Stubborn Beauty Brewing Company is a craft brewery that opened in Middletown, Connecticut in March 2014. It was founded by brewers and business partners Andrew Daigle and Shane Lentini. The two met in high school in New Britain and later began home-brewing together. The first beer they made together was an Imperial IPA dripping with Columbus Hops. They named the beer "Nummy Nummy". For the next few years, the duo won several accolades after entering their beers at various home-brewing festivals. The brewery officially opened to the public in 2014 inside Middletown's old Remington Rand building. The historic building complex opened in 1896 as the Keating Bicycle Factory. Throughout the decades, motorcycles, automobiles, typewriters and even military missile parts were manufactured there. The building closed its doors in the early 1970s and fell into disrepair. The city later took it over and by 2009 it had been refurbished with several new tenants renting space inside. I've visited Stubborn Beauty multiple times over the years. I first tried some of their beer at various beer festivals before they officially opened. Each time I visit, their brew system looks bigger and their beers keep getting better. What really stands out for me are their delicious IPAs. Some of my favorites include the aforementioned "Nummy Nummy", "Happy Treez" and "The Fist". I'll continue to drink Stubborn Beauty's offerings for years to come. If you plan on visiting the brewery in Middletown, I must recommend making it a craft beer afternoon because the Remington Rand building is also home to Forest City Brewing and Spoke + Spy Ciderworks. read more

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Great brewery that has corn hole and games! There's a good amount of space inside. We enjoyed their beers (ipas and sour) we also enjoyed the spicy pineapple cider from Spoke & Spy Ciderworks. They also have an outdoor area. Staff was super friendly too! read more

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Stubborn Beauty is one of three breweries/cideries in the old Remington Rand building. They're the largest of the three in here, having distribution across Connecticut. Stubborn is known mostly for their NEIPAS, but I was delighted to find that they have some other stuff on offer when we came in to visit. Don't get me wrong, I love me an IPA, but also like to try different and unique stuff. Anyhow, they have a smallish drinking area, but bigger than their neighbor, Forest City. It's also a super chill vibe, at the time of our visit dog friendly (always check before visiting in case regulations or enforcement change.) Staff is super chill and very friendly, and big fans of our pupper. I only wish that these guys were closer to where we live, so we could visit more often! read more

Stubborn Beauty Brewing - Bottlecap art - Breweries Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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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! read more

Stubborn Beauty Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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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. read more

Stubborn Beauty Brewing - Beer List 12/8/18 - Breweries Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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The Brewer is awesome. I enjoyed going out with my best friend Mark. He enjoyed it much. Is anyone else the service was awesome thank you very much for all the great services you guys do for us. Great atmosphere to. read more

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. read more

Stubborn Beauty Brewing - Open on Thursdays - Breweries Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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. read more

Stubborn Beauty Brewing - Humorous pulls - Breweries Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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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. read more

Stubborn Beauty Brewing - This book can not be judged by its cover. - Breweries Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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. read more

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It's the kind of place you don't want to tell anyone about. SHHHHHHH.... okay now that I got that out of the way you should head here if you a craft beer devotee. Go past the other brewery and stop in here. Their beers are the best hands down. I have a weird palate for beer-I like stouts and I like IPA's. You won't be disappointed here. Super friendly staff, a nice funky warehouse atmosphere and different ways to enjoy your beer. They have a limited release of this Happy Treez available (although you can find it at package stores in the area) and Singularity sold as a bottle. They have growlers and fill them with a smile. You get a tasting paddle or just a glass of the latest favorite pour. Go local. You will love it. Just don't tell anyone! read more

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. read more

Stubborn Beauty Brewing - Tasting - Breweries Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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! read more

Stubborn Beauty Brewing - Stubborn beauty - Breweries Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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Heavy ipa list of beers. The big surprise was the panzer a very different style of beer than most breweries offer. Very German full bodied and great. The bathroom is horrible. Sick was clogged, toilet wouldn't flush. Also while I appreciate as a dog owner the ability to enjoy a frosty cold one with mans best friend, walking through dog piss because owners have unleashed their dogs not so much fun. I will come back and update. read more

