Those who remember the old Reeses commercial “you got chocolate in my peanut butter” might appreciate the new collaboration between Rejects Brewery and Hoist and Crane Coffee. You may recall, the two tastes combined were better than the original.
For beer lovers, one can certainly make that argument about the new Hoist and Crane Imperial Stout. The brew is a collaboration between two rising Newport-based companies Rejects Brewery, and Hoist and Crane.
On a recent Spring afternoon, I visited the brewery and sampled a pint. I can attest, the Reeses formula works great. I enjoyed a full-bodied beer, warm and flavorful, with hints of coffee and chocolate shining through.
I spoke with Hoist and Crane owner Ingrid Adolphs about the collaboration. “The partnership came about because my husband does Ju-Jitsu with one of the owners of Rejects. They got very excited about doing a beer with our coffee,” she explained.
The coffee is about as fresh as you can find anywhere.
“We bring our beans directly from Colombia and we roast them here in Newport, using the roasting facilities at Empire Coffee. The beans are coming from my family farm in Colombia, flown directly from the farm. It is sold directly to the customer within days of coming from the farm.”
At present, the brew is only available “on tap,” or in growlers, and not in cans.
Get there soon, suggests Adolphs, “It’s only going to be available for a limited time, on tap, unless people go crazy about it and then they’ll can it and sell it as part of their normal selection. It will be available until they run out!” (Note: Although not available in cans, Imperial Stout is available to take home in growlers.)
Both companies have continued operating during the pandemic. The Rejects tasting room is practicing Covid-safe protocols and Hoist and Crane runs a thriving mail-order business. Check Rejects hours here.
“The coffee is available online only for now. Some locals even buy it online and pick it up from our home. We also ship around the country,” noted Adolphs. To order Hoist and Crane coffee, check out their web site here.