Thimble Island Brewing Company

When Chris Went: October 10th, 2020

Where: 16 Business Park Drive, Branford, CT 06405

If you live in Branford you probably know where Thimble Island Brewing Company gets its name, but if you are like me and didn’t grow up near the Long Island Sound then you might not know that it is named after a series of islands right off of the Connecticut coast. The next piece of information you need to know is that the brewery is 4 or 5 miles inland from the islands where it gets its name. Despite not being able to see the ocean, the brewery sticks to the nautical theme with tentacles painted on the walls and their logo being a square knot. The idea for Thimble Island brewing began as an interest in homebrewing which eventually led them to sell their beer to local bars. In 2013 they ended up at their current location and have been going strong there for seven years. In fact, they recently reopened after some indoor renovation of their taproom and rentable event space. The taproom has polished concrete and hardwood floors, plenty of tables and high tops, and a very bright area with a nice mural of tentacles opening a beer can. Outside they have added a ton of picnic tables accompanied by JJ’s Food Truck.

Chris: My brother and I went to Thimble Island right after they reopened in what would normally be peak Oktoberfest season. It was also peak pumpkin-flavored-everything season so I got their Dark Pumpkin Porter. I am not usually a pumpkin person, but this beer was pretty good. It was not an overpowering pumpkin flavor so that really complemented the roasted malts taste. My favorite beer is still their Vanilla Coffee Stout which is available at almost any package store. My roommates and I can find it even though we are no where near Branford. The brewery was busy when we went but we felt pretty comfortable with all the safety measures that were in place. The indoor and outdoor tables were safely spread apart, and the servers came to each table to avoid crowds at the bar. Now that it has gotten colder, they have added heaters to their outdoor picnic tables. P.S. their urinals are old kegs, just thought everyone should know.

Shannon: I’ve always had a sweet spot for Thimble Island since visiting the taproom for the first time a few years ago. I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing their new renovation, but from the pictures that tentacle mural is everything! While Chris’s favorite Thimble Island brew is the Vanilla Coffee Stout, my personal favorite is a little beauty who goes by the name Bon Voyage. Coming in at a cool 5.5%, this beer is the perfect brunch choice. A take on their super dry Brut IPA, Bon Voyage is packed with fresh oranges and champagne, giving it a strong tangy flavor. A second variant of this beer is the Bon Voyage – Rosé Brut which is brewed with strawberries and hibiscus. Sadly though Bon Voyage is no longer in production, so you’ll have to be on the look out for a beermosa elsewhere.

Other Cool Things:

  • Annual seafood and brew festival
  • They offer mini kegs, growlers, and crowlers
  • Cool taproom art and even cooler can art!
  • Merch available online and in the taproom
  • Event space available
  • Dog friends allowed!
  • Socially distanced indoor and outdoor seating

What Chris Drank:

Chris: Dark Pumpkin (Porter) 5% – 4 out of 5

Chris: Olivia (Sour) 5% – 3 out of 5

Chris: Vanilla Coffee (Stout) 7% – 4.5 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 4 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

Humble Monk Brewing Co.

When Shannon Went: September 11, 2020

Where: 1641 Blue Rock St, Cincinnati, OH 45223

Humble Monk Brewing Company is one of the newer breweries to grace the Queen City beer scene recently. Specializing in Belgian-style beers, this Northside taproom pours traditional old world beers with a little taste of experimental ales. When you walk into the taproom a few things are sure to stand out to you. Church pews serve as the primary seating, industrial cable stools are made into tables, fairy lights twinkle up in the ceiling rafters, and the family atmosphere fills in the rest of all that empty space. A family owned and operated brewery, the Kemps are always behind the bar, welcoming and pouring drafts for everyone that walks in. Humble Monk is the kind of brewery that pours you a beer and makes you feel like your getting a warm hug too.

Shannon: I truly adore Humble Monk Brewing Company! I promise I’m not over exaggerating when I say that this is one of the friendliest brewery’s I have ever been to. During my first visit the owners were behind the bar pouring beers and both of them took the time to talk to me about their family business, what brought me to Cincinnati, and how I’m liking the beer scene so far. They even went as far as to suggest beers and let me try some of their newest stuff not even on tap yet. When I came back for a second visit they already remembered who I was, so I mean, yeah, Humble Monk is the friendliest brewery in all of Cincinnati if you ask me! As for their beers, not every one is a rockstar but I still really enjoyed the flight I got. I’ve only have six different beers from them, but so far my favorite is Rapture, a 9.7% ABV chocolate imperial stout. My second favorite would have to be Devoted, a 7% ABV belgian dubble.

