I'd be Aaren's Beer'd, If That Made Any Sense The Beer'd Brewing Company, Stonington This was written in 2013 and now needs a serious update in 2023. Beer'd is still great, but they've grown quite a bit since I wrote this - and have a second location in Groton now in 2020. I'll leave his page as is, but if you're … [Read more...]
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Shebeen Brewing Company (Closed)
She Been Shebeen Brewing Company, Wolcott Multiple Visits Shebeen Brewing was reimagined as the Connecticut Brewery Collective in April 2019. That brewery closed in January 2022, then changed hands to become Velvet Libations in March 2022 and operations ceased for good in September 2022. Shebeen continues to live … [Read more...]
Thimble Island Brewery & Brewpub
Thimble Island Brewing Company, now Brewpub, Branford Thimble Island has grown quite a bit since my initial visit in early 2013. They've changed locations and expanded to become a vastly larger brewery. Which... is what a lot of successful businesses do. And so, as is becoming custom here on CTMQ, I'll keep the … [Read more...]
City Steam Brewery Cafe
I Could Go For A Steam City Steam Brewery Café, Hartford Several Visits over the years City Steam closed in March 2024. [*What follows is a somewhat long, but fascinating (to me) history of the building and all things steam in downtown Hartford. So here’s the elevator conversation about City steam: Really cool … [Read more...]
New England Brewing Company
Go Here. It's Good. New England Brewing Company Woodbridge This page is kind of amazing. It highlights what makes writing CTMQ so difficult… and so easy. I’m writing this paragraph in December 2019 after realizing how hopelessly outdated the original 2012 NEBCO page was. I’ve done my best to remedy the … [Read more...]
Back East Brewing Company
Back to Back East Back East Brewing Company, Bloomfield Multiple visits Now that Back East is an OG brewery, they get the fancy "review over time" treatment. And no, I can't do this for every brewery as it turns eight-years-old. But Back East has gone through so many changes that I felt it was time to revisit … [Read more...]
The Cambridge House Brew Pub
The Best Reason to go to Granby? Cambridge House Brewpub, Granby Several Visits over the years It makes no sense that I’m finding this page difficult to write. You’d think that a place I’ve been to ten times over the years would be easy to write about. But it’s not. And I don’t know why. One reason it’s … [Read more...]
Cavalry Brewing (Closed)
Bring on the Cavalry! Cavalry Brewing Oxford [May 2014 Update: Cavalry has closed. This came as no surprise to me, despite my effusive description below. This page was written back in 2010, when the CT craft beer landscape was infantile and owning a brewery was very difficult. Over time, Cavalry's beers fell … [Read more...]
Breweries, Brewpubs & Cideries
Beer. And Lots Of It I began this particular page in 2008 when there were four breweries in Connecticut: Cottrell, Hooker, New England, and Olde Burnside. Only one had a tasting room (Hooker) and each was pumping out only a handful of beers. There were a few brewpubs operating as well. And we only had five … [Read more...]
Thomas Hooker Brewing Company
Off the Hooker Thomas Hooker Brewing Company, Bloomfield Many, many visits As an OG brewery, Hooker gets the fancy “review over time” treatment. And no, I can’t do this for every brewery with longevity. But Hooker has gone through so many changes that I felt it was time to revisit this page - a page that was … [Read more...]