I happened to stop by R3B because I was at an event 3 miles down the road. My first impression…read moreupon seeing the tap list was that they had a broad range of beers, ales, and stouts. A good place to start. The best was yet to come. I first decided that I wanted to drink a classic West Coast IPA, and the 2nd Rule (70 IBU) was as close as I have found this side of Seattle in 1990. But it didn't stop there. The Jocularity, a Red Ale - Irish, was as good as you will find in Dublin. Malty, refreshing, and satisfying. The Ol' Einstein Brown Ale was as good as any brown you'd expect to find in Oxford. It dances on your tongue and has a mildly dry finish. Outstanding. If you want to have more than one or two beers, Gypsy Soul IPA - Session is your beer. Full of flavor, crisp, refreshing, slightly bitter, and very, very drinkable. This is my pick for best brewery in Connecticut. BTW, the staff behind the bar is delightful and invested in you and your experience at R3B. A+++++++++

Cool venue overall. 3.5 rounded up for having some local 3rd party drink options, a large clean…read morespace, food truck and a bunch of fun vendors with booths setup while we were there (though I believe it was the last day for that). It's not very local nor particularly convenient to any of my normal routes, but it was a nice stop on the way home recently. They're in the back section of a multi-tenant complex, sharing part of a steel / metal siding "Butler" building with a few others such as a cross-fit place. Decent enough parking, huge indoor space with games, some TV's, a large bar and very nice, newly built restrooms. The beer overall was pretty good. All seemed clean, refreshing, and of sufficient quality, but none of the ones I tried were enticing enough for me to consider any to go. The sour was probably my favorite overall. The water station needs work. It doesn't work all that well / kind of slow, and it's frustrating to find yet another business won't serve water (even when not busy, and apparently even if you're seated at the bar. I get it, that costs time and thus money, but it seems odd to expect people seated at the bar to get up and walk away for a water. If there wasn't any bar seating, it would make more sense to me. (Couple places in Manchester follow the same trend, but neither of those has bar seating.)

Fox Farm is our go-to brewery on a nice day. It's a lovely ride out to Salem, and their landscape…read moreis just a beautiful place to relax. Bring some snacks or some accoutrements and stop just a little ways away at Cato Corner and build yourself a spectacular cheese board. Despite often being busy, pours are usually quick, and the folks putting together to-go can orders are lightning fast! I feel like I barely have to mention the beer because their name speaks for itself at this point, but yes the beer is amazing. Everything from lagers to IPAs to sours to stouts and everything in between are fabulous. In particular, if a stout or a farmhouse or sour with adjuncts sounds interesting to you, definitely don't sleep on it! It will certainly be good. They do have only one parking space that's designated accessible. It's available more often than not, but just a note. The bathrooms are very large and accessible. Inside, the majority of seating is upstairs, so if you can't do stairs just be aware.

Let me set the scene at Fox Farm brewery. It was a nice crisp fall mid morning day in October. The…read moresun is out the temperature cool enough where a light sweater will get you by. The dogs across the street were barking and running, enjoying life and the smell of fresh hops. The colors on the trees were a vibrant hue of red, orange and yellow. The staff there was all very familiar and they made it seem like they remembered me as I come every few months when I visit Connecticut. The beertender, graciously and without prompt went over beers enthusiastically. He described what was new what was on cask and gravity. I tried a good amount of different beers and they were all delicious and balance and never over the top per usual. Also tried the witch meadow was on the boozy end for me. I can't wait to be back have another day.

A friend lives nearby so we stop here every once in a while for a brew and entertainment…read more It's a comfortable brewery located in an industrial building that has overhead doors and a nice outside space. There is plenty of parking. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable about the beer.

Friendly brewery, often with live music. A good variety of…read morebeers. The "Jam" is a delicious fruit sour if you're into that. The Hop Glop is tasty and full bodied.

Bear Hands Brewery delivers the kind of experience that keeps you planning your next visit before…read moreyou've even left. The space itself is impressive -- open, comfortable, and thoughtfully designed so it never feels cramped, even when it's busy. There's a warm, welcoming vibe that makes it just as easy to hang out with friends as it is to settle in for a quiet pint. The beer selection is genuinely outstanding. Whether you're into crisp lagers, bold IPAs, or something more experimental, there's always something worth trying, and the staff knows their stuff if you want a recommendation. There's always a wide range of styles on tap, and everything feels well‑crafted and intentional. It's the kind of place where trying a flight is almost mandatory because there are too many good options to pick just one. And the food... the pretzels are absolute must‑haves. It is soft, warm, and perfectly salted, and the bites are the ideal pairing for a flight -- simple, delicious, and exactly what you want with good beer. A great atmosphere, fantastic brews, and snacks that hit the spot. Bear Hands Brewery nails it.

