This article first appeared in Yankee Brew News
For shame! I’m a writer about beer who is based in Rhode Island, and I’ve never been to Tilted Barn Brewery in Exeter before?
Of course, I’m well aware of RI’s original farm brewery who makes some of the most popular IPAs in the state. I didn’t know that owners Kara and Matt Richardson also founded Ocean State Hops, Rhode Island’s first commercial hop farm, or that the motivation behind Tilted Barn has always been to keep Kara’s family tradition of farming alive. All that just added to my wonder in visiting the 10,000 square foot New England-style post and beam barn on a packed Saturday afternoon.
And the beer? In truth, a big reason why I’ve never added Tilted Barn to my must-go list is because my preference for beer isn’t an IPA, and that’s what Tilted is best known for. At the same time, however, I do know that the IPA is a great barometer for a brewer’s capabilities, and I quickly understood why Tilted is so popular with hop heads: every pour I sampled was excellently brewed. What really caught my eye, on the other hand, was the Tmavé on draft, a Czech Dark with an 5.3% ABV. Dark and roasty with a hint of crisp, it was the beer of the day for me. Goes to show that you shouldn’t make assumptions about places and what they’re ‘known for’ before you sample the available wares for yourself!
Tilted Barn Brewery
One Hemsley Place Exeter, RI 02822
