In a beer scene saturated with hoppy IPAs, a recently relocated brewery is a breath of fresh air for lager lovers in Providence. Expanding from their former Cranston digs, Buttonwoods Brewery adds square footage to their operation in the new Valley neighborhood space, where Revival Brewing Company used to be. Owner and head brewer Morgan Snyder explains that, among other advantages, this gives them the opportunity to build out their existing lager program since the style of beer takes more time in the tanks.
“We always have been fairly lager heavy,” relays Snyder. Their German pilsner (a style of lager) is a flagship for a reason – the “no frills, no thrills” brew embodies Snyder’s belief in keeping things simple. But that doesn’t mean he shies away from leveling up classic recipes. A Czech amber lager, for instance, uses a process called decoction that adds another layer to the brew. “We’re very excited to flex our brewing muscles a little bit more and dive into some older techniques and make some fun, interesting old-style beers.”
Buttonwoods’ taps are flowing with a range of styles, including plenty of IPAs, ales, seasonal sours, and more. Another flagship is Object Permanence, which uses “a simple singular hop called Citra. It’s a very nice bright fruity tropical New England IPA,” Snyder explains. “Our motto is ‘beer with meaning’ so everything that we put on the menu has a purpose, a place, or tells a story.”
Regardless of what you’re drinking, part of the lure of Buttonwoods is the vibe. Snyder shares that it was no small feat to translate the “warm and fuzzy” feel of the former 2,500-square-foot taproom to 7,500 square feet of brick and concrete housed in Sims Avenue’s historic manufacturing facility. But the eclectic collection of odds and ends, mismatched tables and chairs, sweeping wood bar, and subdued gold and black color scheme instill a homey vibe.
In electric blue-and-red graffiti script, the Screaming Unicorn kitchen just beyond the bar is hard to miss. Chef Stephanie Rapoza’s menu of elevated pub-style food offers up “anything you would want to snack on while drinking any of Morgan’s beers,” she says. “Now that I have a much bigger space and a bigger team, I’ve settled on a permanent menu of about 20 items,” from woodfired pizzas to shareable apps and handhelds, like a smash burger with special sauce and tomato jam.
The name is a nod to a tattoo Rapoza got many years ago, but it also speaks to her style of cooking. “A unicorn is considered rare or unique, and I like to think that my food is something you can’t find everywhere.” She draws inspiration from chefs she’s worked with over several years as a sous chef to channel big, bold flavors. For the woodfired Calabrian Chili Wings, Rapoza explains, “I first confit them in duck fat, which I kind of borrowed from one of the chefs I used to work with, Chris Kattawar, who owns Cook & Dagger now,” a restaurant in Greenville. “I’ve been fortunate to work with a lot of creative people and draw a lot of influence from them.”
Snyder looks forward to not only expanding on creative ideas for beers but also opening up their taps for guest breweries, and hopes to integrate collaboration releases with occasional tap takeovers. A music lover, he often names beers after songs or artists he loves, and that passion extends to his goal of hosting regular live music, too. A broken record player during the move temporarily paused the vinyl night tradition, but Thursdays have once again been relegated to patrons spinning their favorite albums on the turntable.
“The old space was kind of like Cheers,” Snyder says with a laugh, referencing the 1980s sitcom. “It’s that sense of community, of sitting around enjoying beers that are meaningful and are part of the conversation, or not part of the conversation. I think that’s kind of our driving force – trying to build a bigger sense of community in a bigger city.”
50 Sims Avenue
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here