Grey Sail Brewing - Rhode Island

I swear I do more than visit breweries and drink beer.  The problem is, if you can even call this a "problem" is that there are so many awesome breweries popping up all over New England.  Some (like this one) are virtually in my backyard.  Add in the fact that it's winter in New England and outdoor activities are a little limited and all the brewery tours suddenly make sense.  Summer is for playing in the woods.  Winter is for drinking beer in breweries. 

This week, the blog is taking you over to one of my newly found and favorite local breweries.  Grey Sail Brewing calls the town of Westerly, Rhode Island home.  Yes, I live in Connecticut but the little Pawcatuck River is what separates the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island, Pawcatuck (CT) and Westerly (RI).  Over state lines but still virtually in my back yard.  Now let's talk beer!

Connecticut Breweries

There are a few states that are known for their awesome breweries. For example, we have California, with (as of 2013) 268 craft breweries, and Washington with (as of 2013) 136 craft breweries. Its a little hard to compete with those numbers.  But my East Coast loving friends, we can't let the West Coast get all the attention. Vermont also makes the ranks of a state with good local beer, home to big names like Long Trail, Magic Hat, and Harpoon. 

But what you probably didn't realize, is that the little state of Connecticut, sitting between New York and Boston is rising in ranks of breweries. I feel like I moved away for two years and BAM breweries were popping up all over the state. I even moved in virtually next door to a brewery, Beer'd Brewing Co.  Why the sudden change in CT?  A 2012 change to state liquor laws, allows breweries to have onsite tap-rooms, really helping the fleet of craft brewers.  You can read all about the trend of New Breweries in CT here.