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    Bear Hands Brewing Company

    4.6 (22 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM

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    One of two bear sculptures
    Karen B.

    My friend and I stopped in for a light meal after a big college reunion event. She had the giant pretzel with beer cheese. It was truly giant and she didn't even finish it. I had pulled pork sliders, two tasty sliders served with potato chips and sliced dill pickles. I added picked to my sliders and it was really tasty. I also tried the oatmeal stout. Stout is my thing, and this did not disappoint.

    Ethan B.

    Went here on a beer tour with some friends. I had the double IPA which was good. Other had the cider, the Pilsner, and the duster ale. Staff was very helpful and wonderful atmosphere. Would return!

    Malori H.

    WE LOVE BEAR HANDS. so thankful to have a wonderful, local brewery in town. the inside is so well decorated and furnished, upstairs and down. the beers are AMAZING (especially the strawberry shortcake, MY FAVE). love that they have in house brews as well as other local beers, ciders, sours, etc. on tap. its so convenient that you can walk by and read the list outside the shop as well. extremely friendly service and ownership. i bring literally everyone i know here when they come to visit putnam and everyone is always impressed! cannot give it enough praise.

    Everything but your name on the cup! Imperial Pumpkin Spice Latte Stout. Very good
    George R.

    Okay if you are out bar hopping in Putnam you have to stop bye this place. Amazing, did I say amazing yes, yes I did. Beers brewed on site. Some of the most flavorful brews that I have had, and not to sound like an alcoholic but I have had a few. Staff was awesome, no wait amazing. Comfortable seating music at right level so you can carry on a conversation. Amazing place for a 1st date 2nd date or every date. Enjoy!

    Beer Board
    Terri B.

    After lunch at 85 Main in Putnam, Ct. we walked next door to Bear Hands Brewing Company to enjoy a crisp drink on a beautiful fall day. We sat up to the bar and chatted with Alyssa. She is awesome, very friendly and fun to talk to. She is very knowledgeable and talked to us about their cool Halloween martini flights they were doing for October. Mr. B. had a glass of Citra-Saurus Double IPA, that he thoroughly enjoyed. How could I resist a glass of Apple Cider Donut hard cider? It was crisp, cool and fall in a glass. Loved every sip. Since we had just had lunch, we didn't have the food, several did and were saying it was quite good. Locals were popping in and everyone was so friendly. Check it out if you are every in the area.

    Our beers
    Melissa V.

    Stopped in recently on the suggestion of a fellow Yelper. We arrived later on a Sunday afternoon and the place was really crowded, an employee greeted us and suggested we might want to sit downstairs as the place was full. We went downstairs, down a hallway, past the kitchen and were at the downstairs room. We found a couple seats at the bar. Downstairs was pretty busy too, but we were greeted by the server and we selected our beers (Drunken Leprechaun). Our beer was very good and I also tried a sample of a stout they had with chocolate and peanut butter flavors (which was very nice). I would love to come back when it's not as busy so I could sit upstairs. We didn't like sitting downstairs at all, there really wasn't any atmosphere and no view of anything. Upstairs was much more open and they also have outdoor seating when the weather is nice. We'll try again when we can get good seats.

    Funny sign in the bathroom.
    Ana B.

    Bear Hands is little brewery in downtown Putnam. I love this area of the town, and a local brewery is always appreciated. It was a very warm day when my friend and I stopped by, we decided to sit inside since we wanted to cool off a bit, they also offer outdoor seating. Along with beer they also have spirits, cocktails and wine, as well as a food menu. We got their flight of beers to share, and their "Not Your Kids, Mac & Cheese" to share. Unfortunately I can't say I was impressed with the beers we got. We got a Raspberry cider, and Crashing The Party, this is a very sour sour, like fruit punch mixed with Jolly Rancher candy. I'm not a fan of either of those things. I didn't enjoy this at all, but my friend did. The Raspberry cider was fine, it was light, easy and refreshing. Next was Violet Beauregard's Revenge, this was a rich blueberry, it's like blueberry syrup. Very flavorful, I enjoyed it, but wouldn't run to have it again. It's also got a really fun purple color to it. This one is worth trying. Emerged was my favorite! It's very peanut buttery, with back notes of chocolate. Emerged is peanut butter beer done to perfection. I don't know that I'd normally gravitate towards such beer, but this was a great pick! Lastly, we got Assumed Intelligence, I just got it because I liked the name. This is just a basic light, larger that goes down easy. My favorite beer is a sour, and I didn't find a sour here that l liked. Emerged was the best pick of the bunch. For food we got "Not Your Kids, Mac & Cheese" this is basic Mac and cheese, with white cheddar, topped with toasted crumbled crackers. This is a nice touch to basic Mac and cheese. We asked to add bacon to it. It turns out, this would have been better without bacon, it was extremely, overly salty. Other then the saltines, it was creamy and good sized portion to share for two. We sat at the bar, and received great service. I'd come back here for a glass of Emerged, or a new combo of a flight of beers.

