Newport Storm Brewery - Winter Porter

This winter seasonal pours very deep, dark brown with a persistent crop of khaki-colored foam. Look for plenty of pleasant roasty and chocolaty aromas to jump out from the glass, along with some mildly spicy and herbal, almost mint-like, overtones and a dash of black fruit. On the palate, the roastiness is there, but not over the top, while toasted bread, cocoa powder, lightly scorched caramel, and hints of leather and cigar smoke build out the malt core. Hops are purposefully subdued in flavor, letting the malt take center stage, but they do contribute to the moderate bitterness which keeps this brew on the drier side. We felt this was on the lighter end of medium-bodied, and a good example of an easy-drinking porter that delivers plenty of flavor while eschewing heaviness, making it easy to have more than one. For a pairing, almost anything grilled should pair well, as would a simple snack of natural or smoked cheddar or Gouda. Cheers!

Newport Storm, alternately known as Coastal Extreme Brewing, was founded by four friends upon graduation from Colby College. Brent Ryan, who graduated with two degrees, including one in biochemistry, and his friend Derek Luke, also a biochemistry graduate (and known to brew beer in the school’s biology lab) developed the idea to start a brewery in 1997, at which time they reached out to their friends Mark Sinclair and Will Rafferty, who were all too eager to join in the business. A year and a half of preparation followed as business plans were drafted, investors were petitioned, and equipment secured. Brent became the company president and Derek the brewmaster. In April of 1999, they moved into their brewery – 2500 sq. ft. of space in two commercial garage bays. By early July their first batch of Hurricane Amber Ale was released in kegs to local restaurants, and it sold out quickly.

The brewery was expanded in 2002, and in 2006 they were in a position to launch a new endeavor, Thomas Tew Rum, taking advantage of the natural synergies between brewing and distilling which a number of other breweries have also recognized (Rogue, Dogfish Head, and Cisco come to mind). Soon, they had outgrown their original facility, so in 2010 Newport Storm built a brand new 8000 sq. ft. brewery boasting new, upgraded equipment and a spiffy Visitors Center. Despite the upgraded capacity, Newport Storm remains a small brewery with the bulk of their production available only locally in RI, and about 15% split between neighboring MA and CT. To learn more about their year-round, seasonal, limited- and annual-release beers, or for brewery tour info, visit them at www.newportstorm.com or call 401-849-5232.