Belt’s Beer Garden: Rise & Shine

Last week I featured Heater Allen, a brewery just 26 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Today I head a mere 3125 miles east, to the opposite side of the country, to South Kingston, Rhode Island, which is just 2.5 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.

The town of 31,000 people is home toWhalers Brewing Co., a brewery with one of my all-time favorite logos, who has been offering up tasty libations since 2011. Even after more than a decade, they still only have three year-round brews - an IPA, a Pale Ale, and a cucumber lime seltzer - but don’t worry, they also have a solid rotation of seasonal and limited run beers.

For today’s beer, I have one of those three everyday offerings - Rise, a dry-hopped American Pale Ale.

While the hop blend in Rise may not be listed, I do know it has a 5.5% ABV and that it is the most awarded beer in the state. It has claimed awhopping 15 awardssince 2017, including Best Pale Ale in the US at the World Beer Awards FIVE TIMES in the last six years (2017-19, 2021 and 2022).

This dry-hopped Pale Ale poured an orange-ish straw color with just under two fingers of head building up. Rise has some nice head retention, with the foam slowly fading down, but leaving some nice lacing as it did so.

The aroma was a nice blend of hops and grains, with a slight leaning towards the happier side. Tropical and citrus fruits were most prevalent - with orange, pineapple, guava, and mango being easily noticed. The grist offered up sweeter scents of bread and caramel with some light pine hiding underneath as well.

My eyes widened after my first tasting…this brew was sweet, delicious, and very sessionable.

It begins with a nice blend of fruity flavors that remains in control for the vast majority of the sip. Mango, pineapple, orange, and passion fruit hit first in a blend of fruit cocktail-like flavors.

Joining in midway through is a light sampling of flaked grains that add a bit more to the sweetness of the beer; bringing caramel and cereal characteristics into the mix.

Rise then began to fade and finished insanely smooth and clean. On a few occasions, there was a juicy burst of citrus that lasted well after everything else. But, mostly, there was no lingering bitterness or unwanted aftertaste…it just faded away nicely.

This was a very tasty all-day sipper. The 5.5 ABV is light enough so you can keep drinking multiple throughout the day, while the flavors are big enough to make it worth drinking. The hop profile is light, so those that hate IPAs can enjoy this brew, well being present enough for those that love hops.

You can’t go wrong with this APA. Light, flavorful, and crushable.