Breweries throughout Connecticut and nearby breweries in Massachusetts & Rhode Island
16 Tobey, Rd Bloomfield, CT 06002
(860) 242-3111
Signature Beer: Chocolate Truffle Stout or #NOFILTER
Five second Description: Very mature brewery that has managed to keep up with the times. Many beers, great tours and plenty of tasting rooms.
Why you should go: Brewery tours, several tap rooms and 10+ beers on tap. Very generous with their samples, 10 samples per person!
My Rating
Beer: B+
Setting: A-
Website: Thomas Hooker Brewery
No surprise here, they never evolved and started brewing craft beers. They also never created a real tasting room.
100 Mechanic Street
Pawcatuck, CT 06379
(860) 599-8213
Signature Beer: Old Yankee Ale
Five second Description: They have a good formula for success and have been in business since 1997.
Why you should go: Free samples and a friendly staff
My Rating
Beer: C
Setting: C+
First visited January 2017
Website: Cottrell Brewing Co.
22 Bayview Ave #15, Stonington, CT 06378
(860) 857-1014
Signature Beer: Hobbit Juice
Five second Description: Fantastic beer, but not a lot of attention to the tasting room.
Why you should go: Great beer and free samples right near the water in a cool building.
My Rating
Beer: A
Setting: C+
Website: Beer’d Brewing Company
First Visited: Jan 31, 2017
Pretty good beer, but a strange location that did not feel safe, they also did not keep inventing new beers which are essential for a small brewery.
Signature Beer: YPA
Five second Description: great stop to grab a pint of good beer, they typically have a food truck too. This is a great stop for a quick beer and they have munchies out.
Why you should go: Nice tasting room and they allowed pets!
My Rating
Beer: B
Setting: A-
Website: Hanging Hills Brewing Company
59 School Ground Road, Branford, CT 06405
(203) 208-2213
Signature Beer: Cream Ale
Five second Description: Good beer in an odd setting.
Why you should go: The beer is very ordinary and the only improvement over the last 5 years was expanding to picnic tables in the parking lot.
My Rating
Beer: C
Setting: C+
Website: Duvig (Looks like this is lapsed, not a good sign)
First visited Jan 21, 2017
This place just closed one day with no explanation. There might be more to this but no one knows. Good brewery but too far off the beaten path.
36 Industrial Dr, Ellington, CT 06029
(860) 858-1900
Signature Beer: Probably Elynour
Five second Description: Good clean beer in the middle of a pasture/industrial zone. And they have a great logo!
Why you should go: Very generous with their beer with a good size tasting room. What else is there to do in Ellington?
My Rating
Beer: B
Setting: B+
Website: Cold Creek Brewery (Yes it is Facebook)
Reviews
[catlist name=coldwater]
1 Wolcott Rd, Wolcott, CT
(203) 514-2336
Signature Beer: Not one established that I can tell.
Five-second Description: This place used to be Shebeen and it is now Velvet Libations that acts as a collective for their line and three others. There is a bit of an identity crisis here with the website belonging to the collective, but the brewery seems to be Velvet Libations. Very cool tasting room set up like it is in the 60s complete with black and white programming on the TV.
Why you should go: Great if you want to go back to the 60s lounge era. Austin Powers would approve of this place.
My Rating
Beer: B-
Setting: B+
Last visited April 3, Jan 2022
Website: Velvet Libations
They were a local successful brewery before it was a thing in Connecticut. Unfortunately, they did not keep up with the evolving beer market with their product line.
776 Tolland Street, East Hartford, CT 06108
(860) 528-2200
Signature Beer: Ten Penny Ale
Five second Description: There is a beer garden in the back that is open during fair weather months. Very generous with their samples and solid mainstream beer. No tours or indoor facilities.
Why you should go: They know how to throw a backyard party.
My Rating
Beer: B
Setting: B-
Website: Olde Burnside Brewing Company
266 Bridge Street, Groton, CT 06340
(475) 201-9972
Signature Beer: Libation Propaganda Coffee Stout
Five second Description: great hours, good beer and an OK tasting room
Why you should go: Right off 95 in Groton
My Rating
Beer: A-
Setting: B
Website: Outer Light Brewing Company
915 South St, Suffield, CT 06078
(860) 623-1000
Signature Beer: Jigawatts DIPA
Five second Description: great tasting room and beer for every palate.
Why you should go: They have great hours and good beer
My Rating
Beer: B+
Setting: B+
Website: Broad Brook Brewing Company
