A history of breweries in Connecticut

Closed 3/30/2024 after 27 years in business. City Steam had an inspiring run based on their ability to brew great beer AND run a business that sustained for so long! Not a "typical" taproom setup - this is a restaurant and brewery model, in the big city, but they have pulled it off! With the help of long-time CT brewing veteran Ron Page (who recently retired) City Steam outlasted many industry and regional ups and downs! Cheers!!

Closing up shop 7/21/2024

According to comments on social media, the company was acquired by the Housatonic Brewing Co (New Milford) which wanted the space for expansion to Danbury.

Closed 2022.

Brewery with Taproom built in the back of a huge brick former manufacturing building, rustic feel and both indoor and outdoor space with tables, bar and standing room. Plenty of beer styles to choose from: ales, stouts, sours, barleywine, farmhouse style and more. Beer was brewed by Dana Bourque, a mainstay in the CT brewing scene who served as president of the CT Brewers Guild and is widely respected in the industry.

Specializing in session beers, DuVig is the smallest of three breweries in Branford but a consistent styles and flavor are their winning recipe. Amidst the craft swoon over the DIPA style and high alcohol content beers, DuVig has instead focused on sessionable beers such as their cream, pale and brown ales, along with a new hefeweizen and oatmeal stout - all of which are near or below 5% ABV. (The original owners exited in 2021. After a sale, the next owners only made it a year following a re-opening.)

Front Porch started off specializing in locally-brewerd sour beers out of their small Wallingford location. They eventually began contract-brewing @Beeracks and offered fewer sours, but continued with experimental styles. After their 5th anniversary, they've closed their taproom/brewery and now brew at the @12percent location in North Haven.

I admit to enjoying "OJ on parole" despite the name, but never had the opportunity to visit their location.

Long-lasting family-run business operated at 100 Mechanic Street in Pawcatuck for 25 years! Longevity highlighted by their Old Yankee Ale, a huge facility for brewing and bottling their own beers and also contract-brewing for others.

Opened in the former Bad Dream Brewing Co space

Bar/restaurant operation with brewing onsite. Selection includes a handful of IPA styles along with a Kolsch, pilsner, stout and several guest-taps including cider and other crafts. Pub-fare meals served onsite too!

A much-needed pioneer here in CT during those years between the first micro-phase and the recent craft beer resurgence. Their Dirty Penny Ale was a staple. Heavily malted and Scotch-styles Ales. Outdoor facility was not open during winters. Closed in the fall of 2018 and not re-opening for 2019 season. From the brewery: Founded in 2000 at the site of the Burnside Ice Company, Olde Burnside Brewing, home of "Ten Penny Ale," is one of the oldest microbreweries in CT. We produce some of the finest beers available anywhere. All of our products are produced at our brewery using our own unique water source, the mineral character of which is nearly identical to the water of Burton-on-Trent, England. Our "Backyard Beer Garden" is our tasting room and open from May through November, weather permitting.

Gluten-Free specialists, short-lived.

From a brewpub to several that were thus known as "SBC", they grew a great business for 20 years! SBC opened first in Southport CT then later in Milford and Branford. Ultimately (to my understanding) they stopped focusing on brewing beers and more on the restaurant model. Only the restarant in Milford remains open and brewing operations have ceased.

Four-year life during the post-recession but pre-craft boom. The facility became Black Hog after ending their run.

High quality beers made in a warehouse in Bloomfield - especially a mahagony ale I remember fondly. This small operation lasted a long time but was just a gypsy operation with beer brewed out of state.

** No personal notes: If you have direct-knowledge of the history of this brewery, we'd love to chat! Please?! Email us at craftbeerlocal+history@gmail.com

Excellent pub in Mass, but this spot was more of a "chain" restaurant location near the mall. I tried their beers, but staff wasn't very knowledgeable about the offerings and I could never confirm if they actually brewed within the facility here. I have enjoy John Harvard's in Cambridge, MA several times. This location wasn't that!

A second location, this Torrington spot was closed shortly after the original location was acquired by new ownership. The original location is still operating in Granby since 2005.

Excellent brown ale... too bad they couldn't survive the initial micro-downturn. I didn't have the chance to meet the founders or tour their facility, but enjoyed a bottle or (many) more!

This was my favorite during the original microbrew craze/phase. New England had great tasting beer, plenty of style choices, and they had a wonderful brewpub/restaurant with brewing operations fully displayed on-site. Phil Markowski (now a partner at Two Roads) was the head brewer here. What remained of the business 20 years later was acquired and re-opened under new ownership near New Haven. Also see: Active CT breweries list.

I personally visited this location many, MANY, many times. Loved their recipes and the atomosphere there. The brewpub was located in the center of Hartford on Pearl Street but couldn't outlast the micro- downturn. Some of their recipes are still available via contract brewing, including their Praying Mantis Porter which can sometimes be found at Willibrew (Willimantic Brewing Co). Les Sinnock (one of the partners in the Hartford Brewery) is friends with Dave Wollner of the Willimantic Brewing. *I'm told, via a reader. I look forward to finding this on tap there one day! Hopeful the brown ale as well?!

Known for Frog 'n Hound and their Olde Wyndham Grim Reaper Barley Wine

Had two great locations - a restaurant/brewpub in Hartford and a restaurant-only location in Wallingford. Acquired by Thomas Hooker Brewing Co (which was thus named after one of Troutbrook's beers) after closing shop.

These folks really broke new ground in Connecticut... head brewer Ron Page also brewed at the original New England Brewing Co and went on to serve as head brewer at City Steam (for 19 years) before retiring in 2016. Superb beers. They went out of business after attempting to open a restaurant/brewpub in New Haven - apparently that model didn't work (or the timing wasn't right for it). Or they went out of business for some other reason (I don't know) but either way they are missed!

** No personal notes: If you have direct-knowledge of the history of this brewery, we'd love to chat! Please?! Email us at craftbeerlocal+history@gmail.com

** No personal notes: If you have direct-knowledge of the history of this brewery, we'd love to chat! Please?! Email us at craftbeerlocal+history@gmail.com

Very short lived... but I enjoyed my one visit there.

** No personal notes: If you have direct-knowledge of the history of this brewery, we'd love to chat! Please?! Email us at craftbeerlocal+history@gmail.com

** No personal notes: If you have direct-knowledge of the history of this brewery, we'd love to chat! Please?! Email us at craftbeerlocal+history@gmail.com

Bottlers only, I believe. I recall their Charter Oak Lager and Leatherman Ale in six-packs. I have no recollection of a brewpub, taproom etc. ** This Charter Oak pre-dates the current Charter Oak Brewing company and is unrelated, to my knowledge, to the long-time contract brewer currently operating out of a new Danbury facility.

Connecticut's long-stay brewery outlasted prohibition and stayed open for more than a century! The brand name was re-purposed recently under new ownership in 2018. Also see: Active CT breweries list.

Closed (and fined for continuining production of real beer) during prohibition, the brewery re-opened in 1934 and lasted until 1955. Recently the brand's flagship ale has been reinvigorated by Alvarium which produces a version of it made from several original recipes.

Details are from Wikimapia (and an email w/photo I received from a reader) U-Permit Number : CONN-U-103