Dining News

Hop Aboard the Brew Bus

Take a tour of South County's craft breweries & distilleries

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Hop on board! Although school is out for the summer, you might be interested in taking the newest and most decidedly adult bus ride to hit South County. The Rhode Island Brew Bus has started a tour through Rhode Island’s latest craft brew craze. The tours are offered every weekend and cover the entire state. Every tour is unique – visiting different breweries, sometimes including food and always including lots of fun.

The Rhode Island Brew Bus’s founder, Bill Nangle, has a passion for craft beer. He’s not just a connoisseur; he also brews his own at home. After graduating from URI with a degree in Entrepreneurial Management, he was inspired by a brew bus business he came upon in Maine. Looking at the Rhode Island craft brew scene, he saw how a similar business could thrive here. It was the perfect combination of being able to start a promising business related to something he loves.

Bill offers tours all over the state but has plans for a specific southern Rhode Island tour. The tours include visits to Newport Storm, Grey Sail Brewing, Whaler’s Brewing Company, Proclamation Ale Company, Tilted Barn Brewery, Coddington Brewing Company, Sons of Liberty Spirits (whiskey and vodka), Greenvale Vineyards (wine), Pour Judgement Pub and the Malted Barley. Every tour will include three stops, and the website offers all the essential details for each tour.

The tours range in price from $67-$77 plus tax (depending on the stops and whether food is included). They include tours, tastings, transportation, giveaways, snacks/water on the bus and a pint glass (or two) to take home. Drinking alcoholic beverages is not permitted on the bus, but there will be contests and educational experiences. All tour participants must be at least 21 years of age, and IDs will be checked before boarding. Private tours can also be arranged by e-mailing Bill at bill@therhodeislandbrewbus.com. 585-0303.

Westerly Couple Brings Flavors of Brazil to Rhode Island
This summer, Brazil was at the center of the world’s attention as it hosted the World Cup. Rhode Islanders wanting to discover a taste of Brazil without leaving the state should seek out the Lady Copacabana food truck. For the past year, the Westerly-based truck has been serving up Brazilian specialties at festivals and fairs, and on the streets of Providence.

Talita Luna-Stackpole was born and raised in Marilia, a city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. She learned how to make rissoles (pronounced his ‘o’ lees) from her mother’s neighbor. In Brazil, they are known as “fried dough,” but they are more akin to fried ravioli or empanadas. Talita makes hers with a variety of fillings including buffalo mac ‘n’ cheese, eggplant, traditional hearts of palm and chicken bacon alfredo. Her husband, Chris, would bring the rissoles to his job at the Mohegan Sun, and people loved them so much, they started requesting orders. When the couple moved to Rhode Island, Chris cashed in his 401K and used the money to build a food truck. Talita loves being her own boss and the freedom of the truck allows her to visit her family in Brazil as often as she likes.

In addition to the rissoles, the Lady Copacabana also churns out other Brazilian specialty foods such as bolinha de queijos, which are fried soft balls of dough filled with cheese and oregano. Also popular on the truck is a Brazilian candy known as a brigadeiro (a cross between fudge and a truffle). You can find the whereabouts of the Lady Copacabana by following her on Twitter @copacabanalady. 4 Seaview Avenue, Westerly, 400-5839.

Brew Bus, Lady Copacabana, drink, booze, craft beer, rhode island, bill nangle, south county, so rhode island magazine, rhode island brew bus, westerly, food trucks

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