Tag Archives: beer

Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project

This past spring, Bottles (we’re an inquisitive liquor store in Providence, RI, full of local beer enthusiasts) was fortunate enough to pay a visit to Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project. Dann and Martha Paquette run Pretty Things, which is based in Somerville, Massachusetts, but brewed in Westport, MA. Pretty Things beers are known for being delicious, quirky interpretations and twists on classic beer styles. Watch the video to take a quick craft beer journey with Liam, the Bottles Beer Manager.

The visit happened to coincide with the 4-year anniversary of the first batch of Jack D’Or. You can read the full description of Jack D’Or and the emblematic, mournful grain of barley named Jack, HERE.

Watch our other brewery tours >

pretty things beer ale project jack d'or
Jack D’Or
Pretty Things Beer Rhode Island
Bottled Jack D’Or ready to go.
Pretty Things Beer Ale Project Massachusetts
The resident gnome with a few Pretty Things Beers and hop vines.
Martha Pretty Things
Martha at work!
Dann Pretty Things
Dann chatting with Liam, Bottles Beer Manager.
Bottles Fine WIne Providence
Westport, Massachusetts.

Entertaining Advice & Party Tips for Wine, Beer, Spirits & Cocktails

Planning a party and need help and advice with drinks? Eric from Bottles in Providence has his tips and recommendations for wine, beer, liquor, and cocktails to make entertaining this holiday season easier & stress free.

First, get wine that you enjoy. If there is any leftover, you are going to have it for the next days or weeks ahead, so make sure you like it!

holiday wines party advice recommendations red white choosing

Keeping it simple works! Choose one white and one red, or if you want two whites and two reds, make sure you choose contrasting styles. For example, pick a light, crisp wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, and a heavier wine like Chardonnay. For red wines, pick a lighter wine like Pinot Noir, and then to contrast, a Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec.

boxed wine bag budget parties

Boxed wine, or Bag-in-a-Box, are great for parties! The quality of these boxed wines has greatly increased in recent years. Bota Box or The Big Green Box by Pepperwood Grove are both great choices. Don’t want to serve guests wine out of a box? Simply decant the wine, or pour it into pitchers and place on your table, serving counter, or bar. With each box holding the equivalent of several bottles of wine, this is a great solution to stretch your holiday dollars.

wine guide holiday party planning advice tips

Need an idea of how many bottles of wine to get? Use this easy guide: 1 bottle of wine usually holds 4 good glasses of wine, and each person at a party drinks about 2 glasses. For example, if your party has 30 people, you’ll need about a case of wine.

beer amounts party holidays

Expecting beer drinkers? Again, keep it simple and get something light (like a Pilsner or Lager), and then something dark (such as a Porter or Stout). Have no idea what style of beer to get? Many breweries carry variety 12 packs, so that each of your guests can find something that they will enjoy. Also, look for special winter or Christmas beers. Most craft breweries make a special brew just for the holidays; these are usually dark, higher alcohol beers.

Finally, big bottles of vodka and bourbon are both great choices. They are versatile, and guests can have anything from Martinis to Eggnog, or simply on the rocks.

Wine & Beer Gift Baskets

Here at Bottles Fine Wine, we offer wine, beer & whiskey gift baskets to provide your family, friends or clients with a wonderful token of appreciation! Designed to meet any budget, a gift basket is a great idea for easy, stress-free holiday gift giving. All of our gift baskets are hand selected and wrapped by the folks at Bottles in Providence, Rhode Island. Keep scrolling down to browse a range of ideas for wine and beer gift baskets we can make for you.

We are more than happy to create custom gift baskets. Click on the link for details.
Introduction Beginners Wine Gift Basket Rhode Island
Intro to Wine Gift Basket
For those just starting a new appreciation of wine, or for those who are interested in learning more.
Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon, 2 Red Wine Glasses, Wine Wheel, Tasting Notebook.
Red Wine Gift Basket Budget Providence
Red Wine Gift Basket
A budget-friendly Red Wine gift that all wine enthusiasts will love!
Avia Pinot Noir, Choice of 3: Chocolate, Crackers, Wafers or Popcorn.

