By Kim Kalunian, WPRO News
Narragansett Beer is continuing their quest to return beer production to Rhode Island.
In March, CEO Mark Hellendrung revealed that they and Isle Brewers Guild had been eyeing a vacant mill building on Kinsley Avenue in Providence that was destroyed by a massive fire.
On Tuesday, he told WPRO News they’re still pushing forward with their plans for a Rhode Island location despite the setback.
“We hit that speed bump in Providence with the fire in March,” said Helledrung, “But we’ve been pressing forward and we’re just dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s, we’ve got a location, and should have some pretty big news come October or November.”
According to reports from the Valley Breeze, Isle Brewing Company was looking at the Kellaway Center at 461 Main St. in Pawtucket following the Providence fire. Hellendrung didn’t offer specific details on where the new Narragansett production facility would be.
The announcement comes as Hellendrung releases two new brews with strong local ties: a Town Beach IPA and a collaborative porter with Allie’s Donuts.
The bottoms of the cans of the new IPA, out on shelves now, have been stamped with “FREE TB12,” a nod to Patriots nation, the Deflategate controversy, and Helledrung’s own fandom.
He said the stamp is a response to Indiana’s Sun King Brewing, a group that also stamped their beer cans earlier this summer with a slightly different message: “Tom Brady Sux.” Hellendrung said there’s no bad blood between them and it’s just a friendly rivalry.
Hellendrung said the 6,000 cans of the IPA could become collector’s items, and he’s already had requests for shipments from Pats fans in Ohio, Florida and Texas.
He said the “TB12” also has a dual meaning: Town Beach is Narragansett’s twelfth craft brew.
“There’s a lot of serendipity involved there,” he said.
Hellendrung also confirmed reports that Narragansett and Allie’s Donuts are joining forces to create a Double Chocolate Porter that will be out next month.
“We just keep telling a story through beer and fortunately we live in this great state and have a lot of great things to play around with,” he said.
