Raise a Mug to the East Bay’s Fall Beer Scene

Fall is beer season in New England, and the region’s breweries are prepared for enthusiasts and casual ale sippers to flock to their taprooms and beer gardens. In the last two decades, dozens of micro-breweries have opened around Rhode Island. We reached out to local spots to see what’s on tap for the autumn season. Read on for Oktoberfest selections and more.

The Guild

A relatively new addition to the East Bay brew scene, The Guild is a waterside beer hall featuring views of colorful sunsets and brews of many hues, too. A tasty food menu of elevated pub fare complements favorites pours including the Chair 3 Light Wheat, the Santilli American pale ale, and the Slightly Cloudy hazy IPA. Look for seasonal specialties from the small-batch brewery year-round. Warren

Newport Craft Brewing

Founded in a garage by four college friends in 1999, Newport Craft Brewing is one of the region’s mainstays. A selection of 16 craft beers and nine distilled spirits is currently flowing, and you’ve likely sipped one of them at the Newport Folk and Jazz festivals. Try Ungourdly Hour, a double barrel pumpkin ale, brewed with 300 pounds of pumpkin puree and aged in both whiskey and rum barrels for a year. Festbier, a German-style lager, is their Oktoberfest offering. 

Pivotal Brewing

This new kid on the block opened their eclectic tasting room filled with local art in Unity Park in late 2021. Pivotal plans to kick off “Rock-tober” with a concert featuring the DMD Project on October 1, followed by their Fall Festival the weekend of October 14-15. On draft special for the season is the Burn, Gaspee, Burn lager and the Grateful Dead-inspired Shakedown Street New England IPA. Bristol

Ragged Island Brewing Co.

This state-of-the-art tasting room sits on 37 acres of farmland in Portsmouth. Ragged Island grows their own hops for many of their 15+ draft brews, including European-influenced Old Boys Vienna Lager, Zero Viz Belgian Wit, Oktoberfest Marzen Lager, and summer favorite Beach Night IPA. Check online for their weekly lineups of food trucks and entertainment. Portsmouth

Rejects Beer Company

Fondly named for Reject’s Beach, a strip of nearby shoreline adjacent to Easton’s Beach, the brewery is equally cherished by locals. The taproom hosts monthly comedy shows and art pop-ups, along with old-school video games, some of the coolest merch around, and, of course, great beer. Fall highlights include the Munich-style Fest Beer and Locals Only, a popular cream ale. Don’t miss the Doggie Halloween Costume Party on October 28. Middletown

Six Pack Brewing

This dog- and lit-friendly spot opened in 2020. A book club, Books & Brews, meets on the third Monday of each month. For a September Barktoberfest event, they released a Festbier, which will still be on tap this month. Keeping with the theme, Hair of the Dog, a brown ale, debuts this month in time for their Howl-o-ween Party, and their Anniversary Party takes place November 19. Bristol

Taproot Brewing Company

Established in 2018 as part of Newport Vineyards, Taproot is a state-of-the-art seven-barrel brewhouse in Middletown. Featured beers this fall include a strong Imperial Pumkin Ale matured in bourbon barrels, the Blackberry Fizz seltzer for those not into the frothy stuff, and F-Bomb, a popular New England IPA. Middletown

Twelve Guns Brewing

Named after an early Rhode Island Naval vessel, Twelve Guns keeps the vibe lively with music and trivia nights. Their award-winning blonde ale, The Meg, gets a fall twist with the release of Pumpkin Spice Meg. Smoky and sweet, the Marshmallow Inferno is a one-of-a-kind graham cracker rauchbier, and for light sipping, opt for their popular hard seltzer line, Cannon & Anchor. All will be pouring at their third anniversary celebration on October 12. Bristol