 

White Wine Gift Baskets RI
White Wine Gift Basket
Perfect for your gift recipients who prefer white wine over red wine.
Avia Pinot Grigio, Stemless Wine Glass, Choice of 2: Chocolate, Crackers, Wafers or Popcorn.
Chardonnay Wine Gift Basket Rhode Island
Chardonnay Gift Basket
Chardonnay Wine fans will appreciate this gift!
With treats, a pair of wine glasses, and De Loach Chardonnay, this is gifting made easy.
De Loach Chardonnay, Watercrackers, Tea Sampler, Chocolate Bar, 2 Wine Glasses, Wine Book.
Rhode Island Wine Store Gift Baskets
 Cabernet Sauvignon Gift Basket 
Is your gift recipient red wine or Cabernet enthusiast? Then we recommend this special gift basket.
Beaulieau Vineyards ‘BV’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Wine Guide, Lindt Truffles, Tea, Chocolate Bar.
Craft Beer Gift Basket Rhode Island
Local Beer Gift Basket
Not every wants wine. For the craft beer enthusiast in your life, try this Local Beer Gift Basket,
which includes Pretty Things Jack D’Or and Horseneck India Pale Ale.
Horseneck IPA, Pretty Things Jack D’Or, Crackers, Beer Book.
Rhode Island Beer Gift Baskets
 Local Beer Bucket
The serious beer enthusiast gift basket: The Local Beer Bucket.
With 3 local New England craft beers in big-bottle size, this gift will put a grin on any craft-beer fan.
Horseneck IPA, Pretty Things Jack D’Or, Moby D, 33 Bottles of Beer Book.
Prosecco Sparkling Wine Gift Baskets
Prosecco Gift Basket
Calling all bubbly fans! This gift basket contains Prosecco and delicious St. Germain liqueur.
Prosecco, Popcorn, St. Germain.
Wine Glasses Red Wine Gift Baskets Providence RI
Wine for Two Gift Basket
What could be more romantic than a bottle of red wine?
This basket comes with 2 Red Wine glasses and extra treats to share with that special someone.
Fleur De Lyeth Red Blend, 2 Red Wine Glasses, Choice of 2: Wafers, Popcorn, Chocolate.

Thanksgiving Wine & Drink Pairing Guide

Thanksgiving pairing recommendations from the experts at Bottles are here!! From craft beer, to specialty cocktails, and to finding just the right wine for each occasion, we’ve got you covered! Watch these 4 videos: Pre-Dinner Drinks, Appetizer Pairings, Dinner Pairings and Dessert Pairings, and then scroll down for a list of the best Thanksgiving pairings and different kinds of red and white wines that work with Thanksgiving dinner.  Bottles is a wine store located in Providence, Rhode Island, so if you’re in the area, visit us!

Click below to watch all 4 videos

Pre-Dinner Drinks

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we’ve come up with suggestions for pre-dinner, football game time drinks and cocktails to have on hand.
Full Sail’s Sessions Lagers
Only $14.99 for a 12-pack, these are low in alcohol and high in flavor
Mayflower Brewing’s Thanksgiving Ale
Perfect for the craft beer enthusiast in your family, nothing else says Thanksgiving like this beer
Charles de Fere Blanc de Blancs
Looking for something bubbly? This sparkling wine is a great pre-dinner drink that everyone will love.
Boulevardier Cocktail
Similar to a Negroni, this easy & classic cocktail has Bourbon, Campari, and Sweet Vermouth


Appetizer Pairings

What wine do you serve with appetizers? Find out what Joanna’s picks are.
Beaujolais Rosé
A great wine for pairing with fruit plates
Picquepoul
A nice French white wine that is crisp and delicate, pairing perfectly with cheese platters and savory vegetable dishes
Cranberry Cobbler Punch
An easy punch you can me before-hand; combine Gin, cranberry juice, Rose’s Lime Juice and Cranberry Bitters



Thanksgiving Dinner Pairings

When Thanksgiving dinner is ready, you’ll want wines that go well with everything on the table.
Pinot Blanc
A white wine that lends itself wonderfully with turkey, yams and herb stuffing; round and rich, Chardonnay fans will love it!
Anton Bauer Pinot Noir
People always reach for the Pinot Noir; Try this elegant Pinot Noir that is rich & velvety, but not too heavy.
Secateurs Cotes du Rhone
A red blend that is incredibly versatile when it comes to food pairing; it will show off everything on your Thanksgiving table!