    First flight
    Tracey H.

    Fantastic little brewery! Tried two flights, 8 beers, and all were delicious! We will be back with friends.

    Asked Crystal for a shot of Redemption, and couldn't help but take this epic photo.

    Had our engagement photos planned for this weekend. Our photographer called them last minute to see if they would accommodate us to use their place and they said yes! Not only did they let us use their bar area, the drinks were phenomenal, the bar tenser Crystal was super sweet and even gave us some tips and areas to use within the space! The place was decked out for Halloween which was so cool. The music was great and from what I hear, you must try the pretzel with the mustard sauce. 100% recommend.

    Tap area
    Shawn M.

    Great staff, great beers and a robust environment. Bear Hands never disappoints. The staff of Alyssa and Danielle always on point taking care of the guests needs!!

    Beer menu
    Helga S.

    Great day to be outside having great beer! Amazing time at BearHands, welcoming staff, very attentive as well as knowledgeable about their beers. Busy Saturday, every table was filled and yet, we never felt rushed. Started out with their German pils -Sanity Pils, and apparently it's a crowd favorite. Pillow fight is a great beer, very smooth. They had flights so we were able to sample and find our favorites. They fill growlers! Very awesome! Kayla was great. She talked to everyone and immediately felt welcomed. Such a great experience, will definitely be back.

    Outside dining area

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    Review Highlights - Bear Hands Brewing Company

    I recently went for appetizers and really enjoyed their pretzel with the beer cheese, as well as their cheesy garlic bread.

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    Black Pond Brews

    Black Pond Brews

    4.5(56 reviews)
    6.0 mi
    $

    After enjoying hiking in the area we came here and enjoyed the pulled pork poutine, wiener…read moreschnitzel and beers! While their IPA was pretty average, the strawberry rhubarb brew was great! The schnitzel was nicely prepared with a side salad that was tasty and a decent mustard. The poutine fries were nicely done and fresh, but IMO, there was a bit too much gravy and not enough cheese curds on the poutine. That didn't stop us from devouring the whole thing though, it definitely was not bad. Ambience is chill with music playing at a lower volume. Mostly couples and small, chill groups in the spot. There was one small group with a baby but the baby was not overly loud or disruptive. Outdoor seating is available but we opted to be inside with the AC. Bartender seemed to be the only employee working both the tables and the bar and a little overwhelmed, so service was a bit slow. Would definitely stop back here and highly recommend the strawberry rhubarb brew! Clean, gender neutral restrooms.

    Went here on a whim to attend the book fair hosted by a local bookstore here in their event space…read more I cant lie this book fair was pretty lackluster and overpriced, so we decided to grab food and drinks since we were already there anyways. The brewery was very busy and the line was long, with slower wait times, but the food and drinks were worth it. The buffalo chicken tenders were great quality, not overly spicy or salty, and came with a chunky, house-made blue cheese dressing. The bacon cheesy fries were a standout. The beer cheese was perfectly smooth and flavorful, topped with crumbled bacon and thinly sliced purple onion, which was surprisingly really good. I also tried the pomegranate Down East cider, a flavor I hadn't seen anywhere else, and it was my favorite I've had so far. Atmosphere was decent but on the smaller side. Overall a good experience, though not somewhere I'd go out of my way to return to

    Photos
    Black Pond Brews - Bar / bourbon

    Bar / bourbon

    Black Pond Brews
    Black Pond Brews - Bar / bourbon

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    Bar / bourbon

    Elizabeths Farmhouse - Lemon pesto chicken sandwich

    Elizabeths Farmhouse

    4.3(323 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    What a cute little hidden gem! We stopped in for a lunch date in December. The drinks were…read moreexcellent and the food was great. The atmosphere is really cute. Highly recommend!

    This is a small eatery (I counted max 39 seats between tables and the bar) with difficult parking…read more I was able to get a spot right in front b because I went to lunch, but the parking lot has signs saying it is for employees of the wood shop next door, and no trespassing in the lot across the street, so I think street parking is the only option? Service is great, very attentive and friendly. The food is what earns this three stars. I tried a stuffie, German onion soup, a Farmhouse burger, and a key lime Mason jar. The stuffie was a little small, and most of the flavor was imparted by the ham and the squeeze of lemon. The German onion soup, I'm not sure why it was German except to not be French? Outside the name difference, the onions were way too large, and there was a total lack of flavor going on in the soup. The crock was very large too. The burger and fries looked pretty good, and I enjoyed the flavors here. The fries were rough hewn, so there was good crispness from all the edges. The toppings of the burger, and the bun, were also hearty. Unfortunately, my medium rare burger was more like raw meat with surface browning. I'm a big fan of rare steak, but ground beef needs a little more cooking. Also, the house made ketchup is really more of a marinara sauce. If I'd ended up eating more of my plate before they took it away to re-fire the burger, I would have asked to replace the ketchup. The key lime Mason jar was e everything you want to wrap up a meal. Great flavor, lightness, citrus. I did have to bring most of it home but, unlike the burger they brought back in a box, I'm excited to get back into the key lime. From an accessibility stand point, there is no ramp to get in nor handicap parking, so the evidently don't want your business. Once you're in, there are some seats you could get in, but if this place were full it would be difficult to navigate for anyone. The bathroom is a single room, but very spacious and nice. So, mixed bag for access. Your mileage may vary, but I'm not racing to return.

