Welcome to “On Tap,” a new monthly roundup of news and brews from Rhode Island’s craft beer and distilling scene. Here at Rhode Island Monthly, craft beverages have always been a big part of our food and drink coverage, but starting this month, we’re highlighting all the best from local breweries and distilleries in one place to help you choose your weekend libations. That means more coverage of events, new openings, fresh releases and trends from local brewers and distillers. As always, follow along with our social media at @rimonthly and @TheDishRIM for more food and drink news, and email any beer and spirits tips to lclem@rimonthly.com. Cheers!

Luis Medeiros, Kevin Amaral and Chris Drance in the new Vigilant Brewing space in the East Bay Industrial Park in Bristol.

Bristol welcomed its fourth brewery last month with the addition of Vigilant Brewing Company to the East Bay beer scene. Primary owner Kevin Amaral, along with a team of friends and family, officially opened the doors on June 30, just in time for the Fourth of July weekend in the heart of the state’s Independence Day festivities.

“We wanted to keep that (industrial look), but we also wanted a little classier theme. I wanted people to feel like they’re home,” Amaral says about the new brewery’s location in the East Bay Industrial Park.

Amaral is the owner of RGP Dental, an ergonomic chair company that sells primarily to dentists’ offices. A couple of years ago, the company was building out space in the Ballou Boulevard headquarters for a showroom when the pandemic brought plans for in-person chair sales to a screeching halt.

“Maybe it was a sign. My brother-in-law and I brew in the garage with a few of the other guys and I said, ‘How serious are you about this?’” Amaral says.

They bought a one-barrel brewing system to begin experimenting and spent a year testing out recipes with friends and family while they turned the would-be showroom into a taproom. While the vibe plays off the building’s manufacturing roots, the space also features maritime touches, including a vintage buoy poster and other sailing décor. The name pays tribute to Vigilant, the first sailboat designed by Bristol’s Nathanael Greene Herreshoff to win the America’s Cup.

The brewery’s flagship IPA, Windward, is also a nautical nod, though more adventurous drinkers can order it in tropical form, conditioned with mango and pineapple, or try one of the brewery’s other summer-inspired tastes, including the Hermanos Mexican lager or the raspberry sour. Along with Amaral’s brother-in-law, Luis Medeiros, and Medeiros’ brother, Larry Medeiros, the team includes local brewing veteran Chris Drance, Johnson and Wales intern Mike Godet, home brewer John Otero and beer enthusiast Joe Dacosta.

“We’re Portuguese, so we were making wine since we were like five years old,” Amaral says.

Vigilant now joins Pivotal, Six Pack and Twelve Guns Brewing in what’s quickly becoming one of the state’s most bustling brewery destinations. The Bristol native says he wants Vigilant to be a family-friendly space where his own kids as well as others can join their parents for weekend afternoons. His uncle owns Amaral’s Fish and Chips in Warren — one of several food vendors visitors can expect to find at the location — and Amaral says he’s already been approached by two Bristol police officers about booking the taproom for a fundraiser.

“I want this to be part of the community. I’ve been in Bristol my whole life, I love this town, I love the environment,” he adds.

A selection of the beers available at Vigilant.

• Summer festival season is here. Indulge this weekend at the Newport Craft Brew Race on July 16, where you can run 3.1 miles around Fort Adams State Park and drink your fill of craft beer at the finish line. For those with an aversion to hops, Beervana Fest will present the NOIPA Fest at the WaterFire Arts Center on August 7 to highlight all those other styles of craft beer. Looking ahead, tickets are on sale for the Ocean State Beer Festival on August 21, hosted by the Rhode Island Brewers Guild at Ragged Island Brewing Company in Portsmouth, followed by Roger Williams Park Zoo’s Brew at the Zoo on August 27.

• Proclamation Ale Co. will host its second annual Daveapalooza in honor of late founder Dave Witham on Saturday, July 16, from noon to 6 p.m. Collaboration beers with Civil, Highroller Lobster Co., Redemption Rock Brewing Co. and Oslo Brewing Co. are on the menu, as is food from Highroller, Basil and Bunny, Butterhead, Ming’s Asian Street Food, Hook N Ladder Pizza Company and the Wright Scoop. The skate ramp and live music will make a return as the brewery staff and friends celebrate all of Dave’s favorite things.

• As the Valley Breeze reported last month, the owner of the vacant Ann and Hope Mill is planning a mixed-use development that will include a brew pub along with apartments and commercial space. It’s unclear at this point if the owner has a specific brewery in mind, but the space would be located in a smokestack-topped power house that’s separate from the main building of the iconic outlet store.

• In a little-heralded change to the state’s brewing laws, breweries can now serve up to 48 oz. of beer, or three 16 oz. pint glasses, per customer per day. The previous law limited customers to 36 oz. per day and defined a drink as 12 oz. rather than a standard 16 oz. pint glass. Rhode Island Brewers Guild Executive Director Gary Richardson says the change brings Rhode Island a step closer in line with other states, many of which have no limit or a daily limit greater than 48 oz.

• Pivotal Brewing Company, the Guild in Warren and Narragansett Beer have teamed up to form the East Bay Bike and Beer trail. Every Sunday at 11 a.m., meet up with other riders at one of the three breweries for a group ride with beer stops along the way.

• Tilted Barn Brewery is hosting its weekly farmers market Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. through October 12. Vendors include local produce, baked goods, prepared food vendors and treats for your pet.

• White Dog Distilling and Crooked Current Brewery are participating in the Lorraine Mill Crawl on July 14 and August 18. The ticket price includes samples from these two Pawtucket favorites along with JA Patty, Ming’s Asian Street Food, Masa Taqueria, Just Like Nana’s and Cakes by Eboni.

• Linesider Brewing Company has teamed up with Fight Life to offer a night of professional wrestling in the East Greenwich brewery on July 20. Food trucks will be on hand for the all-ages event. (The website says to expect a PG-13 show.)

• Congratulations to Rhode Island Spirits, whose Rhodium Forager’s Gin took home a gold medal from the San Fran World Spirits competition in the spring. The distillery is pouring at its Pawtucket tasting room as well as the Guild beer garden near the Providence Pedestrian Bridge this summer.

Photo courtesy of Sean Lopolito

Designed by Rhode Island-based artist Beth Braganca Bell as part of a custom label for a fundraising auction:

“I’ve worked with Sean (Lopolito) on his labels since he opened Lops and he generously donates this particular item every year to Mount Saint Charles’ annual fundraiser, which entails naming a beer and getting a custom label. I was given a few parameters — the crab must ‘look like they mean business’ and be holding a lacrosse stick. I mean, the label designed itself!” bethbragancabell.com

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