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. read more

Stubborn Beauty Brewing - Bar. - Breweries Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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Over the past 6 months I have visited their tasting room 3x and yet to have a bad pint or flight. Like many CT breweries, Stubborn Beauty is in a repurposed industrial building but don't let it's exterior fool you for beyond the doors lies some of the best and most consistent beers around. Their IPAs - my personal favorites is the Happy Treez, cloudy and hoppy like beer and grapefruit would taste like if it had a child - great but to me their standouts are their higher ABV, especially Nummy Nummy. The tasting room is not very large but quite comfortable and I have never had a problem finding a seat or a place to stand. There have been some food trucks when I have visited on the weekend but I would suggest bringing a snack in case you get the munchies. Cheers to another Great CT Brewery! read more

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

Stubborn Beauty Brewing - Brewery!!! - Breweries Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

Nestled in an old brick building, it looks like you took a wrong turn into a warehouse about 5 minutes off of main street in Middletown. The front room smells sour, as barrels of fermenting grain sit in the open air. Through the door, the tasting room is full of natural light with huge windows. Exposed ductwork and brick continue the industrial feel. A variety of drought offerings all have unique names such as NAME and NAME. Flavor profiles tend toward hoppy with hints of fruit. As expected, you can order a flight of 5 for about $9, which comes on plank with small glass goblets. Lots of standing room and the tasting area is pet friendly. read more

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! read more

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This is definitely one of the most consistently great breweries in central CT. There's something here for everyone in that they don't just cater to the NEIPA craze, though they do this style really well. For those still doing the low contact thing during COVID, they have a great system set up for that with minimal human contact. They also have a killer deal going on with their two most popular IPA's for $60/case and their other styles at $72/case. Great way to stock up the beer fridge with one trip. read more

So...I've been here at least three times in the past three weeks. Maybe four times. I've lost count. But I wish I started coming before this year! Stubborn Beauty has amazing beers. Hands down. I'd always heard that, and I have had a couple of their IPAs at restaurants over the past couple of years, but there's nothing like actually being there. The tasting room is always crowded, but they move the line along pretty quickly. You won't always have a place to sit, but they did a good job maximizing space in whatever way they could - there are shelves along the wall to place flights (lift, don't slide!), tables with stools in the middle, a couch, and they even managed to make use of a support beam as a place to rest beer on all four sides. It's definitely cramped with all the people, but that's to be expected at a place with great beer. Each time I've gone they've had a good variety of beers to choose from, usually 8-10 on tap. I'm a bit of a strict IPA lover, and am currently trying to decide between Happy Treez and The Fist as my favorite. Maybe I don't need a favorite, they're both great. Stubborn Beauty offers 32 oz and 64 oz growlers. They'll fill your growlers from home/from other breweries as long as they're clean (and they will check!), and if you want to buy one there, the 32 oz glass growler is only $3 as of the time of writing this review. The fill price is based on the beer ($8 for my IPA seemed like a great deal!). There is plenty of parking, and don't be offput by the abandoned warehouse feel after you've already driven down a long road over some deserted train tracks. Yes, it feels sketchy at first, but once you walk into the tasting room you forget what it looks like outside. The Whey Station (grilled cheese-based food truck) seems to be permanently parked outside, and they have other food trucks come by as well. Currently they're open Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. If you haven't been here yet...stop waiting. read more

Like beer? Go here. You won't regret it. One of the downsides is the hours. They are only open 3 hours on Friday 5-8 and 5 hours on Saturday 12-5. This is for walk-in beer tasting. They do not have food, so be sure to eat before you go. They have a sampler for $3; you get a decent sample size of 5 beers of your choosing. Excellent price in my opinion. Why 4 instead of 5 stars? Limited hours. No snacks or food. And I wasn't a huge fan of their IPAs. However, I did love their darker beers. My favorite was the Saint Alphonso, which is a delicious Belgian Stout - which I ended up buying a growler of on my way out. I'll be returning. Keep it up Stubborn Beauty! read more

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Loved this cozy tasting room spot. We shared a flight and there wasn't a bad one in the bunch. Being on family vacation, we had my 11-year-old nephew in the mix, and while I wouldn't say the space is intended for kids, folks were very friendly and didn't judge our choice of a pre-dinner family outing. It definitely gets crowded, but we were able to claim a good standing spot and really enjoyed our visit. I could see why people would flock here during their somewhat limited open hours. We left with a growler and would have gone back if our schedule allowed. read more

Was here for Barktober fest with the CT Humane Society. Ambience was fun. Beer was decent. Dog friendly. Staff was awesome. Because of the event, I am not sure what normal operation is like for this venue but will return to find out. read more

An update to my previous review - the parking lot was paved like two years ago so no more boots needed! I see a lot of reviews on here talking about the mud - that's not the case at all anymore :) read more

