Hog River Brewery

When Chris Went: October 24th, 2020

Where: 1429 Park Street, Hartford, CT 06106

Hog River Brewing Company’s founding has the “traditional” craft brewery story. A husband and wife tire of their corporate jobs and decide to pursue their lifelong dream of owning and operating a brewery. They finally realized their dreams with the opening of Hog River in Parkville, Hartford in August of 2016. It is located inside the old Hartford Rubber Works industrial building, which is home to a number of other businesses including Pine & Iron Axe Throwing. All of these businesses are connected, and you can get a growler to go and bring it right on over to axe throwing. I mean, what could be more fun than drinking around dangerous weapons? I know I had fun when I did it. The brewery takes its name from the Park River, nicknamed Hog River because of the smell and pollution. For that reason, and its constant flooding, the army buried the river in the 1940s and it now exists in a subterranean tunnel that empties out into the Connecticut River. Luckily, the taproom is more appealing than a subterranean tunnel; it keeps its industrial look that so many breweries have while still being a welcoming location. Hog River has tons of benches inside and a few stools, and a few benches outside during warmer months. The taproom has simple decorations, grey painted walls with a few murals and industrial parts to give the feel of a true craft brewery.

Hog River Brewing | Hartford's Craft Brewery

Chris: I have frequented Hog River Brewing a number of times over the years and almost every time they have something going, usually live local bands playing. They have a pretty good variety of beers and a decent selection. Hog River is a great hangout spot for you and your friends since there is so much to do at the brewery and nearby. From the axe-throwing and the live music its a place that you can go to as much for the events as for the beer. Last time I went I got their version of the Black is Beautiful and the Zozimus Sour. The sour was pretty unique, with marshmallow, coconut, and vanilla. When I went they had the Baba Ganoush food truck, which is the food truck of Tangiers, a Mediterranean restaurant in Hartford. My spicy lamb gyro was absolutely amazing and I hope next time I go to Hog River I can order it again.

Ten Cozy Cold Weather Hideouts | Cold weather activities, Brewery, Old factory

Shannon: I’m a sucker for a relaxed, industrial brewery. I’ve been to Hog River a handful of times, maybe not as many as Chris, but enough times to know that I really enjoy their taproom and their beers! If you’re ever there and they have their Coffee Milk Stout on tap, I highly recommend getting it! This beer is sweet, rich, and creamy with the hearty coffee roast flavor to finish. Another beer of theirs that I often enjoy is the Granola Brown Ale. At 5.7% ABV, this granola tasting beer is malty and holds a brown sugar sweetness to the very last drop. The Granola Brown Ale is often on tap but can also be found canned in a number of different package stores.

Other Cool Things:

  • Fancy event room called the Stave Room
  • Lots of live local music
  • Cider and Kombucha on tap
  • Axe-throwing next door
  • Free parking

What Chris Drank:

Chris: Black is Beautiful (Pastry Stout) 7% – 4 out of 5

Chris: Zozimus Mango with Marshmallow, Coconut & Vanilla (Sour) – 4 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 4 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

Braxton Brewing Company

When Shannon Went: September 12, 2020

Where: 27 W 7th St, Covington, KY 41011

What began in a garage has turned into an entrepreneurial brewing empire. Braxton Brewing Co., a local Northern Kentucky brewery with national recognition, is known as one of the fastest growing craft breweries in the United States. Braxton operates four different locations in Covington, KY, Newport, KY, Fort Mitchell, KY, and Cincinnati, OH. Their newest location, Braxton – Cincinnati, opened this September in the Queen City’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, finally “crossing the river so you don’t have to.” Braxton owes much of their success to their hard seltzer brand, VIVE, which quickly grew into a top regional hard seltzer after its launch.

