Rhode Island might be the smallest state in the union, but they have a vibrant and innovative craft beer scene. Established favorites like Proclamation, Foolproof and Grey Sail plus up and coming establishments like Long Live, Revival and Smug have put Rhode Island on the national radar. One brewery that has generated lots of hype is Tilted Barn Brewing in Exeter, they were even the subject of a lengthy profile in a national beer magazine. Tilted Barn specializes in IPAs, which should come as no surprise since I used the word “hype”, but they also make a smattering of other styles including sours, saisons and stouts. Under normal circumstances the only way you would find Tilted Barn beer would be by taking the drive to Rhode Island, but the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many breweries to adapt their business models. This is especially true for Rhode Island breweries since the state has obscenely strict limits on how much beer they can sell directly to consumers (although there has recently been some positive progress towards changing those laws). Many Massachusetts beer fans were pleasantly surprised when Tilted Barn beers started popping up in local bottle shops earlier this year. While the beers sell quickly, I was able to get my hands on some Tupelo, Tilted Barn’s imperial stout. Tupelo is named after the loyal and sweet brewery/farm doggy, and is available on a rotating basis on draft and in 16 oz cans.
Tilted Barn Tupelo pours pitch black with a small light brown head. The aroma features rich roasted malt. These malts lead the flavor too, notes of chocolate cake, caramel and toffee. A small dose of hops add some earthy flavors along with a bit of balance. Tupelo is incredibly smooth and easy drinking for a full bodied imperial stout with 8.5% ABV. The finish is rich with some lingering malt flavor. This is an excellent imperial stout, all rich malt flavor without being overdone or sweet. Highly recommend and I definitely look forward to drinking some more Tilted Barn beers in the near future. Hoppy Boston score: 4.75/5.
Hoppy Boston 
