Connecticut Breweries, Tours, Brew Pubs and More

Over the last few years several new beer breweries have opened in the state of Connecticut. Reminding me of the mid 1990’s when breweries seemed to be popping up everywhere in Connecticut. Many of those have closed their doors since the craze of craft brewing was hot in the 1990’s. Today it seems that craze is back, at least it appears to be in Connecticut.

Below is a compiled list of the breweries in Connecticut. We have sampled several of them and were not disappointed. If you’re free this weekend, visit one of the breweries and take a tour.

Connecticut Breweries:

Back East Brewing Company
1296A Blue Hills Ave, Bloomfield, CT
Their tasting room is opened Wednesday to Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 pm and Saturday from Noon to 4:00 pm. Brewery tours are conducted on Saturdays at noon, 1:00 pm, 2 :00 pm, and 3:00 pm. The tour last about 40 minutes. There is a $3 charge for tours which includes the tour, samples, and a 5oz sample glass that is you get to keep. No reservations are needed or accepted, but you need to arrive 10-15 minutes early as space is limited. If there are 10 or more in your group, you need to e-mail them at info@backeastbrewing.com.

Beer’d Brewing Company
American Velvet Mill, 22 Bayview Ave., Stonington, CT
Beer’d Brewery is open Friday 5:00 to 9:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday 1:00 to 5:00 pm for free tastings and growler sales.

Broadbrook Brewing
2 N Rd, East Windsor, CT
Their taproom is open on Wednesdays from 2:00 to 7:00 pm, Thursdays and Fridays from 2:00 to 8:00 pm, Saturdays from noon to 7:00 pm, and Sundays from noon to 5:00 pm.

Cavalry Brewing
115 Hurley Rd. Bldg 9A, Oxford, CT

Cottrell Brewing Co.
100 Mechanic St, Pawcatuck, CT
Their tasting bar is open on Fridays from 3:00 to 6:00 pm and Saturdays from 1:00 to 6:00 pm.

Firefly Hollow Brewing
139 Center St, Bristol, CT
Their taproom is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 2:00 to 8:00 pm, Saturdays from noon to 8:00 pm, and Sundays from noon to 5:00 pm.

Half Full Brewery
43 Homestead Avenue, Stamford, CT
They are open Wednesday through Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 pm for sampling and growler filling.  A tour and tasting occurs on Saturdays from 1:00  to 5:00 pm, the tour takes place at 3:00 pm.

Open house occurs every other Friday from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. The doors to the brewery are open and everybody is welcome to come. Growlers can be filled during these hours, however, once the open house starts the samplings stop.

Rare beer night happens on the third Wednesday of every month from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Rare Beers that are offered for a limited period of time are sampled along with food specifically paired with the beer.

New England Brewing Co.
7 Selden St, Woodbridge, CT
Tours are done Monday through Friday, by appointment only. They last an average of one hour and include a tasting of their locally made brews.

Relic Brewing
95 Whiting St, Plainville, CT
They are open for tastings and sales every Thursday and Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 pm and Saturday noon to 4:00 pm.

Shebeen Brewing
1 Wolcott Road, Wolcott, CT
Their tasting room is open Wednesday from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, Friday from 5:00 to 9:00 pm, and Saturday and from noon to 5:00 pm.

Stubborn Beauty Brewing Company
180 Johnson Street, Middletown, CT
Open on Saturdays from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

The Olde Burnside Brewing Company
780 Tolland St. East Hartford, CT
Tours have to arranged by contacting the brewery.

Thimble Island Brewing Company
53 E Industrial Dr, Branford, CT
Their tasting room is open Wednesday through Friday from 3:00 to 8:00 pm and on Saturday from10:00 am to 8:00 pm. Also on Saturday are guided tours that take place at noon, 2:00 pm, and4:00 pm.

Thomas Hooker Brewing Company
16 Tobey Road, Bloomfield, CT
Guests can experience the brewery’s atmosphere at one of their open houses on the first and third Friday of every month or opt to take a tour and tasting offered every Saturday.
They also have a brewery inside Mohegan Sun Casino.

Top Shelf Brewing
640 Hilliard Street suite 3104, Manchester, CT
Their taproom is open on Fridays from 4:00 to 7:00 pm and Saturdays noon to 4:00 pm.

Two Roads Brewing Company
1700 Stratford Ave., Stratford, CT
Their tasting room is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 9:00 pm and Sunday from noon to 7:00 pm. They givee tours on Fridays at 6:30 pm, Saturdays at 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm, and 5 pm,  and Sundays at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. The tours are first come, first served and sign up is in the merchandise room, day of the tour. Cost is $5 is limited to 20 people. The tour lasts about an hour.

Brew Pub/Restaurants:

City Steam Brewery Cafe
842 Main Street Hartford, CT

Willimantic Brewing Company
967 Main Street, Willimantic, CT

Cambridge House Brew Pub
357 Salmon Brook Street, Granby, CT

Southport Brewing Company
Southport, Stamford, Branford, Milford, and Hamden locations

Guvnor’s Brewery
136 Washington Street, South Norwalk, CT, 06854

BAR
254 Crown Street, New Haven CT

Breweries in Development:

Overshores Brewing Company, East Haven, CT

Lost Elm Brewing Company, Stafford, CT

Black Pond Brewing, 21A Furnace Street Danielson, CT

No Worries Brewing, Hamden, CT

Bottom Side Up Brewing Company, Stafford Springs, CT

Left Lane Brewing,Norwalk, CT

Still Hill Brewery, South Glastonbury, CT

Hog River Brewing Company, Hartford, CT

Lasting Brass Brewing, Waterbury, CT

Contracted Connecticut Breweries:

Stony Creek Brewing Company, Branford, CT (Brewed at Thomas Hooker Brewing Company)

Weed Brewing Company, Cheshire, CT (Brewed at Thomas Hooker Brewing Company)

Beaver Beer Company, Green Farms, CT (Brewed at Paper City Brewery)

Charter Oak Brewing Company, New Canaan (Brewed at Paper City Brewery)

Hartford Better Beer Company, Stafford Springs, CT (Brewed at Shipyard Brewing Company)

Farmington River Brewing Company, Bloomfield, CT (Brewed at Ipswich Ale Brewery)

gwBeer (George Washington Beer) (Brewed at Cottrell Brewing Company)

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