Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Stubborn Beauty Brewing

    4.3 (63 reviews)
    ModerateBreweries

    Stubborn Beauty Brewing Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Stubborn Beauty Brewing

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Frank N.

    Very cool micro brewery joint! Had the imperial brown , tasty and pretty high ABV...I believe it was 9.5! Love the vibe too! You know its good when theres a line to re-fill! I will be back!

    Beer List 12/8/18
    Jason F.

    I stopped by here this past Thursday evening with a couple of coworkers for drinks. Stubborn Beauty is located in a industrial area of Middletown and it honestly felt a little sketchy since it was dark out whenever we got there. Upon waking in the entrance you are greeted with the smell of sour mash and what looks like a storage area. Once you walk through that you end up in their taproom. The space itself is nice sized and they have an exposed brick wall on one side and a sign with all of their beers and two registers to check out at. Seating wise they have four tables that seat four each and then a couple of wooden barrels to stand/sit around. As I often do whenever I visit a new brewery, I decided to go with a flight here. At Stubborn Beauty that means 5 tasters for $9. I ended up going with the How Rye I Am (rye saison), Happy Treez (IPA), The Fist (IIPA), Naughty Eskimo (IPA) and the Oceanographers Choice (super-hoppy-fun-time-saison). I started off with the rye saison and definitely got that funky saison flavor which was nice although I wish that there was more rye to it. Up next was the Happy treez which had a nice citrusy flavor to it as well as a smooth hoppy flavor. Third for me was the fist which was surprisingly fruity (mango) for being a double IPA and it's 8% ABV. Up fourth was the naughty Eskimo. It was described as being dank and having an in your face hop profile. I didn't get much hops on this one and actually found the flavor to be somewhat off putting and so this wasn't the beer for me. Last but not least was the oceanographers choice which had the saison funkiness with a little bit of hops. Out of the bunch i would have to say that the happy treez was my favorite with the fist being a close second. The bottom line for me is that I would head back here again in the future. I enjoyed all of the beers here except for one and would like to try more.

    Open on Thursdays
    Aaron Z.

    I stopped by here with some coworkers a few Thursdays ago. The building itself looks old and has been repurposed for some other small business. The inside very much reminds me of my old fraternity house in looks and smell (the good old days). I really enjoyed the beers I tried here. All are $6 for a 12 oz pour which I found very reasonable. I tried their Belgian and their brown ale. Both were solid and fairly high gravity as well. Overall a neat brewery in Middletown. It's off the beaten path, and they have a great selection of beers to try.

    Humorous pulls
    Jess L.

    I came here for a GPO event. I was really impressed by how busy the brewery was despite it being a bit off the beaten track. Clearly, people like their beer! As part of the event, I got to taste four of their beers. I really liked the Panzerfaust, which is definitely one of the best beers I've had in a long time. It was robust and unique. Caitlin and crew did a great job making sure we had all our tastings and had a good time during the event. I liked the chill vibe and passion for beer that eminated the brewery.

    This book can not be judged by its cover.
    John L.

    Three cheers for the Stubborn Beauty Crew! Start-up text book!!! Great revitalization of a historic industrial space with room to grow, which they are steadily doing in a very wise & controlled fashion. I've seen (& tasted) their process grow, mature, & REFINE over the past year. Great job guys! Tonight I hosted a group from work with hopes of enticing a food truck to stop-by for even as little as an hour or two before their late night shift. No such luck for any of the four parties; The Truck, The Brewery, The 50+ Hungry Patrons, & My Group of 10+ Starving Brewery Fiends. Food Truckers GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE!!! Anyway, the Stubborn Crew was gracious enough to allow me to provide my own Salsa (Pineapple and a Fresh Corn) to my friends & brave passer byes while we enjoyed pint after pint. The FRYDAY night crowd & Growler Regulars are a sight to behold and experienced. I enjoy meeting new people with a diverse background and a common interest in fresh craft brew, which Stubborn Beauty Brewery is making their mark. Open every Friday 5:00-8:00 pm & Saturday 12:00-4:00.

    The interior
    Tony L.

    Super cool microbrewery in Middletown. It's off Main Street in the mainly industrial area, so be wary when walking here at night - we were a little sketched out, but we're city folk so we fared fine. The people working on tap were extremely friendly and gave us great suggestions on what to try. We obviously went for the IPAs that didn't disappoint, but it was the logo and setting that caught my eye the most. The setting is really intimate and small with large windows bleeding in. The decor is quite dark {colour-wise}, but the humor of the posters brought a touch of lightness to the venue. We'll definitely be coming back.

    Tasting
    Kristen C.

