Foolproof Brewing Company - Raincloud Robust Porter

Raincloud presents an extremely dark, almost black, color on the pour, topped with a head of light brown foam that drops to a persistent collar. On the nose, the big roasty notes expected from a robust style of porter make themselves known straight away. Scorched coffee, pure cacao, and a touch of hazelnut can be found here, and as the beer warms in the glass we found additional notes of dried dark fruits lurking beneath, akin to raisin and fig. Given the huge roasty aromas, one might expect a very dry, bitter brew on the palate, and while the bitterness is certainly there in a big way, the brewers have left enough sweetness to provide more than a token amount of balance. Nevertheless, the roasty notes are strong, with dark-roasted coffee, bitter chocolate, and charred bread tones forming a robust core, while mild undertones of dark fruits and wood add further dimension. We found Raincloud quite creamy and smooth and a perfect pairing with beef brisket. Truly, any grilled meat would pair well, especially beef, but you could also go in a different direction and enjoy this brew with a slice of chocolate cake a la mode. Cheers!

Founder and President of Foolproof Brewing Company, Nick Garrison, began homebrewing in 2007, and soon realized he had found his calling. He began planning a full-scale leap into the world of professional brewing. When Foolproof finally opened for business in January of 2013, it was the culmination of over four years of preparation and building.

Being the smallest state in the union, it’s perhaps no surprise that there were not many breweries in Rhode Island when Foolproof was launched. But, even on a per-capita basis, the state was at the bottom of the list, making it a ripe opportunity for Garrison to build a local craft brewery to serve Rhode Island and the local region. In fact, demand was so strong that Foolproof had to double its brewing capacity within three months of opening and now sports a 30 barrel brewing system. They’ve become the largest brewery in the state, although they remain a small brewery; there are only about a half-dozen full-time employees.

Like many of the newer breweries to jump into the craft beer scene in recent years (including our other featured brewery this month, Omaha’s Brickway), Foolproof embraced canning instead of bottling from their very first batch. Garrison was keen on this packaging format because it would keep the beer fresher for longer, as the cans prevent light damage and have virtually no headspace, limiting oxidization. The brewery currently offers eight year-round and seasonal offerings. For more info, including brewery tours, call them up at 401-721-5970 or visit www.foolproofbrewing.com.