I love their beer. Everyone we walk in I'm greeted with a smile as I was today. Alyssa is…read moreincredibly friendly and always recommends the best beer. We haven't had their food yet, but their drinks are 10/10. We enjoy sitting at the man bar upstairs, but they downstairs bar is cozy and welcoming, feels like a true speakeasy!

We enjoy the casual friendly atmosphere and great craft beers in a rustic setting. And it's dog…read moreand family friendly.

This place continues to get better and better! The beers are better, there are more food trucks,…read moremore activities, more schwag, more bands, and more fun! They have added a music stage out back, they have tons of outdoor seating and have put a large tent to add some shady spots to sit. It's counter service inside, but during the summer there are folks who will come around and check in on you and collect glasses etc. If you're a fan of dark delicious beer give the Knockin' Boots a try, and if you're an IPA fan you can't go wrong with the Dad Bod! I'd recommend following them on FaceBook and Instagram to hear about all the great events they host.

Abomination Brewing Company continues to be one of the most creative and reliably fun stops in the…read morelocal beer scene. Their lineup is always evolving, and you can tell they genuinely enjoy pushing boundaries--whether it's a hazy bursting with tropical hops or one of their wild, dessert‑leaning experimental releases. There's a sense of playfulness here that keeps every visit interesting. The taproom has a great vibe: relaxed, welcoming, and just quirky enough to match the personality of the beers. It's the kind of place where you can settle in for a couple pours, chat with friends, and work your way through a flight without feeling rushed. Service is friendly and knowledgeable, and the staff clearly cares about what they're pouring. They're quick with recommendations and happy to talk through the weirder offerings, which adds to the experience. If there's one thing keeping it from a full five stars, it's consistency--some beers absolutely crush it, while others feel more like fun experiments that don't quite land. But honestly, that's part of the charm here. When Abomination hits, they hit big. Overall, a must‑visit for anyone who loves bold, creative craft beer and a taproom with a personality! Cheers

They have the honor of making the worst beer I've ever had. I'll drink darn near any beer, and I…read morehad to pour this out, it was that bad. Do NOT under any circumstances buy Rotting Earth double IPA.

Met a bunch of women here for a social outing. There were 14 of us and there was enough space and…read morethen some, to accommodate our big party I started with the Ovidius VIII which was a mix of marion berry, blueberries and cherries. It was just the right sour and sweet combination I also ordered the cowboy burger from the food truck. Bbq sauce, jalapeños, cheese, crispy fried onions and a side of French fries. The wings were good and they served a lot! There was also a band playing, nice little setup

I visited with my 2025 Beer Passport and tried the BOGO lager with a friend. I'm more of a dark…read morebeer drinker so it wasn't my favorite but then tried the Nero Imperial Milk Stout and enjoyed the peanut butter and vanilla overtones. They also serve n/a drinks and wine from Rose Vineyards. The staff were really nice and they have happy hour discounts plus local music which is pretty cool. The outside area looks out to the woods and you can play corn hole. food trucks are usually there.

New location is great. They did a nice job reclaiming the other brewery and making it theirs…read more Good to be able to get full pours of some great beers.

Happened to driving by and we noticed they were newly open…read more They were busy with a full parking lot and picnic tables. We had the Superscript IPA 6% and the Northford Pint 4% described as 'English Dark Mild.' Both were delicious. There were a total of 8 beer varieties on the chalkboard. We'll be back to try the others. The staff, while hustling with the crowd was friendly and efficient. There was tent outside serving smash burgers though we did not try them.

Great beer!! I highly recommend the stouts. So delicious…read more Thanks to Mary and Alex for great sounds. Wow! So talented.

Great location off exit 64 of I-95 and near Rt 1. Decorated in seaside theme and the brews are…read morenamed appropriately. We were fortunate to meet Phil who is one of the owners and very friendly. Always good to know the back story. I had the nitro stout and tried the caramel stout for dessert . Both were delicious. The caramel was sweet. Also had the white shrimp and sundried tomato pizza. It was a bit light on the shrimp but we enjoyed it. On the CT Beer Trail - 2 for one!