Apponaug Brewery r���
Two women launched a riverfront Warwick brewpub with a tasting room and plenty of outdoor seating .
Tamara McKenney and Kris Waugh are former stay-at-home moms and friends who were gearing up to be empty nesters . They wanted to spend the rest of their working lives doing something fun they both enjoyed . “ At my age , I wanted to want to go to work ,” says McKenney . “ If not , it wasn ’ t worth doing . I ’ ve had many jobs in my life that were not fun .”
Previously , they ran a recruiting company together and they knew they were good teammates . They mulled over starting a food truck , but landed on opening a brewery . “ I love going to breweries with my husband . I love the brewery culture . Trying new beers , going places . I love everything about it ,” McKenney says .
With the Pawtuxet River running right outside the Pontiac Mills in Warwick , the brick building is a hidden gem . They began construction and opened Apponaug Brewery there in 2018 . “ There were no windows , no floor , no ceiling . This whole area was all Japanese knotweed . We couldn ’ t even see the water ,” McKenney says , gesturing at the expansive riverfront patio . “ We did the buildout on a budget , and we were our own general contractors .”
Apponaug Brewery boasts two outdoor patios as well as a ten-barrel brewhouse with a taproom serving six or seven different beers on tap . Sometimes they pour additional beers from other Rhode Island breweries including Shaidzon , Ragged Island , Newport Craft , Proclamation , Grey Sail and Buttonwoods .
They hired head brewer Mike Webster to handle the making of the beers as well as chef Tom Ouellette to offer a full brewpub food menu . Waugh bakes the | | CONTINUED ON PAGE 95
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l NOVEMBER 2021 43