Named for the grey sails that can be seen on the horizon from any New England beach, Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island set up shop in a former macaroni factory in April 2011. After a post WWII hiatus during which the United States Post Office and later a retailer occupied the space, owners Alan and Jennifer Brinton brought grain back to the building to brew their first batch of beer on 11/11/11.

Grey Sail’s Flagship beer is a cream ale made with noble hops. Available on draft and in cans, it pours a hazy golden color and comes in doughy and with a touch of sweetness through the nose. The taste follows through with malty, sweet and creamy notes, creating a session beer easy on the palate. The Flagship Ale took the gold medal for cream ales at the 16th Annual Great International Beer & Cider Competition in Providence last fall.

Flying Jenny, an unfiltered extra pale ale, is Grey Sail’s other year-round offering. Head brewer Josh Letourneau incorporates five different malts and northwestern hops to create a balanced, highly drinkable beer. Flying Jenny pours amber in color, smells of grapefruit citrus with tropical notes, and tastes of citrus with floral hop bitterness, balanced by a bready, caramel malt backbone. Grey Sail’s seasonal beers include Hazy Day, a Belgian Wit; Autumn Winds, an Oktoberfest; and Leaning Chimney, a Smoked Porter.

Grey Sail takes pride in contributing to its community in addition to brewing award-winning beers. It created a special brew called Bring Back the Beach Blonde to support the Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of Commerce. Available locally, proceeds were donated to the Chamber Foundation to help the 27 small businesses that were devastated by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. Sales of the limited edition beer also contributed to the effort to put sand back on local beaches – to ensure that future beach-goers will have a soft place to sit to watch for those grey sails on the horizon.