Memories of the 28th Century

A few decades ago, I drank Ballantine Ale pretty much every day for several years. I can imagine better tasting ales, but Ballantine was something that I could drink every day. Alas, Narragansett Brewing that produced it went down the tubes. One of the former owners bought the name and recipes, when they became available, and he has been building the company back up.

I hope that Ballantine Ale will be revived in a few years. So far they have only restored about a half dozen brands, and in time past they had a couple dozen. I posted a link to their we3bsite below, and you can wander around and remember it or see something new and different.

Their principal brand was, and is, Narragansett Lager Beer, which is a plain lager without any nasty flavors. I also liked their Porter, which is not being made, either. The porter was different; it had strong hints of blueberry, but I don’t know whether that was part of the recipe or from something else, but unlike fruit flavored beers it was good, and it tasted like a beer. I used to buy it by the case, because that was easiest, since it came in round trip bottles only. And then there was Ballantine Beer, which I never had until one afternoon a co-worker asked me if I had had it, so that evening we bought and drank some. Most beers taste like beer, but Ballantine Beer didn’t taste like anything else. I can only describe in as rich and full flavored, and the fragrance was also rich and full. I wouldn’t want Ballantine Beer every day, but for special occasions it is special.

For every day drinking their best was and is Narragansett Lager Beer, but I can’t think of Narragansett Lager Beer without thinking of the Boston Red Sox. Gansett was one of the main sponsors of Red Sox games. Some of the ads were read by the play by play announcer, but the commercials were products of Bob and Ray, and some were great. It gave me a great appreciation of Bob and Ray. My father was an avid fan, and he hung on every word of the play by play, but I preferred the humor of the commercials. The Gansett ads weren’t as good as their later Panasonic copiers ad, but they were good.

I wish it was easier to get Gansett, but it isn’t being distributed in kegs in all areas, and only a couple of the local bars sell it in cans.

As time passes and they get more loyal fans, Narragansett probably will return to more markets, but over-reaching created financial problems before, so they might move a little slower this time.

http://www.narragansettbeer.com