2nd Bridge Brewing Company

During this time with COVID-19, please support your local breweries if you can! They are doing everything they can to stay above water, and lets be honest, you can’t quarantine the right way without their beer. Many breweries are doing online or pick-up orders, so give them a call or check out their websites to see what they have available. #drinklocal

Photo Source: 2nd Bridge logo from Untapped website.

When We Went: January 2, 2020

Where: 642 Hilliard Street, Manchester, CT, 06042

2nd Bridge Brewing Company is a hole in the wall, basement-like, haven for any and all soccer enthusiasts. If you’re ever in need of a cold beer and a place to watch a match, 2nd Bridge is the place for you. They typically have six to eight beers available, plus the occasional cider from Stafford Cidery on tap. Opened for the first time in 2015, this sports bar is located on the basement floor of the historic Hilliard Mills, a large brick building which used to house the first woolen mill in the United States! If you haven’t figured out already, Chris and I are suckers for a good brewery within the walls of a historic building. If you’ve ever been to this area of Manchester, maybe you’ll remember when this neighborhood was home to Top Shelf’s Hilliard Mill location before they moved to North Main Street and later became Parable Brewing. 2nd Bridge has been around for five years with no signs of leaving.

Shannon: 2nd Bridge is not a bad little spot! The brewery is a little cramped but it’s divided up into three different rooms, so that helps things feel a little more spacious. The beer selection is also on the smaller side, but that isn’t always a bad thing. Traditional styles and traditional flavors still make for good beers. On our last visit here I had a New England IPA called the Buck Oh that was creamy, flowery, with just a mild bitterness. I also had a Farmhouse IPA called Lil Gooner that left a funky taste in my mouth – probably because it was a little sour and I’m not a big fan of that flavor profile. Coming in at a low 3.6% ABV, this slightly sour IPA is just as weird as its name.

Chris: Located in the basement of the Hilliard Mills, 2nd Bridge is heavily decorated with (mainly European) soccer memorabilia giving the feel of a hole in the wall old Irish pub. This is the kind of place that would have monthly dad meetings. They could come here to play darts or watch sports or come up with new ways to embarrass their children. 2nd Bridge continues their European theme with their beer, with the North London brown ale and a Mr White’s Irish Cream Ale. But I haven’t really been blown away by any of their beers and every time we go they seem to have the same selection. I wish they would change it up and try some new styles, but this is still a great place to go if you want some classic styles and a good soccer match. (I tried to come up with a soccer pun, but like most soccer games I ended with zero.)

Other Cool Things:

  • Order delivery, food trucks, or BYOF
  • Plenty of bar games
  • TV’s to watch sports (soccer of course)
  • All of their beers are available in 32 oz. crowlers – order online and drive to their patio for pickup during COVID-19 quarantine!

What We Drank:

Shannon: Buck Oh (NEIPA) 3 out of 5

Shannon: Lil Gooner ( Farmhouse IPA) 2 out of 5

Chris: Krampus (Farmhouse Saison Ale) 3 out of 5

Chris: Orford Parish (Porter) 3.5 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 2.5 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

Labyrinth Brewing Company

During this time with COVID-19, please support your local breweries if you can! They are doing everything they can to stay above water, and lets be honest, you can’t quarantine the right way without their beer. Many breweries are doing online or pick-up orders, so give them a call or check out their websites to see what they have available. #drinklocal

Labyrinth Brewing Co. logo from their website.

When we went: January 2nd, 2020

Location: 148 Forest Street, Manchester, CT 06040

Labyrinth Brewing Company was opened by three Manchester natives in 2018 after a successful kickstarter. The entrance actually has a “Wall of Heroes” dedicated to people who donated to their kickstarter. Continuing passed the names, the space opens up into a large rustic taproom with polished wood accents and local are covering the walls. Together, their taproom creates a mix of lumberjack and hipster, both of which make me want to put on flannel and grow out my beard. Do lumberjacks get confused for hipsters? If so, do they get annoyed? We ask the important questions here.