I'm writing this review based on a Brewfest experience I had this past weekend, in which Stubborn Beauty was one of the breweries in attendance. I, admittedly, was excited to try their stuff, but I was turned off immediately. After waiting in line for about 10 minutes to try a pour, the following conversation ensued: Me: "hey, I've heard good things about you guys! What would you recommend?" Guy at the tap: "all of them..." Me: "okay cool, can you tell me anything about this rye IPA?" Guy at the tap: "yeah, it's good (as he's pouring me about 2 drops of it) End scene (he literally walked away) Hey guy, you're at a Brewfest where people paid good money to come try your beer. If you're trying to make a name for yourself and expand your brand, take 15 seconds to talk to your customers. Trust me, it would go a long way. I left with such a bad taste in my mouth (the beer didn't help) that I will probably never visit their brewery (which I had planned to do in the near future). It's a damn shame because I really root for all of these local guys popping up around CT. 2 stars simply because I support small businesses trying to make it. Step up your game though, SB... read more

Some friends and I went on a recent brewery expedition to sample the goods at a few of the more recently opened CT microbreweries. Have to say this, of the three we hit in the afternoon, was the least favorite for several reasons. The atmosphere was average for an area tap room - crowded, a few tables, some standing room. The bathroom looked like a murder scene and was so unappealing it prompted two of our party to flee the premises entirely in search of a useable-for-ladies restroom. Finally, the beer was only ok. The naughty Eskimo IPA flat out smelled and tasted like nail polish remover, which is unfortunate, because I'm a fan of IPAs. The highly touted Conquerer was less objectionable and mostly tasted like alcohol. Additionally, they had stopped serving flights by the time we arrived. Based on our overall experience and lack of positive factors, we def won't be coming back. It's always possible we simply caught them on an off day, but with the plethora of new and always-developing breweries in the area... why come back to a disappointing place twice? read more

Loved this brewery. Sweet little spot in a building connected to another brewery and a cidery. Off the beaten path. Sun shining through the tall warehouse windows. Friendly staff. Will be back. read more

Big things come in small packages!! While this brewery doesn't offer much sitting space the beer types are plenty and are also very tasty. The inside decor is simple and the best part is that they are dog friendly (5th star just for that reason). Another plus is the fact that you can bring your own food or order delivery which is a big plus for me as it keeps the whole idea of a brewery super chill and a great place to hang. read more

My favorite brewery in Connecticut. Amazing beer great people and the tasting room atmosphere is perfect. Went yesterday with some old college friends and had an fantastic time. I will be back soon read more

3 for 1 when you visit this place! I love the use of our old factory buildings repurposed for small businesses. Especially when they house 2 craft beer and a hard cider brewery. We were first and only guests when they first opened. The guys pouring were great company and very hung over. On their own beer. read more

Stubborn beauty is my pic for CT's best brewery. Its a small place, located in an old industrial building behind a set of train tracks. It was hard to find at first. They let you taste 5 of their beers for $3 and have growler fills. The owners are nice and very knowledgeable. Nummy Nummy is the beer that put them on the map. IMO, its CT's best Imperial IPA and better than the overrated and over-hyped heady topper, out of vermont. Other great beers from them are Sour Tiddys, Us & Them, and Derp. Generally speaking, I think they make great hoppy beers but mis the mark on Malty ones. Most of their IPA's are damn good, but their stouts and porters really cant compare to the best of the best. That said. Stubborn Beauty is a hidden gem of a brewery and deserves you attention if you like great, craft beer. read more

Whoa...talk about a best-kept secret. (Not for long, I'm sure.) Even with a GPS, we had to hunt to find this out-of-the-way brewery hidden in an old factory building behind some rail road tracks in an industrial area. But what a find...you step in and suddenly you're in a small but hip tasting room, where, for only $3, you can sample five different, incredibly fresh beers. Then, if you want to take home a growler (and you will), that $3 is deducted from the cost. So basically, free tastings in a fun environment...and you walk out with some delicious, very reasonably priced local beer. My only regret? That I don't live closer. Hint: They have pretty limited hours for the tastings, I believe. Hopefully that will change! read more

Holy smokes! my old review is over 2 years old! I have been back here a few times since they opened and every time the beer gets better, the road and parking lot have definitely improved. Great to have a brewery like this close to home! Definitely worth stopping in and sampling their beers, and now there is another new brewery down the hall! read more

