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). How refreshing that Brutopia doesn't offer a million shades of IPA only; still I was happy to see they did have a few on the menu. One of the very best was RIPTA, or Rhode Island Pale Triple Ale.

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.

Now, if you're not from Rhode Island, I'll forgive you for not knowing that locally RIPTA is far better known as the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. Would that I could have taken RIPTA from Canton to Cranston (perhaps MARTA could have met them halfway). But no. I had to drive.

Anyway, RIPTA Rhode Island Pale Tripel Ale is brewed with a genuine Belgian Trappist yeast. The beer has a hefty alcohol content of 9.5% by volume with 45 IBUs. It was running $7 for a 12-ounce glass, but I tried it in a sampler.

One sip and I knew that RIPTA Rhode Island Pale Tripel Ale is an amazing beer. Loaded with pineapple fruit and yeasty funk in the nose, tkaing a sip gave me light rock candy malt up front, more pineapple (from the yeast though), citrus and tropical fruit, big Belgian funk and a big warming alcohol bite. This isn't a hoppy beer in the finish, not really anyway, but it is a very nicely done tripel with a bit of American hop aroma flair. It was tied with the Mercy Brown for the best beer I tried here.

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



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