Dessert Pairings

Eric talks about what to drink after dinner, as you are relaxing with friends and family, and enjoying Thanksgiving dessert.
Tawny Port
Perfect with traditional Thanksgiving desserts like pecan pie, this port is medium-dry and on the lighter side.
White Dessert Wine
Just a little bit sweet with honey and fruit flavors; serve cold or room temperature with fruit and cheese.
Bailey’s
Serve it with coffee!
Amaro Montenegro
A digestif from Italy, herbascious & slightly sweet, serve this with a lemon twist to settle those stomachs!
Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or
Scotch aged in Sauternes casks that gives it a honey, slightly fruity flavor that is wonderful with desserts

Sixpoint Brewery Tour

Watch Liam’s (Bottles Beer Manager) visit to Sixpoint Brewery in Red Hook, Brooklyn this fall. Learn about Sixpoint’s history, the brewery, their hip can and packaging design, and about their beers, including Sweet Action, Resin, The Crisp, and Brownstone.

Looking for more behind-the-scene tours of breweries?
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Sixpoint Brewery beers Beer store providence Sixpoint Brewery in Brooklyn Bengali Tiger - beer by Sixpoint Resin - beer by Sixpoint Brewery

RI Breweries: Grey Sail Brewing Company Tour

Recently, Bottles visited Grey Sail Brewing Company, a two year-old local Rhode Island brewery. Located near the beaches of Westerly near the Connecticut border, Grey Sail offers a solid range of tasty craft beers, including their Flagship Ale and Flying Jenny Extra Pale Ale. Dan from Grey Sail was kind enough to give a tour of the brew house, and to chat with me about Grey Sail beers. Watch the brewery tour video here.

Grey Sail Brewing Company was started in 2010 on the beaches of Misquamicut and Watch Hill in Westerly, Rhode Island. Jennifer Brinton and her husband Alan, a home brewing enthusiast, took their children to these beaches nearly every day. In 2009, Jen decided to use her talents to build and run the brewery that her husband, Alan, envisioned.

Grey Sail Brewing Company Beer Tour RI
Since then, Grey Sail has been slowly but surely growing from scratch.
Grey Sail Brewing Company Brewery Rhode Island
Grey Sail Brewing Company made its home in a previous macaroni factory.
Can Craft Beers Alternative
Many craft breweries use glass bottles, while Grey Sail uses cans. 
 
Rhode Island Craft Beer Brewery
 
These aluminum cans are actually lined with a type of plastic, which better protects the beer from sunlight and air. Cans also take up less room in the fridge, are less likely to break, easy to recycle, and they can go where glass bottles can’t. This makes Grey Sail beers perfect for Rhode Island’s beaches, golf courses, patios and Rhody lifestyle.
Grey Sail Fermentors
 
Japanese fermentors.
Grey Sail Beer Leaning Chimney

A quirky feature of the old brick building is the leaning chimney, inconveniently situated, but a part of this historical building that Jennifer wanted to preserve. The Leaning Chimney Smoked Porter is its namesake.

– Liam
Bottles Beer Manager

RI Breweries: Newport Storm

The folks here at Bottles recently visited Newport Storm Brewery, a local Rhode Island microbrewery that was bottling their first batch of India Point Ale when we visited. This “IPA” beer is named after India Point Park here in Providence, RI. India Point Ale uses local Rhode Island Chinook hops and New Zealand hops. Bottles is a liquor store in Providence that has a great selection of craft beers to choose from.

Newport Storm was started in the 1990’s by a group of chemistry majors in college, and has been growing ever since.

They even distill their own rum, Thomas Tew Rum. Mike Rowe from the television show “Dirty Jobs” also paid a visit to the Newport Storm Brewery and signed a barrel!

We’ve been busy visiting more New England area craft breweries.
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Garrett Oliver Visits Bottles in Providence: Event Video

Garrett Oliver visits Bottles: A Brooklyn Beer Tasting and Oyster Shucking Event! Come meet Garrett Oliver, world-renowned brewmaster from Brooklyn Brewery, who will be in Providence, RI at Bottles. Watch the video:

On Friday, October 19th, 2012 from 3:30-6:00pm at our Providence, RI store, Garrett will be stopping by for a book signing of The Brewmaster’s Table and the recently published Oxford Companion to Beer.
Garrett Oliver Oxford Companion to Beer Providence

Bottles will also be offering free tastings of several Brooklyn Brewery beers, including Sorachi Ace, Local 1, Local 2 and Black Chocolate Stout.

Sorachi Ace Brooklyn Brewery
 

You can also treat yourself to fresh Rhode Island oysters provided by Walrus and Carpenter Oysters. Maybe he’ll even sign a bottle or two for you. Excited yet? We are!

Walrus and Carpenter Oysters Rhode Island RI
Garrett Oliver Providence Event