    Small and funky place. Cool merch. Sadly, we didn't really love any of the beers. Did a tasting and then left. We'll probably come back if we're in the area, it's worth a second look.

    Stubborn beauty
    Ashley R.

    One of my favorite breweries to visit not just for the beer! I love the atmosphere and great service. The first time I came to visit I was immediately greeted and the staff educated me about stubborn beauty they gave me great recommendations. Would recommend!

    Bar.
    John S.

    Hidden in an old industrial part of Middletown, Are a group of men that deserve a beer-brewing crown. And while Stubborn Beauty's in it's initial stages, In no time the brewmasters will quadruple their wages. I went at 3:00 on the second Saturday they were open. Was hoping to try all five of their offerings (especially the Double IPA), but unfortunately they had already run out of three types of beer. The Black IPA (Speaking in Tongues) started out with a robust, malty flavor and then finished with a serious dropkick of hops (a hop-kick?) right to the tastebuds. The Dunkelweiss (Kommandant Lassard) was rich and sweet; would pair well with a dessert. It was a good beer, and it's currently being sold at Eli Cannon's. I talked to some of the guys working, who told me they are also brewing a Belgian Blonde called Traxx that Eli Cannon's will be selling for the next year or so. The employees were all really cool and passionate about beer. They said they have some larger pieces of equipment coming that should help Stubborn Beauty keep up with the high demand for their product moving forward. The tasting room is simple, but the old factory building gives it character. You will be handed a card at the door with 5 checkboxes and the boxes will be marked by the server as you sample each beer. The samples will be about 3 ounces each and will be poured in classy custom glasses. Aside from running out of beer, the parking lot was awful: very muddy with a lot of holes. Per the brewery's website, this should be resolved in the future. You can buy two different sized growlers. To fill the standard 64 oz, the price is in the $14-$20 range. Cash only. Overall, OK tasting experience and very good beer. Stubborn Beauty has a boatload of potential and I wish them all the best. Middletown is a great town and it deserves a great brewery like Stubborn Beauty.

    Brewery!!!
    Maria S.

    Great beer! Friendly and helpful staff!! Most importantly they are open on Sundays!!

    Wrong Entrance
    Mark C.

    Excellent beer! Upon searching for new local breweries we found this location and what a surprise. The inside of the tap room is very well decorated and you can bring food inside and enjoy on one of the tables. Located inside of an industrial building at the end of a dirt road. It is a great find and a wonderful place to spend your afternoon. There are several options for enjoying beer from a German wheat Kommanddant Lassard to a Panzerfaust to a lighter color but heavier ABV called Nummy Nummy or The Fist. All very tasty with good flavors and hints of fruits in some of the beers. This is definitely a place to enjoy a lunch and have a beer with your lunch or bring a game of cards with your significant other. There is the option of growlers to fill or buy new. Cheers!

    Logo made out of beer caps.

    See all

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jason M.
    175
    42
    0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jess L.
    3520
    5578
    5924

    11 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John L.
    215
    647
    3830

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tony L.
    831
    844
    2193

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Anne C.
    406
    892
    2727

    10 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of BFunk G.
    115
    31
    27

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Emily A.
    118
    50
    7

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John L.
    36
    192
    82

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Josh G.
    6
    31
    15

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Stubborn Beauty Brewing

    Still allowed to bring your own food?

    yes

    Do they sell beer to go in cans? I know they have growler refills.

    Sometimes, but it's rare for now. They will usually announce it on Facebook if they're selling cans for the weekend.

    View All 4 Questions

    Bergen House - Mead Flight

    Bergen House

    4.8(26 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    Never had Meade before and I'm kicking myself now. I'm not a fan of "hoppy" drinks, BUT the hoppy…read moreMeade I will drink and actually got me to venture down other "hoppy" lanes, like beer. Especially for someone who likes cider and wine, the Meade has a nice, refreshing flavor. The different flavor nodes of the honey make it sweeter and not bitter (personal preference). Awesome sit in areas with TONS of games for socialization with friends. In this order are my favorites!! Wally, Whip, Lemon, Bouchot, Ginga, Cherry, Hoppy, Pecan

