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Relic Brewing Company

4.4 (79 reviews)
InexpensiveBreweries, Whiskey Bars
Open • 3:00 pm - 9:00 PM

Relic Brewing Company Photos

RELIC BREWING COMPANY ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Dogs allowed
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Relic Brewing Company

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Reviews With Photos

List of beers on tap!
Sarah L.

They refuse to make a bad beer- we had three flights...having the Death by Peanut 2Xs- best stout...everyone was good even the lagers! Dunkel was a surprise tasty treat. Staff was extremely well knowledgeable, helpful and personable. Space is bigger than appears- back is big with cozy chair and seating.

Beer list 4/10/19
Jason F.

I stopped by her this past Wednesday evening with my coworker after work. Relic Brewing doesn't look like much from the outside and whenever we entered I can't say that I was that impressed. There was a bar off to the right with an insane amount of whiskies behind it (they seemed randomly placed and not ordered even though I am sure they were) and then some seating off to the right. There was a decent crowd at the bar but no one in any of the seats. After ordering our beers our bartender told us about the back room which we headed to. This was much nicer than the front area with multiple sets of comfortable looking couches and chairs, a couple of high top tables, exposed I beams/ductwork, whitewashed brick walls, random schematics on the wall (Porsche 911 and a ski lift) and then some fun lighting elements. As I often do whenever I visit a new brewery I decided to order a flight here. At Relic Brewing a flight consists of 4 different beers and I choose the Cherry Gose, Golden Rose IPA, Leaf Storm IPA and Griffins Horde DIPA. The first beer that I tried was the Cherry gose which started out with a nice cherry flavor and even though I didn't get the dryness in the taste, my tongue and mouth definitely got it after the liquid was gone. Up second was the Golden Road IPA which had some sweetness up front before finishing with a nice and light hoppy flavor. Third was the Leaf Storm IPA which started off clean followed by a flavor I associate with melon before finishing with a decent pop of hops. Last but not least was the Griffins Horde DIPA which started off with a citrusy flavor before finishing with a super strong dose of hops. Out of the bunch I would have to say that the cherry gose was my favorite with the Leaf Storm being second. The bottom line for me is that I would come back here again in the future. While it doesn't look like much from the outside, it's actually pretty nice on the inside and has some good beers too!

Flight
Carol A.

I love Relic! They have a bunch of great beers and often do collabs. The staff cannot be nicer! They used to be super small where I would only get four tasters then get a growler fill or cans before leaving. However now they've expanded and there is plenty of room and they sell some foods (sausages, guac, grilled cheese ect). There is also a good trick some days! Great local brewery I'm sure I'll be back to when I'm in Plainville.

Crazy man with one of his bottles.
John L.

First visit, complimentary samples of the six brews on tap. However, the 3 oz glass only contained 1.5 oz. Who's complaining, me I guess, but I did enjoy 6 samples. Pints are available and 32/64 oz growler fills. The staff, very friendly and willing to Brew Chat, as well as, the other patrons. I arrived at 5:00 on a Thursday (Thur 4:-7:) & was one of about 10-15 people in the tasting room. The Tasting Room could use a bigger bar so people can comfortably spread out. Snacks, complimentary pretzels. A food truck would enhance the draw & help to retain "Brewbys." I grabbed two 32 oz (Rydlle Brett Sassion & Double Dry Hopped Flaxen Foul IPA), & a 2 day old bottled 4 pack of Tropicale DIPA. Cheers my friends & stay thirsty for Relic Brew. 2016-Jun-30 Stopped by for a flight tasting of 6 & filled 2 growlers. Friends showed for the tasting & a bottle share. Good time meeting new people & trying out their bottle for share. Great flavors & few disappointments.

Small but comfortable seating area.
John A.

Still s bit hard to find, back off the road. The beers are solid. My fave is Kettle of Vultures, a very smooth Barleywine. 5 - 7 beers are on tap with others offered in cans. Tasting/ glasses/ growlers are available on most. If you like wiskey/scotch you need to be here, simply an amazing selection from around the world. Individual pours or tasting flights are available.

Lisa C.

Relic has some solid beers. I really havent had a bad beer yet from them. But some are really good. Mark and Steph will take the time to discuss the brews with you which is nice. I love the breweries that the owner is so present. They have done a nice job updating the taproom. Very quaint. Nice to be able to sit & chill.

Menu
Kimberly T.

