USA, RI: Narragansett Beer’s new brewery almost finished

Nearly 20 years of hard work is paying off for the newer Narragansett Beer brand. Construction of a new brewery and beer hall at India Point in Providence is almost finished, WJAR reported on April 1.

The first batch of Narragansett craft beers will be brewed at the new home base of the Narragansett Brewing Company - officially back in its home state - starting on April 5.

Owner Mark Hellendrung said they'll have "three IPAs (India Pale Ales), we'll have beer to go by the end of April, and down the line some of the classics."

They're a little past the latest deadline to do the first cook. A banner hanging over the vats shows Friday, April 2, as the new beginning, but because of construction delays and COVID-safe protocols, that's pushed back to Monday, April 5.

A small delay in a challenging year that's thrown the pandemic into the works, but not the only setback for the hometown beer that dates back to 1890.

"Fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers, have worked for this company for generations," said Lee Lord, the new head brewer at Narragansett. There are "so many connections with this beer," she added. "To brew beer for my community now is special because this is such an iconic New England brand."

Years of negotiations with Falstaff to buy the name and rights led to going back to the original-recipe beer to be brewed in Rochester, New York, because of logistics. The first Rhode Island brewing experiment lasted a year at the Guild in Pawtucket. But now, it's the real homecoming.

For Hellendrung, when the place finally opens, it's more than just a business venture. He said he's bringing back Narragansett beer because what it has meant and still means to so many.

"Building this was a promise. The more people I spoke to about it, they're like, 'You've got do this! Narragansett deserves to come back!'"

The idea of Hellendrung bringing 'Gansetts back to life started on a bar stool in 2002. Out of work from a juice company, he couldn't decide what beer to drink that night. An old timer told the bartender to get him a 'Gansett, which started a whole conversation with many patrons about the legendary history of the company.

Back at India Point, adjacent to the park of the same name right off Interstate 195 in Providence, the parking lot's being paved, the brewery hall accessories and bar are being constructed offsite.

All will be ready for its grand opening Memorial Day Weekend to really, for the first time in a long time, say what Hellendrung's been working on for nearly two decades, like the old-time jingle sings, "Hey Neighbor!"

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