Cold Creek Tavern

When We Went: July 26, 2020

Where: 175 West Rd, Ellington, CT 06029

Cold Creek Brewery started out as a to-go beer only brewery on Industrial Road in Ellington in 2015. Then they opened up a restaurant, Cold Creek Tavern on West Road, where they serve their own brews and food, as well as beers from other Connecticut breweries and big name companies. We can’t give an accurate description of what the atmosphere feels like inside since they were only doing outdoor seating, but the food was awesome. Waiting for Shannon to take a picture of those nachos took significant restraint.

Chris: The brewery/tavern/restaurant gave me the impression of a much smaller scale City Steam. If you have never been to City Steam, it is one of Connecticut’s oldest breweries, but just like Cold Creek, it is a restaurant first and a brewery second. They only had a few of their own beers on tap, so I ordered their Winnie Oatmeal Stout and it was delicious. It had tastes of maple and coffee and was surprisingly light with all that flavor. Cold Creek recently posted on Facebook that they, “started brewing again,” so maybe that explains their lack of selection when Shannon and I went in July. But it’s tough to say because they don’t have a website. Either way, I want to go back once the inside is open and they have more of their own beers on tap.

Shannon: Cold Creek Tavern is more restaurant than it is brewery. That doesn’t mean this tavern isn’t contributing to the CT craft beer scene with their limited house-brewed beers though. (It’s a stamp on the beer passport!) When Chris and I visit places like this for the first time, I always order a beer that is brewed by the location. While there might be a ton of great beers by other breweries on tap, trying the location’s beer is a humble nod of appreciation to them. During our visit to Cold Creek, we sat on the small outdoor patio, which was socially distant and safe. Our server was awesome and deserves some love! Between bites of nachos, I knocked back Cold Creek’s 6% blonde ale. This light, hoppy beer was super easy to drink on a hot July afternoon in Connecticut.

Other Cool Stuff:

  • Full restaurant menu
  • Cans available at local package stores
  • Voted best restaurant in Tolland County in 2019 by Connecticut Magazine
  • Open 7 days a week

What We Drank:

Chris: Winnie Maple & Coffee (Oatmeal Stout) 6.8% – 4.5 out of 5

Shannon: Tavern Ale (Blonde Ale) 6% – 3 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 3.5 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

Stranger Tides Brewing

When Shannon Went: March 5, 2020

Where: 199 Old Hartford Road, Colchester, CT 06415

Stranger Tides Brewing, which opened in 2019, is a small startup microbrewery and the only brewery in Colchester. Located right in the middle of Connecticut farm country, it’s fun to walk into such a nautical space. The walls are a beautiful water-like color with different tall ships and light house prints lining the walls. They even went as far as to cover the bar with seashells. Stranger Tides had about 6 to 8 beers on tap when I visited back in early March before the COVID-19 shut down. Something I found really cool was that all of Stranger Tides beers are inspired by and named after the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series. I have a good feeling the movies are the inspiration behind their logo too.

Shannon: Stranger Tides is a small, one-man brewing operation. The owner Jeremy does all of the brewing himself. His brewery is in a mini strip mall just off one of the main roads in Colchester.  Inside the taproom, the space is bright and open with a nautical theme plus some Día de los Muertos accents. There are tons of picnic tables inside, so seating is not a problem at all. I ordered a flight since this was the best way for me to sample close to all of their beers on tap that day. I had an ESB, stout, and two milkshake IPA’s. Now, back in March I was on a huge milkshake IPA kick, so I jumped at the chance to try their tropical and strawberry vanilla milkshake IPA’s. Both sounded really good to me. I really wanted to love them, but each one felt as if something was missing, I just couldn’t put my finger on it though. With a few years growth, I think Stranger Tides will have something special, but in the meantime, they’re still finding their way.

Other Cool Stuff:

  • Currently planning to reopen on-site August 22nd and 23rd!
  • Taking the steps to transition from a brewery to a gastro pub
  • Curb side pick up available!
  • Food trucks every now and then
  • They’re doing a new beer series where they try out different hops

What Shannon Drank:

Shannon: One Eyed Riley (ESB) 6.3% – 2.5 out of 5

Shannon: Imperial Bootstraps (Imperial Stout) 9.5% – 3 out of 5

Shannon: Three Sheets to the Wind (Milkshake IPA) 8.3% – 2 out of 5

Shannon: Mermaid Tears (Milkshake IPA) 6% – 2 out of 5

Our Persuasion: rating 2 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

Rhinegeist Brewery

When Shannon Went: August 4, 2020

Where: 1910 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Rheingeist Brewery is easily the most high profile brewery in Cincinnati since opening only seven years ago as a small start-up company in 2013. At home in the former Christian Moerlein Brewing Company packaging hall, circa 1853, Rheingeist has upheld the locations German roots as a humble nod to the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood once known for its German character and plethora of breweries. They have brewed countless new beers, wracking up a few awards for some of their best creations. The expansive taproom has skyscraper tall ceilings with overhead natural light streaming through, but what really makes this brewery stunning is their rooftop beer garden. The rooftop overlooks a mix of rolling hills, the Queen City’s skyline and the historic Over-the-Rhine district. It’s truly the best view to have when sipping on one of Rhinegesit’s house brewed beer or cider.

Shannon: Rhinegeist Brewery has easily become my favorite Ohio-based brewery. When visiting the brewery, you’ll be asked to climb two flights of stairs before you are greeted by their enormous, industrial taproom. I chose to climb an additional two stories to reach their luxurious rooftop beer garden. The physical pain of climbing four flights of stairs was completely and totally worth it once I laid eyes on the beautiful surrounding view of the Queen City herself. Even more beautiful was the tap list of nearly 20 different house made beer and ciders on draft. Of the three beers I tried, my favorite was their fruit beer Zango. No joke, this beer tasted like magic! Coming in at a low 5% ABV, Zango is a combination of apple, mango, and tangerine flavors. Incredibly crisp, with just a little bit of tartness, this sparkling fruit beer is one of the best beers I’ve had in a really long time – dare I even say, it might be one of my new all time favorites!

Other Cool Stuff:

  • They distribute beers in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts
  • You can book a VIP tasting, a specialty tasting, a public tour, and even a historical tour of the brewery!
  • Why brew just beer when you can brew cider too? Cidergeist, anyone?
  • Rhinegeist is a regional and national powerhouse!!
  • In 2019, Rhinegeist ranked 26th on the Brewers Association’s Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies and 36th on the Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies in the U.S.
  • Rooftop beer garden with an awesome view of Over-the-Rhine!!
  • Rhinegeist supports non-profit organizations that help alleviate violence, addiction, disease and poverty in the Greater Cincinnati area through their Charitable Suds program!

What Shannon Drank:

Shannon: Bubbles (Fruit Beer) 6.2% – 4.5 out of 5

Shannon: Zango (Fruit Beer) 5% – 5 out of 5

Shannon: Werk It (Altbier) 5.6% – 4 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 5 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?