. They tout themselves as Rhode Island’s Best BBQ and Craft Beer Spot! The brewer here, Sean Larkin, used to brew for Trinity Brewhouse in Providence, RI, and I would run into him frequently in the 90s when I wrote for the Yankee Brew News. Sean also runs Revival Brewing Company of Providence, Rhode Island, and draft revival beers are brewed at Brutopia. You’ll also (obviously) find them on draft here at Brutopia.

Where does the name come from? If you've seen any of the recent Thor movies, or perhaps are a student of Norse mythology, then you know that Bifrost is the name of the rainbow bridge between Asgard (where the Norse gods live) and Midgard (Earth).

Revival Bi-Frost Barleywine has an alcohol content of 12% by volume with 45 IBUs. It was running $7 for a 16 ounce glass, but I got it in a sampler of 4 beers for $5. I sampled the 2014 edition so it must have almost a year's age on it.

My taster of Revival Bi-Frost Barleywine had a soft malty nose with hints of fruit. Taking a sip, the beer had an impressive very smooth maltiness to it, big and rich and loaded with high octane burn in the finish. Really, the beer's main character is its smooth malty flavor with a boozy warming alcohol finish. In many ways, this reminds me of the Wolf's Breath Winter Warmer barleywine Sean used to brew at Trinity (Bi-Frost is stronger though).

This was a tasty big brew indeed and I’m glad I tried it. The food was excellent here as well. No visit to Rhode Island could be complete without biting into a hot steaming clamcake, and an order of them here was chock full of big juicy clams. They weren’t really available before 4PM, but the staff prepared them for me anyway. A barbecue sampler tray was as good as anything I’ve found in the south, with tasty pulled pork, brisket, and ribs.

Rest assured, I’ll be back to visit Brutopia again. If you’re in the area, you’d be crazy not to stop by.

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



Home