Other Cool Things:

  • NYPD Pizza delivers to the taproom
  • Food trucks often
  • Family owned brewery!
  • Right across the street from Urban Artifact Brewing!
  • Was originally going to be named Rabbit Hash Brewing Co.
  • Pet friendly!
  • Tons of different events (pup meet-ups, live music, trivia, comedy, Dungeons and Dragons)

What Shannon Drank: Flight Edition!

Shannon: Abbey (Red Ale) 7.4% – 3.5 out of 5

Shannon: Devoted (Belgian Dubbel) 7% – 4 out of 5

Shannon: Pearly Gates (IPA) 6.5% – 3.5 out of 5

Shannon: Rapture (Imperial Stout) 9.7% – 4 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: rating 4 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

Forest City Brewing

When Chris Went: September 26th, 2020

Where: 180 Johnson St, Middletown, CT 06457

Forest City Brewing opened their taproom in the Remington Rand building in Middletown in 2017, and since then the building has become a hotspot for alcohol. Today, the Remington Rand complex has two breweries, Forest City and Stubborn Beauty, and a cidery, Spoke + Spy. In normal times you would be able to stop by and hang out at all three, but during COVID-19, Forest City is currently the only one that lets you hang around with your beer. Because of all the modern day craziness they have added expansive outdoor seating and an ordering window so you never have to go inside. The Remington Rand building where they are located has a pretty crazy history itself. Built in late 1800s, it housed a number of industrial businesses, including a few vehicle companies like Eisenhuth Horseless Vehicle Co., but its name comes from the Remington Rand Corp. which made “noiseless” typewriters and other office equipment. As factories across Connecticut shut down in the 1970s, the Remington Rand building fell on hard times. By the 1990s it had become a hellhole with chop shops, drugs, dog fighting, pollution, and prostitution (I am not making this up). The city stepped in to renovate the old factory and bring businesses back. This has helped turn Middletown into a mini-craft beer city in the center of Connecticut.

Chris: I have been to Forest City a few times, but my most recent visit was this fall after they added a bunch of outdoor seating. The place was pretty popular when we went, and they were selling more food options than normal, including apple cider donuts which were amazing and went great with our beers. Forest City doesn’t have that big of a tap list, but they had beer cocktails (hard liquor mixed with their beer) and New England Cidery (which is confusing to me since they’re so close to Spoke + Spy). I had Stone’s Throw Sour which had a nice tart refreshing taste to it. I’m not sure what a lot of these outdoor only breweries will do now that it has started getting cold and COVID-19 is getting worse, but if you are able to go there I highly suggest it. Especially considering how big Middletown has become for food and drinks. The city has three breweries, a cidery, and now a meadery (Bergen House) with tons of great restaurants like the Whey Station so you can spend an entire day in Middletown.

Shannon: Forest City Brewing is a relaxing place to spend some time with friends and family. The taproom itself is on the smaller side and not the most aesthetically pleasing, but it’s the beer that’s important. I will say, the main bar has some beautiful woodwork on it though! With a smaller draft list, I tend to gravitate towards getting a flight. It let’s me try some of their new stuff while ensuring that I get to have one or two of their flagship brews. While not every beer is a rock star, my two favorite Forest City beers are the Brown Cow and Melange Saison. Brown Cow is a 6% ABV milk stout with light chocolate roast flavors making it a great stout for warmer weather. On the other side of things, Melange is a 6.2% ABV saison that tastes like an apple cinnamon explosion. A unique blend of spices and some traditional Belgian flavors make for a delicious, fragrant, dry brew that I highly recommend!

Other Cool Things:

  • Merch for sale in store and online
  • Limited food options thanks to visiting food trucks
  • New England cider available
  • Outdoor “Beer Forest” for seating
  • Located in a historic factory with a truly WILD history
  • Beer cocktails which is pretty cool
  • Grab some to-go cider from Spoke + Spy Ciderworks or beer from Stubborn Beauty Brewing Company since they’re all in the same building

What Chris Drank:

Chris: Stone’s Throw (Sour) 5.5% – 4 out of 5

Chris: Coniferous (Kolsch) 7% – 4 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 3.5 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?