Chris: I have been to Labyrinth a few times now, partially because I can almost walk there, but also because of how great this place is. They have a good selection of beer AND local cider, and they are constantly coming out with new beers and variants of old ones. I get the sense that the brewers at Labyrinth play a lot of Dungeons and Dragons or are really into mythology, with beers named “Champion of the Sun,” “Double Cyclops,” and “Tears of Ra.” My personal favorite is the Milk Sickle, a citrus Milkshake IPA, but I always make sure to grab a cider when I am here because they consistently have 3 to 4 local ciders on tap.

Shannon: If you’re looking for an industrial yet chic place to listen to some live music or play bar trivia, Labyrinth dabbles in it all. The brewery has a lot of seating, from bar stools to tables to couches, and there are a lot of solid beer options too. My favorite beer from them is a blonde ale called Starburst Strawberry Lemon. Coming in at a low 5.3% ABV, this brew is packed with the taste of strawberries and lemons. Full of strong, smooth flavors, this beer fully lives up to its candy inspired name.

Other cool stuff:

  • Mug club
  • Food trucks and BYOF
  • Dog friendly!!
  • Merch for sale
  • Currently doing beer-to-go during Covid-19 quarantine

Our Persuasion

What we drank

Chris: Mochatron Nitro Milk Stout 3.75 out of 5

Shannon: Labyrinth Robust Porter 3 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 4 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

Problem Solved Brewing Company

During this time with COVID-19, please support your local breweries if you can! They are doing everything they can to stay above water, and lets be honest, you can’t quarantine the right way without their beer. Many breweries are doing online or pick-up orders, so give them a call or check out their websites to see what they have available. #drinklocal

When We Went: March 12, 2020

Where: 2 N Rd #4, East Windsor, CT, 06088

What makes you need a drink more than an irritatingly hard math problem? Well, you don’t need to be good at algebra, geometry, or calculus to grab a drink at Problem Solved Brewing Company. This mathematics/ invention themed brewery, currently located in the former location of Broad Brook Brewing, has a rotating tap list of 7 to 10 beers, all named after different mathematical terms. Problem Solved opened in 2018 after a successful kickstarter by a math teacher and an engineer! I guess the breweries math theme really adds up. Sorry, I hope that horrible pun doesn’t subtract from our post.

Shannon: Out of their entire tap list, Problem Solved has two beers that I find really enjoyable. Their Milkshake IPA called Parabolic is a tasty dessert beer made up of equal parts chocolate, banana, and lactose. It’s a fairly average brew, but it’s executed perfectly. Now, if you’re looking for a beer with a unique flavor profile, give their other Milkshake IPA called Wave Generator a try. I don’t think I’ve ever had a Pina Colada flavored beer before, but Wave Generator nailed it. With hints of coconut and pineapple, this beer is a smooth, creamy, sweet drink made for summer days or getting caught in the rain.

Chris: When you walk into Problem Solved brewery the layout gives you the feel of a very clean and bright Buffalo Wild Wings. The decor is all about inventions with blue-prints posted all around the taproom. They go all in with the engineering theme with their light-bulb logo and many of their beers named after gadgets. They have a great variety of beers that are constantly changing. The first time I went here I had one of my favorite beers of all time, their Coarse Threads Cinnamon French Toast Double Imperial Stout. Unfortunately they did not have it on tap this time so I got a flight and really enjoyed my two milkshake IPAs, the Parabolic Split and Wave Generator. Once you have had enough beer you can head into their giant game room which includes a map of where their beer has been!

Other Cool Stuff:

  • You can bring food into the tap room
  • Large game room!
  • 3 TV’s to watch sports on
  • Offering a beer-to-go service during COVID-19 quarantine!!

Our Persuasion

What We Drank:

Shannon: I got a flight!

  1. Parabolic Split (Milkshake IPA) 4 out of 5
  2. Wave Generator (Milkshake IPA) 4 out of 5
  3. Quadrifolium (Irish Red Ale) 3 out of 5
  4. J(ELLY) (Stout) 3 out of 5

Chris: I also got a flight, but mine was cooler!

  1. Parabolic Split (Milkshake IPA) 4 out of 5
  2. Wave Generator ( Milkshake IPA) 4 out of 5
  3. Six Sides with Mixed Berries (Kolsch) 3.5 out of 5
  4. J(ELLY) (Stout) 3 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 4 out of 5