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    Elizabeths Farmhouse - Dining Room

    Dining Room

    Elizabeths Farmhouse
    Elizabeths Farmhouse - Cute plates for apps!

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    Cute plates for apps!

    The Stomping Ground - Chicken nachos

    The Stomping Ground

    4.1(194 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    This place is so perfectly named. Despite being from Groton when I walked in there was a sense of…read morefamiliarity. The decorum was not the same but the energy reminded me of my old stomping ground (O'Neils in New London RIP). I enjoyed the collection of decor, especially the dragon hanging from the ceiling and the little guy in the upper corner. The bar tender was friendly and I enjoyed over hearing them talk with regulars. I ordered the happy hour nachos and a Diet Coke. There wasn't anything fancy about them but they felt nostalgic (and very cheesy!). I want to come back and try one of their grill cheese but I don't know if my tummy could handle that much cheese in one go.

    Driving through the small town of Putnam we were looking for something to eat and the stomping…read moreground came up on Yelp. With good reviews and a cool menu we dropped in and couldn't have been happier! We were pretty lucky as it was not that busy and we were able to get a table right away. The decor is eclectic and interesting. The staff came with a great smile and even better attitude; absolutely top notch! We started w the pretzels and beer cheese. Holy 6 pound baby Jesus they were good. They came out piping hot and the cheese was in a bubbling side dish. This isn't your typical dab of cheese in a plastic condiment container that is commonplace nowadays. I had the Arturo Sandoval (spin on a Cuban) as my entree and it was also fabulous and came out hot. If I was being critical, the pork was a wee bit dry, but that happens sometimes and it really didn't take away from the sando. Even the small side of pasta salad was outstanding. I'm lucky if I eat sides like that 1/100 times and this one I couldn't wait to finish. Great vibe, great staff, great food, and live music almost every day. Definitely gonna go back and if it's just as good will update to 5 stars.

    Photos
    The Stomping Ground - Bar area

    Bar area

    The Stomping Ground - Pretzels and beer cheese

    Pretzels and beer cheese

    The Stomping Ground - Kolsch

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    Kolsch

    Bravo Brewing

    Bravo Brewing

    4.7(26 reviews)
    11.0 mi
    $

    Parking was easy with street spots available and a public lot right across the street. The taproom…read moreis cozy and seems like a great place to meet friends or congregate as a group if you're a local or regular. I went to order the spiked Mango Seltzer (not a flavor option you see often, I was happy to see this!), but then saw a bottle of lavender syrup next to where she was grabbing to mango and asked if I could get a lavender seltzer instead. I'm a bit of a lavender addict so whenever I see it, I NEED to get it. The bartender warned it could be a little light, but I went ahead with ordering it anyway. It was delicious! The color was light but the flavor was not. I was surprised to learn they have a full food menu here. I had already eaten but got to pick some yummy crispy fries from my friend's plate, and they were delicious. Lots of seasonal St. Patrick's Day options were available, which added a nice festive flair. Bathrooms were clean and easy to find, and I loved the "furry friends of Bravo" bulletin board with pet pictures to gaze at. I didn't get to visit for a super long time, but enjoyed the experience I did have.

    First time here. Cool setting, it has some outdoor seating and a good amount of indoor. There is a…read moregood beer selection- no stouts though. I went with the dark Czech lager. Malty, easy to drink, had some good backbone. They carry other beer on tap that they don't brew as well, so you will have something you like, I'm sure. The chicken sandwich was pretty sad. My chicken was paper thin and it was very bland. Bun to meat ratio was off. No sauce or any kind of aioli to add some depth and moisture. Nonetheless, it's a good spot to hang with some friends if you have any that live in the area. You go and order at the bar and they will give you a number so it's a counter service spot.

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    Bravo Brewing - Great selection!!

    Great selection!!

    Bravo Brewing - Root beer

    Root beer

    Bravo Brewing - Flight

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    Flight

    Bear Hands Brewing Company - breweries - Updated May 2026

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