Sunday 6th of September 2015 01:04:21 PM

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Well this takes my beer-hunting to a new level, now having purchased round trip ferry service to charming Block Island in order to visit its solitary nanobrewery cafe. The Rhode Island coast is beautiful, and immediately upon departure, the eye-catching sandy face of the destination island rises above the horizon ahead. It is a very short walk from the Old Harbor up Water Street to the Mohegan Cafe, a nice place for a meal and drinks. Before making the trip, I would recommend calling ahead to make sure the beer is flowing, since the cafe operates seasonally. The old cube-shaped, 3-story building has brown wood shingles around the outside, and a narrow roof awning over the sidewalk. A large sign on the side of the building boasts Water Street Inn. An oval green and gold sign for the cafe hangs near the entrance, and flower planters are perched below the front windows. The right half of the restaurant has plenty of dining tables and wooden booths. The place is naturally decorated with a nautical theme with old pictures and model sailing boats. The left half is the bar room with a two-sided 10-chair wooden bar. There is soft background music and a couple televisions for sports. Behind the mirror-backed bar are shelves well-stocked with liquor and wine. The bar also stocks about 15 varieties of common bar beers and national crafts in bottles, so there is something for everyone. Chalkboards on the wall list their 4 house beers on tap, which are available by glass or sampler flight. These are decent and the particular yeast strain used reminds me of English style ales. When I visited, they had Pilsner, Blueberry Ale, "Joe's High Octane" ale, and an easy drinking IPA, which was my favorite. Their beer doesn't push any boundaries, but is fulfilling. The nano brewery equipment is located in the back room, and the brewmaster is also the head chef. Their food menu consists of seafood appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, and seafood, meat and poultry entrees. The staff is very friendly and familiar with the island. The bartender glances out the front window at the incoming ferry, and can tell it will be a good day. The varied food is tasty and the kitchen is runs efficiently. You must spare some time to visit Mohegan Cafe for a meal before leaving Block Island.