Shannon: One hot September afternoon, I ventured across the Ohio River to Covington, Kentucky, to visit the rooftop bar at Braxton Brewing Co. After riding the elevator up three stories, I walked into an open lawn space, with a massive living plant wall, and stunning views of Covington and downtown Cincinnati. Most important was the draft list of nearly 20 beers, hard seltzer, and specialty cocktails. I enjoyed a really delicious blood orange shandy that I fell in love with instantly. I crushed that beer realllll fast. Brewed with freshly cut, rip blood oranges, this low 4% ABV beer is a smooth and juicy infusion of citrus and sweet perfection. It was the perfect beer to enjoy on a green, socially distant, rooftop bar.

Other Cool Things:

  • Braxton has a private barrel program you can take part in!
  • Lots of merch for sale
  • Cans to-go and curb side pick up
  • VIVE Hard Seltzer is their original brand!
  • Braxton has an indoor taproom and rooftop bar at their original Kentucky location – for the winter months they turned their rooftop bar into an igloo bar!
  • Braxton Labs is a second location where they experiment with styles, flavors and ingredients
  • The Braxton Barrel House is a third location you can visit!
  • Braxton finally crossed the Ohio River into Cincinnati with their newest (fourth) location!

What Shannon Drank:

Shannon: Garage Beer (Lager) 4% – 3 out of 5

Shannon: Scooter Blood Orange Radler ( Shandy) 4% – 4.5 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 4.5 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

City Steam Brewery

When Chris Went: October 24th, 2020

Where: 942 Main Street, Hartford CT 06103

City Steam opened in 1997, making it one of Connecticut’s oldest breweries. Their flagship beer series, Naughty Nurse, is a Connecticut staple. The brewery’s name comes from their method of brewing, with steam. The Hartford Steam Company has engineered a way to run steam pipes into City Steam, and the brewery uses the steam to power their 23-barrel brewery. City Steam is located in the historic Cheney building, built in 1875 by the Cheney brothers who produced silk in Manchester. The structure later housed part of the historic G. Fox Department Store, and the brewery’s iron railings and millwork are salvaged from it. Needless to say, there is a lot of history behind both City Steam and the Cheney building. When you walk inside, the first thing you will notice is how the brewery has kept their historic look. Almost every surface is covered in dark expensive looking wood. City Steam is a restaurant as well as a brewery, and their main dining room feels like a miniature Gatsby mansion with a grand chandler and multileveled seating area. City Steam brewery is an exceptionally unique location.

Chris: I have been to City Steam a bunch, not just for their beer but also for their food. Their food is self described as, “upscale casual” and I would say that is a fitting description. You will find your typical pub food, but much fancier and tastier. My personal favorite is their Naughty Nurse beer-battered fish and chips. They also have some great desserts as you can see. For their beer, City Steam has a pretty large selection, although they usually only have one dark beer on tap. When I went last I got their Blueberry Guava Twist Sour which tasted exactly how it sounds. Overall I would say that City Steam has an amazing location, amazing food, with some pretty good beer and definitely deserves your visit.

Shannon: It seems surprising but I’ve only had the pleasure of visiting City Steam once. I’m not quite sure why I never visited more while I was still living in Hartford. City Steam truly is a one of a kind place. From my one visit way back in 2018 I had two beers – their flagship beer Naughty Nurse Red Ale and a Pink and White Grapefruit Wit (thank god for Untappd, right?) Naughty Nurse is truly a home run, I’ve had this beer many times outside the taproom and every time I love it. City Steams Pink and White Grapefruit Wit is a low percentage traditional Belgian Witbier that’s brewed with pink grapefruit peels instead of the usual orange peel. The result is a aromatic, sweet, and juicy brew that goes down easy. Seriously, if you haven’t visited City Steam, I highly recommend that you do! You’ll find something here for everyone – tasty food, great beer, a variety of events, and a gorgeous historic building. What more could you ask for?

Other Cool Things:

  • Mug club with your own personal mug
  • Brew Ha Ha Comedy Club (plus specially brewed beers just for Comedy Club members)
  • Pool table game room
  • Private space available to rent
  • Outdoor covered seating
  • Bar section (order cocktails, wine, or beer)

What Chris Drank:

Chris: Blueberry Guava Twist (Sour) 4.3% – 4 out of 5

Chris: Steampunk (Porter) 5.5% – 3.5 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 4 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?