When we went: January 2nd, 2020
Location: 47 Purnell Plaza, Manchester, CT 06040
Urban Lodge opened in August of 2019, so they are pretty new to the craft-brewery scene. As soon as you walk in you are transported to a ski lodge in Colorado. How did they develop teleportation technology like in Star Trek? Not sure, but by looking at the decor you can clearly see you are in Aspen.They committed to the ski lodge aesthetic 100%, even their logo is a mountain range. The inside is split between the lounge side and the play side. The lounge side is pretty self explanatory with several comfy sitting areas. On the play side you will find tons of games like corn hole, tiki toss, and giant Jenga. Outside you still get that same ski resort feel with a giant beautiful mural and fire pits. Despite cultivating this Colorado inspired brewery, the owners all grew up in Manchester. And they chose the perfect place to put a brewery, downtown Manchester, right behind the restaurant Lucky Taco Cantina & Tap Room.
Chris: I am a big fan of Urban Lodge’s location and décor; it really does feel like a beautiful ski resort with plenty of beer. I have been here a few times now and really enjoyed myself every time. This is a place I could spend all day drinking beer and playing games. Just never play corn hole with Shannon, you will beat her and then she will pretend that she won. Even though they don’t serve food, they are in downtown Manchester so all you have to do is walk a few feet and you will be next to like four different restaurants. We stopped in for some tacos and then went for some beer at Urban Lodge. Speaking of beer, last time Shannon and I went they only had six or so beers, but according to their website, they have twelve on tap currently. Its exciting to see how quickly they are expanding. I would recommend their Pop’s Stout, which is a 5% milk stout that goes down real smooth. There are plenty of breweries in Manchester, but make sure this your first stop.
Shannon: First off, I would like to formally state that I am an EXCELLENT cornhole player (Chris is a sore loser because he always loses to me.) If you would like to test this statement, I will happily crush you in a one-on-one game. Second, Urban Lodge is an awesome little brewery! Out of all the taprooms in Manchester, this is probably my favorite one. They often have some really good IPA’s on tap, but my favorite brew of theirs is a Kolsch called Sunrise Run. The beer is light and dry with subtle tastes of citrus and lemon. It’s the perfect springtime beer (currently on tap too!) And for my third and final statement, another really nice thing about Urban Lodge is that they have wine and cider available. One of the best ciders I’ve had while in the taproom is Stafford Cidery’s sweet vanilla cider. Try it. You can thank me later.
Other cool stuff:
- Dog friendly patio
- Tons of music and trivia events
- Kid friendly
- Plenty of merch both at the taproom and online
Shannon: Morning Mist (Golden Ale) 3 out of 5
Chris: Pop’s Stout (Milk Stout) 4.25 out of 5
Brewing Persuasion: 4 out of 5
Brewing Persuasions 