When we went: January 11th, 2020
Location: 365 John Downey Dr, New Britain, CT 06051
So, we have to admit, Alvarium was already our favorite brewery before we started our blog. The brewery, which opened in 2017, is located in the industrial part of New Britain, not too far from Central Connecticut State University where Shannon and Chris both got their master’s degrees. In fact, it was at Alvarium, in 2017, that we first met and decided to give this whole craft beer thing a try. Well, since then we have been to over 60 Connecticut breweries so you can say we hopped (pun intended) on the bandwagon. One of the things that makes Alvarium special, is its nod to the history and work ethic of New Britain. The city’s Latin motto translates to “Industry fills the hive and enjoys the honey” and the brewery has fully embraced the worker bee vibe considering taproom décor, beers on tap, and the fact that Alvarium is Latin for beehive. Well, enough about the history, here’s what we think.
Chris: Starting with the location, Alvarium has ample off-street parking, outdoor and indoor seating, with a large taproom. The brewery is an interesting mix of Polish, German, and bee themes. The logo is a beehive and honeycombs are all over the place, but the furniture gives you an Oktoberfest vibe. When it comes to food, they serve pretzels, kielbasa with sauerkraut, and have a food truck almost every day. But more important than all of this is the beer. Alvarium has over a dozen beers on tap (and a guest cider from New England Cidery) with a wide selection of styles. I have seen every style you can think of made by these guys. My top beer styles are stouts, porters, and sours (see Shannon, I drink more than darks!!) and Alavrium does these all well. When looking at Untapped, I have had 31 different beers from this brewery, and most have ranked very high on my list. Recently we went back here because they came out with a new beer, Clusterbits, a Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Stout, a variant on their famous Clusternutter. Clusterbits was not too heavy while still being pretty flavorful and had a nice saltness to it. I would highly recommend this beer and this brewery for both devout and casual beer drinkers.
Shannon: Over the last two years I’ve had over thirty different types of beer from Alvarium. You guys, this place is seriously incredible. They do the traditional stuff well, but when it comes to experimental flavors, they’re not afraid to try new things. Some of my favorite flavors from them include peanut butter, peppermint, PB&J, coffee, guava, raspberry, banana, and mango. If you’re looking for a place that shakes things up in flavor town, you won’t be disappointed by Alvarium. If you’re not sure what you want or might like, try a taster or get a flight. The bar staff is kind, knowledgeable, and 100% passionate about getting the right beer in your hand. Personally, I’m a big fan of their Creamo Ale, because one, it tastes good, and two, its historical connection to New Britain. Creamo was once an iconic brew in the 1940s and 1950s. Alvarium, partnered with Avery’s Beverage, has brought this delicious beer back to life and I thank them.
Other cool stuff:
- Dogs are allowed (follow their Dogs.of.Alvarium Instagram)
- Food trucks
- Snacks also available
- Wine and Avery soda available
- Cool merch for dogs and their human companions!
- Bar games
Our Persuasion:
What we drank: Clusterbits (Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Stout) 4.5 out of 5
Brewery Persuasion: 5 out of 5
Feeling persuaded yet?
Brewing Persuasions 