Artisan Brew from Cottrell in Westerly/Pawcatuck
Saturday, July 02, 2011
The current range of beer flavors are astounding and often perplexing: blueberry, maple syrup, apricot, coffee, milk, even coffee milk was offered by Newport Storm a year ago. But with such a vast variety, finding a simple and delicious beer can be a challenge. Perfect plain beer has gone out of fashion.
Cottrell Brewery, setting up shop on the Westerly/Pawcatuck line, is going to bring it back.
A simple brew
“I’m in favor of the simplicity test of brewing,” says Cottrell Brewery’s Will Santiago, a declared beer purist. “A beer that’s simple has nothing to hide. You don’t need any flavor to hide always its faults.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTCottrell Brewery has proven its dedication to making flavorful beer out of basic ingredients. Its flagship beer, Old Yankee Ale and more recent, Mystic Bridge IPA, are both critically acclaimed varieties with no additives - only the trifecta of brewing ingredients: barely, hops, and water.
“The skill is in the production,” says Santiago, who has been brewing with Cottrell for the past two years.
The skillful production is evident in Cottrell’s continued expansion. Santiago is part a small but sedulous team, three employees in addition to the founder. Under their dedicated work, the Brewery has experienced in sales (up 42% since last month), and distribution that stretches from Illinois to Washington, DC, to South Carolina.
Industrial history
The brewery is as no-frills as its beer. Located well within an old industrial complex, just across the Westerly border in Pawcatuck, Connecticut, Cottrell resides in 9,000 square feet of raw space—enormous ceilings and space-ship-looking canisters that have the capacity to produce 5,000 barrels of beer—about 10,000 kegs.
Charles Cottrell Buffam Jr., who founded the brewery in 1996, made an intentional choice in location. Cottrell Brewery is housed in Buffam’s great-great-grandfather’s historic printing warehouse. Buffam named the brewery after his ancestor’s synonymous printing press, C. B. Cottrell & Sons Inc. As Cottrell Printing gained an acclaimed reputation internationally for their dedication to printing innovation, their descendent has channeled industrial perfection in his beers.
Building their batches
Unlike Cottrell Printing Press, which held over 100 patents, Cottrell Brewery uses a slow-growth model. Since its founding fifteen years ago, the company has only created two, albeit successful, beers under its own label. This summer Cottrell is finally beginning to launch its own seasonal line.
The brewery decided upon a classic citrus flavor, which involves careful manipulation of barley, hops, and wheat to evoke lemony, orange flavors. Though the beer tastes of a perfect splash of citrus, no fruit was involved. The team carefully stayed with simple barely, hops, and wheat to create citrus summer ale that is light—in flavor, color, body, and alcohol.
After launching the summer ale next Friday, they hope to launch a new beer every season. “We’ll keep up the momentum,” says Santiago.
Truly thoughtful about flavor and craft, they hope to create beer that fits for each season, something “thirst quenching, with a lighter body in the summer,” and in the “winter, something hearty, that gives the impression that it’s warming.”
While they will continue to make new beers, they will remain dedicated to beer purism. After fifteen years of perfecting the creation of simple beers, their seasonal line will be a hop in the right direction.
Tour Cottrell Brewery, Thursday at 3, Fridays on the half hour from 3 to 6, Saturdays on the half hour from 1 to 5, or Monday through Wednesday by appointment. 100 Mechanic St #22, Pawcatuck, Conn. 860-599-8213.
