When the rain comes to the City by the Sea, take a tour of Newport Storm.
“We provide origin,” says co-founder of this brewery and distillery, Brent Ryan. “When people buy something from us, they know where it’s made. It’s made right here.”
Visitors can take a guided tour, which looks over the production floor where many varieties of handcrafted beer are produced. From a blueberry flavor to an autumn brew, the ales can also be sampled in the tasting room.
“So many people in this world are still just accustomed to drinking yellow, fizzy beer that having a platform to show them a German-style hefeweizen or an American style IPA … is huge,” says Ryan, with a smile.
Visitors also learn about the origins of this endeavor.
“It was me and three friends from Colby College up in Waterville, Maine,” says Ryan. “Upon graduation, we decided, maybe we can start a brewery!”
In the last fourteen years, Newport Storm has steadily grown, with a new facility, opened in 2011, and the birth of a distillery, featuring a single-barrel, artisanal rum.
“We brought back this tradition of rum distilling from 250 years ago when this was the rum capital of the world,” says Ryan, explaining that his concoction begins with black-strap molasses. “It’s a neat way to connect the historical aspect of Newport with something that’s still being done today.”
The Visitors Center is open for tours and tastings on weekends and weekdays, except for Tuesdays, from noon to 5 p.m. Guided tours leave once daily at 3 p.m.
Click here to check out Newport Storm’s website for more information, including pricing.