January 2021 | Page 99

joined Taproot soon after its opening following some time working for the highly rated Kane Brewing Co . in New Jersey , head brewer Kevin Beachem also enjoys collaborating with Newport Vineyards ’ s winery team to brew barrel-aged beers as well as with Taproot ’ s culinary team and executive chef Andy Teixeira to create fresh beers using local ingredients .

Speaking of , guests can also enjoy bites to eat alongside the brews . Though the Taproot kitchen typically only serves lunch , the one upside of COVID-times is it offers an all-day menu of both lunch and dinner options . Some of the current items on the menu include Newport sea salt pretzels , street tacos , a local cheese bite board and Taproot beer and cheese dip . The entire menu is also available for takeout Sundays through Fridays ( along with beer and wine curbside pickup ).
The vineyard gets most of its ingredients for the restaurant from area farms , and now the spent grain from the brewing process goes back to the farms for animal feed . Both Simmons Organic Farm and Garman Farm in Middletown have received the spent grain . “ The Garmans say their chickens won ’ t eat anything else , and we get the eggs and the cheese from the goats ,” says Teixeira . “ It ’ s a great circle of life for us .”
909 East Main Rd . ( Rte 138 ), Middletown , 848-5161 , newportvineyards . com ; check current hours .

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RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l JANUARY 2021 97