The Breweries Of Connecticut

Before Connecticut Valley Brewing debuted its facility on Sullivan Avenue in South Windsor last fall, its signature beer, Trailblazer, was contract-brewed at Shebeen Brewing in Wolcott. The New England-style IPA, with characteristics described as hazy, juicy, citrusy and unfiltered, wasn’t always a crowd favorite, says Steve Palauskas, the brewery’s co-founder and owner. “We were kind of looked at as … that’s just a crazy style, it’s ugly, no one liked it,” he says. But as the New England style became more popular, Trailblazer became a sought-after brew, with buzz building on social media and beer-review sites. Soon, Trailblazer can releases drew long lines. “We were all surprised by it; I think even Shebeen was surprised. It was the right time for that beer,” Palauskas says. “When you have a line of people out in front of a very small brewery, that’s in a really popular location with a lot of traffic, people see that. From that style being laughed at and frowned upon, now it’s recognized.” More ...

Here’s a little extra incentive to walk, jog or bike along the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail: At the 21.3 mile marker, you’ll find craft beer. No matter how you arrive at Southington’s Kinsmen Brewing, which sits along the trail and enjoys plenty of foot and bicycle traffic, its founders and staff want you to be part of their clan. “Kinsmen just means community, family, kinship,” says co-founder Greg Caucci. “It’s about that brotherhood, sisterhood that we’re trying to create here, lasting relationships.” More ...

In 2006, Curt Cameron asked for a Thomas Hooker beer at a Farmington restaurant to see if the bar carried it. A woman overheard him and asked about the beer’s origination. When she heard it was made in Connecticut’s capital, she scoffed. “If it’s from Hartford, it can’t be any good.” That dismissive response stuck with Cameron, who had just taken over the Hooker beer brand and brewing operations from the previous owners. He was determined to prove the naysayers wrong. “You look for things that motivate you,” he says. More ...

When DRAFT magazine released its list of America's 50 best IPAs in late June, the rankings included predictable favorites, like Cigar City's Jai Alai out of Tampa and the top-rated Julius from Tree House Brewing in Charlton, Mass. But of the featured standouts across the country, only one brewery's name showed up three times in the top 25. The judges, including certified cicerones, worked their way through a blind taste test of 386 submitted samples and chose three IPAs from Bloomfield's Back East Brewing. They ranked its Rakautra India wheat ale at No. 21, followed by the Galaxy-hopped Intergalactic Lupulinary at No. 16 and Ice Cream Man, with 100 percent Citra hops, at No. 5. "Let's take a second to marvel at Back East, for of all the breweries who were part of this tasting, they alone had three beers make our top 50," DRAFT editors wrote. "And those were the only three beers they sent! In sports, they call that 'batting a thousand.'" More ...

Ed Silva's beer-making journey began on his 25th birthday, when his wife bought him a home brewing kit. More than a dozen years later in December 2016, the lifelong Waterbury native would open Lasting Brass Brewing in the historic Old Pin Shop building on the Waterbury/Oakville border. "I kept educating myself on how to make better beer, the science behind it," Silva says. "Still, to this day, I'm learning things." The brewery's name refers to the city of Waterbury's motto, "Quid Aere Perennius," which translates to "What Is More Lasting Than Brass?" But Silva says it also pays homage to the brewers and breweries that have come before him. More ...

If you recognize the beer names Sea Hag, G-Bot and Fuzzy Baby Ducks, you're likely familiar with Matt Westfall's career. During his decade-long tenure with New England Brewing Company, Westfall served as part owner and head brewer of the Woodbridge brewery, watching its popularity skyrocket in recent years thanks in part to demand for those highly rated IPAs. Last summer, Westfall began working toward a new goal — opening his own brewery. When he joined New England Brewing in 2006, choosing the job in Connecticut over an internship offer from Delaware's Dogfish Head Brewing, the company had been operational for about four years. "I wanted to do one more thing, from the ground up," he says. The Bristol native left his position in early October and began planning what would become Counter Weight Brewing in Hamden. Less than six months later, in late March, the brewery opened its doors. "We were able to do it pretty quickly, as a result of lots of wonderfully generous people doing me a lot of favors," he says. More ...

New Park Brewing, West Hartford's first craft brewery, sold so much beer during its March opening weekend that the owners had to close for two weeks to catch up on production. "It was a great problem to have, for sure," says John Doyle, a co-founder along with Tom Atkins and head brewer Alex Dee. They began planning the brewery three years ago, generating buzz by offering samples at friends' parties, beer festivals and local events. "We were hopeful that things would take off well, but I was pretty blown away by the response." More ...

OEC Brewing's team understands that tart, acidic and funky sour beers may not be for everyone. Even assistant brewer Tony Pellino admits he didn't fall in love with the style at first taste. "The first time I ever had a sour beer, I hated it. And now I've dedicated my entire life to them," he said. "If you've never had one, chances are you're not going to love your first sour. You need to have a few tastes and come back." OEC, or Ordinem Ecentrici Coctores (Order of the Eccentric Boilers, in grammatically incorrect Latin) just celebrated its third anniversary in Oxford. The brewery was founded in 2014 by Ben Neidhart, in connection with its sister company, international beverage importer B United. Neidhart, his wife Jie Yu, brewers Pellino and Dave Linari, and cellarmaster Clark Johnson make up OEC's core team. More ...

Naturally, when cheese experts open a brewery, the beers' tasting notes include a suggested cheese pairing. At Black Hog Brewing in Oxford, co-founders Jason Sobocinski, Tom Sobocinski and Tyler Jones let their gastronomic interests drive their creations, from year-round core offerings to wild experimental ales. "They're food beers, because we're all culinary guys," Jason says. Jason's expertise in cheese is well-documented as the owner of Caseus Fromagerie & Bistro in New Haven. He says he became interested in beer, more than wine, while working at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge, Mass. More ...