Little Red Barn Brewers

When: June 28th, 2024

Where: 32 Lake Street, Winsted, CT

Little Red Barn Brewers started brewing beers in 2013 and opened up their taproom in Winsted in 2019. The taproom in Winsted was built for variety in all aspects, starting with a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating. Once you walk in, you will instantly notice the barn design of the bar and the large amount of mugs from their mug club. Looking at what’s on tap, you will see wheat beers, IPAs, a stout or two, light beers, ciders, and seltzers, showing again that Little Red Barn wants to reach all crowds. Like many breweries right now, Little Red Barn has put a kitchen into its taproom, and it has an extensive menu with BBQ and pub food. The owners really aim to appeal to all sorts of drinkers and eaters.

Chris: With such a large variety of beers, I decided on getting a flight with a wheat, shandy, porter, and sour. The Berry Manilow sour was by far the best of the bunch with a nice fruity raspberry and blackberry taste and just enough sourness. Unfortunately, my luck with the other brews wasn’t so good. The Everyman’s Porter, Winchester Wheat, and Shade Tree Shandy were all very bland and forgettable. I know that not every beer can stand out with its flavor and you want some easy drinkable stuff, but I still want something that is going to want me to come back for more. I’d like to go back to Little Red Barn at some point to see if I can try some of their other beers, and get a chance to try out some of their delicious sounding food.

Nick: Chris and I stopped in with our friend Steve before a Yardgoats game, and this place was a bit out of the way, especially since I live on the shoreline. If Little Red Barn was closer to where I live, I would probably want to stop in a few more times because I liked their Vibe. Like Chris, the only beer that stood out to me was the Berry Manilow; the Over-Ripened and Cow Tippin’ Copper Ale were pretty bland.

What we drank:

Chris: Berry Manilow (Sour) 4.9% – 4 out of 5

Chris: Everyman’s Porter 5.6% – 3 out of 5

Chris: Winchester Wheat 5% – 3 out of 5

Nick: Berry Manilow (Sour) 4.9% – 4 out of 5

Nick: Over-Ripened (Brown Ale) 5.5%- 3 out of 5

Nick: Cow Tippin’ Copper Ale (Pale Ale) 5.6% – 3 out of 5

Other cool things

  • Mug club
  • Private event space
  • Axe throwing next door
  • Cans to go

Brewing Persuasion:

Beer: 3 out of 5

Location: 4 out of 5

Atmosphere: 4 out of 5

East Rock Brewing Company

When: June 21st, 2024

Where: 285 Nicoll Street, New Haven, CT

East Rock Brewing Company is a staple of New Haven brewing and German style craft beer. Most of the beers that East Rock produces are derived from traditional German style beers such as Bocks, Lagers, and Weisses. The name of the brewery comes from the famous East Rock landmark in the city, and the neighborhood where the brewery is located was once known as goatsville due to its large goat population. Unlike most breweries in a city, East Rock has plenty of parking options. The inside of the taproom is massive, with a huge amount of indoor seating and a separate game garden with shuffleboard, bocce, and corn-hole.

Chris: I had been to East Rock before but had never gotten around to reviewing it. I decided to get a flight of lagers, wheats, and sours, with my favorite beer being the Blueberry Vienna Lager. Lagers seem to be big right now, so I always appreciate it when breweries add some flavor to them to distinguish the beer. Their Summer Wheat was also pretty good as a typical wheat ale, and their Blackcurrant and Tangerine Gose had a nice light flavor to it.

Nick: It was a great day to visit East Rock. My favorite beers was the Black Currant and Tangerine Gose. I loved the setup inside; you can easily see why it’s such a popular event place. Looking down into the production area from the taproom was a really cool view, and the curved bar area was really inviting. I love a brewery with a great atmosphere, and East Rock definitely has one.

What we drank:

Chris: Blueberry Vienna (Lager) 4.8% – 4 out of 5

Chris: Summer Wheat (Ale) 5.7% – 4 out of 5

Nick: Blackcurrant and Tangerine Gose (Gose) 4.5%- 4 out of 5

Nick: Weisse Bier (Wheat Beer) 5.4%- 3.5 out of 5

Other cool things:

  • Merch for sale
  • Cans to go, and growler fills
  • Lots of events
  • Pretzels available

Brewing Persuasion:

Beer: 4 out of 5

Location: 4 out of 5

Atmosphere: 5 out of 5

Hoax Brewing Company

When: June 21, 2024

Where: 687 State St, New Haven, CT 06511

Last weekend, Chris and I embarked on a brewery-hopping adventure in the New Haven area, with a stop at the unique Hoax Brewing in East Haven, Connecticut. This brewery stands out with its intriguing blend of craft brewing and a full-service restaurant, Nolo.

Hoax Brewing has an impressive variety of beers. Whether you’re a fan of hoppy IPAs, rich stouts, or something lighter, there’s something on the menu for everyone. The added convenience of their own parking lot, a rare find in New Haven, ensures a stress-free visit. 

However, they do not offer any flights, preventing us from sampling more of their beers in a single visit. Additionally, the brewery has limited canning, so taking your favorite brews home isn’t always an option. No merchandise is available, which might disappoint those seeking a souvenir. Lastly, the absence of outdoor seating means you’re limited to the indoor atmosphere.

The combination of a good variety of beers, a full-service restaurant, and convenient parking make Hoax well worth the visit. We highly recommend stopping by Hoax Brewing at Nolo for a memorable experience.

Nick: I only tried three beers when I went to Hoax, but my favorite was definitely the Cotton Candy Sleight of Hand Sour. That is unsurprising as, according to Untapped, it’s one of their most popular and highest-rated beers. It has a very sweet candy flavor, and I would definitely get it again. I also liked the Seany Palmer, another Sour, but this one combines tea and lemonade, hence the name. I also got the A Bone in Her Teeth, a blonde ale, which was just fine.

Chris: Since we could not do a flight at Hoax, I went to my top two beer styles, a sour and a stout. Hoax’s Triple Berry Crumble Sour was definitely my favorite; it is thicker and has a very fruity taste. The Mugsy Morning Stout was your typical coffee stout with a nice flavor but was particularly unique. Looking online at the other beers they brew, I would have loved to try more, so we must plan another trip.

Nick: Cotton Candy Sleight of Hand (Sour 4.5%): 4.5 -5

Nick: Seany Palmer(Sour 4.5%): 4-5

Chris: Triple Berry Crumble (Sour) 4.8% – 4.5 out of 5

Chris: Mugsy Morning Stout (Coffee Stout) – 4 out of 5

Outside Hoax/Nolo

Other Cool Things:

  • Originally, Hoax was just going to be a placeholder before they picked a real name
  • You can get Merchandise online
  • Self-distributed
  • Second brewing location at the The Beeracks in East Haven

Beer: 3.5 out of 5

Location: 4 out of 5

Atmosphere: 3.5 out of 5