“Have a
‘Gansett, a Narragansett lager beer”
By Timm Carney
What goes better with
punk rock than cheap beer? Free beer? Well any beer will do
really, but cheap beer is a must. Narragansett beer is just one of
those beers. Founded sometime in the mid 1800’s Narragansett
started brewing larger beer. It became the largest brewing company
in New England. Sometime in the late 20th century the
brewery was bought by Falstaff brewing and basically fell out of
favor and almost out of production. The biggest brand of beer in
New England was for intents and purposes dead. Then right at the
turn of the 21st century two guys bought the name, got
some money together, hired a brew master and got the brew back on
the market. They are making good Punk Rock beer. I prefer the tall
boy cans; they are the traditional way to drink a ‘Gansett. It is
just as good as the original and just as cheap too. If you are
paying more than a couple of bucks for a draft you are being
shafted! Narragansett has been preserved! These guys deserve some
sort of an award for keeping a vital part of punk rock society
alive. Cheap beer rules. Cosmos and Manhattans are not punk rock,
beer is. That is all there is to it. Shots are great, they’re punk
rock too, but beer really is king. Mickey’s and Burgie! are the
closest things to Narragansett on the west coast. Narragansett’s
other major brew is Haffenreffer. That’s good malt liquor!
Equally as punk rock. Malt Liquor can hold its own in.
There was a day when every city and area had its own local brew.
Girls like Lavern and Shirley really did exist. Times have
changed and become more corporate that why it is great to see
companies like Narragansett making a come back. Drink the
local beer, eat the local food, and see local bands. Don’t let
corporate top 40 and homogenization win.
Fight the man! Have a “Gansett!