    Bergen House is a craft meadery that opened in Middletown, Connecticut in September 2020. It was…read morefounded by army veteran Talon Bergen. He first began experimenting with homebrewing when his brother-in-law gifted him a Mr. Beer kit. The first batch of Bergen's homebrew was awful, but the kit came with an interesting book that he read over and over again. He soon became fascinated with the science behind brewing and fermentation. Later on, a friend gifted him a bottle of homemade mead. Bergen's wife Emilie liked it much more than any beer she ever tried, so he decided to try his hand at crafting mead. Mead is a fermented beverage made from a mixture of honey, water and yeast. It is the oldest fermented beverage known to man (predating beer, wine and cider). Like his first batch of beer, Bergen's first batch of mead was also awful. After several months, Bergen finally began making mead that was drinkable. The Bergens later had an idea to open their own brewery. After seeing how many breweries that Connecticut already had, they instead decided to open a meadery. The Bergens found a space in Middletown's old trolley barn building to house their meadery and taproom. Although not the state's only meadery, Bergen House is the only one to have its own taproom for on-site consumption. I recently visited Bergen House for the first time after going for a long bike ride on the nearby Air Line State Park Trail. I was greeted by Emilie Bergen who was very friendly and talked to me about the different meads. There were eight different meads on tap during my visit. Each one has different spices and fruits added for flavoring. I ordered a sampler flight which featured "Crime Scene" (Rye Bourbon Barrel-Aged Sweet & Sour Cherry Mead), "Local Buzz" (Dry Mead made with local honey from Hilltop Apiaries), "Wally" (Off-Dry Mead made with wildflower honey, green tea and Citra hops), and "Grapefruit Meads Business" (Wildflower Mead flavored with rosemary, grapefruit & ginger). The latter two were my favorites! Emilie also gave me a small sample of "Bochet": a traditional French Mead made with wildflower honey caramelized before fermentation. I ended up taking home a growlito of "Wally", which tasted a lot like a honey-infused New England IPA. I had a great experience at Bergen House and I look forward to returning!

    Photos
    Bergen House - Exterior

    Exterior

    Bergen House - Interior

    Interior

    Bergen House - Bochet mead

    See all

    Bochet mead

    Concentric Brewing Company - Beer Flight

    Concentric Brewing Company

    4.1(32 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    "Concentric circles Wider and wider…read moreFrom the stones that you threw" (Fatboy Slim) Located pretty much under the Arrigoni Bridge connecting Portland to Middletown lies the Concentric Brewing Company. When you walk in, you'll notice two big attention grabbers -a big circular bar in front of you and big silver brewing tanks to your right. The tanks are key, because all of their beers are made right here at the brewery. Fourteen of them were on tap, with representatives from the IPA, Stout, Fruit Sour, Pilsner, Irish Red, Witbier, Brown Ale, Saison, and Stout branches of beer's family tree. The non-beer drinkers won't go home thirsty, because Concentric offers them cocktails, wine and ciders on the menu. A professional organization I belong to met there last night for beers, food, and a charity collection. I enjoyed a pint of their Portland Lite Pilsner (5.1% ABV) - it was refreshing and quite tasty. Concentric has a pretty nice bargain on four-beer flights for just $12. Our group bought quite a few of them and I also enjoyed a short pour of their Forever Red Irish Ale (5% ABV) and Quarry Brown American Ale (6.2% ABV). I enjoyed both and as a non-IPA guy, I was struck by how many non-IPA's they had. Now we all know that a good beer goes best with some good food, right? Well, we had big serving trays of Chicken skewers, French fries and excellent Firecracker Braised Pork and Beef Meatballs, cooked with Concentric Beer and a Smoked Ancho Glaze. The chicken was served over an incredible bed of spicy cabbage chunks that a friend described as "vegetable crack". That serving tray should have been classified as a controlled substance! It was cold last night, so we didn't have the chance to wander around outside and take advantage of the outdoor beer garden and lawn areas. The staff was excellent, especially the young ladies who chose a non-IPA flight for me! Well, done, Concentric.

    I went for New Years Eve for about an hour because they closed early :(. I really enjoyed the…read moreflight, specifically the Donut stout or porter was well made, and actually tasted like a DONUT. I couldn't believe it! Definitely good vibes! I will be back to play games, there are plenty to choose from!

    Photos
    Concentric Brewing Company - Tray of chicken skewers over spicy cabbage

    Tray of chicken skewers over spicy cabbage

    Concentric Brewing Company - Exterior

    Exterior

    Concentric Brewing Company - The outdoor patio

    See all

    The outdoor patio

    Rule of 3 Brewing

    Rule of 3 Brewing

    4.8(12 reviews)
    6.5 mi

    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.)

    Rule of 3 offers several beer options and all done well. The owners set up a very inviting…read moreatmosphere with large TVs and games to play. You can sit with friends play cards or pick a day board for a couple rounds. Plenty of seating available. Service is friendly and knowledgeable on the beer selection. They have cool merch with their cool logo. Enjoy!

    Photos
    Rule of 3 Brewing
    Rule of 3 Brewing
    Rule of 3 Brewing - Mama Nena Food Truck on 1/6/24.

    See all

    Mama Nena Food Truck on 1/6/24.

    Stubborn Beauty Brewing - breweries - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...