
The region itself is home to seaside villages, maritime manufacturing, college and universities, and a bustling arts community.Īnd casinos.
As if seafaring folk need another excuse to drink, over a dozen microbreweries and taprooms adorn the coast of CT's New London region. New LondonĪhhh, Connecticut's Southeastern Shoreline. We too enjoy being aggressively laid back, especially with a Big Cranky in hand. Go grab an IPA and a table by the water at the Stony Creek Brewery instead.
Or, check out the Shoreline Trolley Museum and take a ride on the oldest continuously operating suburban trolley line in the United States.įun brewery fact: the oldest brewery in the United States is D.G. Once you move beyond the Elm City, there are miles of farmland, coast, and state parks. The New Haven region is more than just colleges and universities. Counter Weight Brewing Company (Hamden).
Speaking of the CT Brewers Guild, their logo is fantastic. Contained within downtown New Haven are not only countless watering holes and dive bars, but the CT Brewers Guild itself. It's an introduction as old as Yale University itself.
Steady Habit Brewing Company (Higganum)Ĭollege, meet beer. Aerospace and financial services mean there is some capital flying around to spend on fancy craft beers.įor a tasty Middlesex pint, try these local CT brewers: The Middlesex region of CT includes globally famous towns like Cromwell, Higganum, and Moodus, all of which could double as professors at Hogwarts. Middlesex, or, what's West of the Connecticut river. Along with the Lower Berkshires in bordering Massachusetts, the Upper Naugatuck Valley is timeless and (mostly) forgotten by all except those who live here, and those who visit the breweries below and travelers on the CT Wine Trail. The Litchfield region of CT is not exactly the brewing capital of the world, you hear? The Northwest Hills possess a lot of open road between each of its three small, local breweries. Because nothing says, "I've had a tough day at the office and need a drink" like playing with Legos all day. Located just 5 minutes from Lego headquarters is Enfield's Powder Hollow Brewery. Hanging Hills Brewing Company (Hartford). Unlike the coastal regions with their maritime money, and the rural regions growing their cash crops, money to drink craft beer in the Hartford region comes from insurance, financial services, and manufacturing. The Hartford region, which is mostly just CT's portion of the Knowledge Corridor, follows the CT river, running from the Mass border, through towns like East Windsor, and then on to the eponymous city. Hartford might be the Insurance Capital of the World, but it's not the beer capital of CT, that belongs to New Haven. With beers like Seven Rings, Touchdown, Moss! and The G.O.A.T., it's sure to be a crowd pleaser. Sidenote, can't wait for Greenwich's TB12 Brewing Company in 2022. Even with all of that cash, the Fairfield region is nowhere near the brewing capital of CT. The Fairfield region is more than just the coast though, it runs all the way up the Western CT and New York border to Danbury and Candlewood Lake in New Fairfield. It's hard to believe that Connecticut has about as many breweries and craft beer taprooms as Maine. Beer Lover's New England: Best Breweries, Brewpubs & Beer Barsīy Norman Miller - A must read for New Englanders looking to broaden their knowledge of the local craft beer scene.