Stubborn Beauty Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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Great vibe in an industrial area. Loved the atmosphere inside. Three beers on tap during our tasting - all were very good! My favorite was Traaxx. Definitely recommend a trip out to Middletown! Cheers! read more

Stubborn Beauty Brewing - Outside sign - Breweries Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

Small place with a heavy ipa list (which aren't my favorites). Tried the sour and it was very good. They close earlier than the other brewery in the same building (and early in general on a Saturday) which was disappointing. read more

One of my favorite breweries I have visited. Fun atmosphere in Middletown with a great selection of beers. We enjoyed almost all the beers. Our favorite was "How Rye Am I". Workers were very friendly too. read more

This place is a gem! I came here on a Saturday afternoon around 2:30, and it was jam packed. I had intended on ordering a flight to sample all of the beers, but decided to hold off because there was nowhere to sit. I ordered a happy treez IPA and really enjoyed it. The beer was caramel colored and was served in a tulip glass. For an IPA this beer wasn't overly hoppy, and it had hints of citrus which made it very refreshing. I would definitely like to give this place another try, and would recommend getting there early if you plan on finding a place to chill. read more

I came to Stubborn Beauty this past Sunday for a post-5k private party. While I have tried their Nummy Nummy in cans before, I've never been to the brewery. It is a little difficult to find, as it is a part of what seems like an old warehouse. The tasting room was smaller than I was expecting it to be, but there are a fair amount of tables and stools to sit down and enjoy a beer with. There was a great assortment of beer on tap, and I was able to taste some before selecting my glass. IPAs are normally my go-to, so I tried the Splendiferous and the Happy Treez, which were both delicous. I ended up selecting a glass of the Splendiferous, but after, decided to try the Conqueror Imperial Brown - and it was amazing! It was surprisingly light for a dark beer, and I really enjoyed it! I even got a growler fill to take home! I do not live close to Middletown, however, I would not hesitate to come back to spend an afternoon enjoying some beers here! read more

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A solid four stars! Five for the brews. The flight of five (kind of pricey at $9) was mostly great, although I didn't really care for the Rye Saisson. Just not my style, but my wife loved it. So, I'm not placing a heavy weight on the individual brews; they were all very good IMO, and since beer is a subjective thing I can only comment on the overall quality, which, as I said, was very good. The shortfalls are the general appearance of the place, and the chaotic nature of the ordering process. The small, cramped tasting room didn't help, and we almost wound up standing there holding our flight in our hands as not a single flat surface was open when we got our beer. Fortunately, a space along the super-narrow counter lining the wall opened up, and we found a place to put down and partake. I mean, the perch is barely wider than the paddle. They say "bring your own food," but good luck if you can't find a table. These counters don't have enough room to fit a ham sandwich. Okay, so what, right? It's a brewery tasting room, not a bar. Although, being in close proximity to Wesleyan, it sure had the atmosphere of a good-time bar. That's cool with me. Good energy. As others have mentioned, we weren't even sure we were at the right place. The relatively small sign over the garage door on the muddy access road just made it look like the entrance to a loading dock, not a place of business. Once inside the garage, you enter the doorway into the tasting room/brewery. The brewing area isn't even segregated from the rest of the place, other than a small counter for placing orders. I found that kind of unusual. There was a guy washing dishes just a few feet away from the vats. I'm trusting it was clean, though. In the tasting room there are a few steel-topped tables, the aforementioned 2x4 "bar" along the walls, a very minimalist "mural" one one wall. It was a cool joint, no doubt, even if a bit rough. I think the biggest shortcoming is the actual ordering process. Just a short bar, with an entrance to the brewing area cut through it, leaving a tiny section for growler fills on the left, the larger right side for ordering beer. Don't miss the small chalk signs hanging 15' overhead or you might wind up in the wrong queue. We didn't, but that didn't stop several people from just walking up and pushing their way to the bar, like it was well, um...an actual bar. We kind of had to resort to similar rudeness just to hold a spot and get the server's attention. Order by writing your selection on a business card. No effort is made to explain what you're being served, only that they were in the order in which we wrote them down. Stark contrast to our visit to Still Hill, where each beer was explained, and they were put in the order the brewmaster suggested to highlight each beer. Oh well. Hey, the beer was good, it was cold, the Fist IIPA was so good I bought a growler to take home. So it's not fancy, but that's not why you visit a brewery, is it? Recommended! read more