Relic rocks. There's a friendly, awesome staff that know beer and love to chat. I haven't met anyone I didn't like there. This place has an interesting vibe. Similar to Firefly Brewing, Relic is in an inconspicuous location; on a main road-- but if you didn't know where to look, you would drive right past it. The numbers on the door are half written in sharpie. There is no real way to tell if it's open (but they are: Thursday, Friday and Saturday). The room inside is small, a little dark. These elements all together give it a special, exclusive mystique which adds to the experience. When you walk inside you will see that local artists decorate the walls with their work-- most of which is for sale. There is nowhere to sit, but it's not that kind of place. You don't linger forever- you get your beer and move on. The service is pretty fast so you can have the whole experience in less than an hour. I have been there when it's packed and when it's empty, and either way it's fun. Now the important stuff, the beer. Free samples and reasonable prices on growlers. Re-use the same bottles, or return them to get your $5 back. The beer is good-- the owner serves seasonal batches that make sense for the time of year and the available ingredients. Summertime, expect saisons, ales and lagers that are fruit infused or light and crisp. Wintertime, expect darker brews, like the legendary coffee stout. So good.

The outside doesn't look like much, but it's wonderful on the inside.
Freesia S.

I thought about it, and while there are still a few kinks to work out with visiting the brewery, I can't give Relic any less than 5 stars because I love their beer so much. After first trying their Houndstooth at the Yelp event at the Crown and Hammer last summer, I have been on the lookout for Relic beers at bars ever since, and I'm always happy when I can find them. I visited the brewery for the first time on a recent Saturday afternoon. My boyfriend and I got there with an hour left to spare of open house, but they were already out of at least two beers, and they were running out of what was left. We didn't buy anything because there wasn't enough of the beers we wanted to fill a growler, but we were still able to try some samples, which were worth the trip. The highlight of my visit was the Fool's Gold, which was a wonderful, slightly dark, buttery, double altbier. For the rest of the day, I couldn't stop thinking about how good it was. There's a huge demand for Relic beer - we were told that people line up with lawn chairs an hour before they open - and now I understand why. The tasting area was very small and cramped for the dozen or so people who were there when I visited, but they're expanding to a much bigger tasting room. The owner/staff talked about how they're trying to expand production so they don't keep running out of beer like they are now. You can tell these guys really want to make more beer. I'm glad they do.

Kris W.

Support your local brewery! Ok, I live in RI & grew up in Litchfield BUT my father had a small business not too far away in Bristol so I can claim Relic as my "local" brewery. No matter where Relic is located it's still awesome. As other reviews state, it's not marked from the road at all. There's no way you'd just stumble upon it unless you're on a mission to find it in the first place. Once you pull into the parking lot & are paying attention you can't help but see the Relic Brewing sign & know you've arrived. Walking in the owner/brewer Mark actually recognized me from meeting me at CT Beverage Mart a few weeks ago. He seems to be good with faces since it seemed he recognized almost everyone who was in and out during my trip. Every time I turned around someone new was in/out getting a growler re-fill. Again, the place is tiny & there were about 6 others there on my visit & I felt I was always in the way. Samples were flowing & Mark was multi-tasking filling cups or growlers, drinking & chatting up the beers. Mark was serving 3 of Relic's beers (they ran outta Houndstooth by Saturday afternoon) & they were all unique & tastey. I was gonna go home with a Whiting Street Lager grolwer either way but also purchased a bottle of Fortnight IPA for good measure. My nephew came with me & we brought home 2 small growlers of Whiting Street & the French Farmhouse Ale to share with my brother in law. Check out their website & Facebook for tasting hours. Right now they're only doing them on Fridays & Saturdays. Definitely use GPS to find the place! And don't worry too much about brining just cash. Mark takes plastic if you feel the need to splurge!

August 2015

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3 years ago

Good fresh beer, excellent food- Mexican- big room in back where a band could play - had a New York City feel.

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

Awesome beer and staff. Relic Brewing doesn't disappoint!

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8 years ago

The beer selection is great! They also have a huge whiskey and tequila selection. Would definitely recommend trying them.

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9 years ago

Beers are always outstanding!! Steph and Mark are Great! Super stoked I live so close by. These guys are killing it!!!

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Ask the Community - Relic Brewing Company

Review Highlights - Relic Brewing Company

“Walking in the owner/brewer Mark actually recognized me from meeting me at CT Beverage Mart a few weeks ago.”

Mentioned in 11 reviews

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J Timothy's Taverne - "Buffalo Chicken Wrap" (tomato tortilla, grilled chicken, buffalo sauce, gorgonzola crumbles, lettuce, tomato) with Sweet Potato Fries

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J Timothy's Taverne - Inside the restaurant

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Relic Brewing Company - breweries - Updated October 2026

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