Year one, in the can

With a year (and 40 beers!) under their belts, the brewers at Portsmouth's Ragged Island are building a brand in a largely untapped market

By Christy Nadalin
Posted 4/23/18

Around 8 or 9 in the morning, long before most people have beer on the brain, Rob DaRosa and Katie Gray are thinking by about beer by the barrel. The fermenter tanks at Ragged Island, of which they …

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Year one, in the can

With a year (and 40 beers!) under their belts, the brewers at Portsmouth's Ragged Island are building a brand in a largely untapped market

Posted

Around 8 or 9 in the morning, long before most people have beer on the brain, Rob DaRosa and Katie Gray are thinking by about beer by the barrel. The fermenter tanks at Ragged Island, of which they have several, hold just over 200 gallons (the 7-barrel size) or 100 gallons (the 3.5-barrel size). They use the larger tanks for their most popular varieties, like their Hydrofoil double IPA, a classic New England IPA, which Katie describes as less bitter and more smooth than a traditional India Pale Ale. Smaller tanks are reserved for seasonal beers, or those sold only in the tap room.

Founded by Katie and her husband Matt of Portsmouth, along with longtime friends Patrick and Elizabeth Donovan, Ragged Island Brewing Company was born of a longtime dream of Matt and Patrick, along with the serendipitous good fortune of Elizabeth's father John Almeida being a master brewer. A visit to Mr. Almeida's home on Orrs Island in Maine — and some beers later — convinced the friends to make a go of it.

The beer that began it all, Mr. Almeida's Two Tree IPA, was their first, and remains a best-selling fixture on Ragged Island's list of offerings.

Though the Grays and the Donovans availed themselves of Mr. Almeida's expertise and many of his recipes, they still needed a full-time brewer on site. Enter Rob DaRosa of Rumford, who learned the trade first as an apprentice and then as the brewmaster at Union Brewhouse in Providence. Matt first met Rob at the Rhode Island Brew Fest, an annual event staged by Matt's company, Gray Matter Marketing, and thought of him once they launched Ragged Island. Katie serves as Rob's assistant brewer. What does a day in the life of a brewer look like? Katie explains while Rob, running a squeegee mop over the floor, inadvertently demonstrates. "Cleaning," Katie laughed. "Most of my time is spent cleaning."

The brewing area is clean, for sure, but what really stands out is the aroma — not of alcohol, but of warmed grain, for lack of a better descriptor. It smells a little like rising bread — a good smell. Grain is a substantial byproduct of brewing beer, and Ragged Island goes through roughly 600 pounds a week. Once it has served its purpose here, it has a second life, as feed for cattle at a local farm.

Katie credits Rob with knowing what people are wanting to drink now. "John's beer recipes are our traditional standbys," she said. "Rob's are a little more trendy." The result? A range of styles and flavors to appeal to every beer drinker.

"We really want to have something for everyone," said Katie. Along with the IPA offerings, they are also currently pouring a Kolsch, a German-style pilsner; Coggeshall, a pale ale made with de-bittered hops and featuring light, floral notes; and Beach Night, a lighter IPA, among others. Their taps change often, and their fermenter tanks don't stay full long.

In addition to the more than 70 restaurants and bars on their local distribution list, they have begun canning their beers. "We've had two canning runs, so far," said Katie. The process is done in-house, and yet, not. A mobile canning operation pulls up by their back bay and sets up on-site. So far, they have canned about 200 cases of beer.

Despite the appeal and relative shelf-stability of canning, Ragged Island prefers to sell its beer on site, where the bar staff has the opportunity to interact with patrons and represent the brand. The tap room is a bright, airy space at 200 Highpoint Ave. in Portsmouth, adjacent to the tank room, where guests can relax, sample some beers, and bring home a growler of their favorite. Different laws govern tap rooms — it's not a bar, so a 3-beer limit and early closing times apply. Those rules also make for a much more family-friendly environment, and kids are welcome. Though they don't have a kitchen, they will feature a food truck on most Friday and Saturday nights. The Burgundian will be stopping by this Friday, April 20; Gastros will be there on Saturday the 21st. The taproom is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 8 p.m., Fridays from 3 to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 1 to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 1 to 6 p.m. For more information, visit them online at raggedislandbrewing.com.

Ragged Island Brewing

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Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.