When I moved back to Connecticut I was amazed to see how many breweries had popped up all over the state. So much so that I put together a list of all the breweries and made tentative plans to visit as many as I could.
Let me start by saying that I am not one of those girls that shies around beer and prefers a glass of wine or a fruity drink. And I am definitely not the person who orders a Bud-lite or a Corona. I love beer and love trying new flavors and styles (especially small scale local breweries). My favorite beers are typically a good spiced Saison, or the citrusy bite of a west coast IPA. I like my beers with a whole lot of funk and flavor and I love a good IPA, as long as it's not "too hoppy".
I figured this would be the perfect winter activity, sample some of Connecticut's finest beer dressed up in my favorite sweater while the weather was crummy. Well, I started a little early on my brewery tour and after hiking Bear Mountain, I stopped at one of Connecticut's newest; Tidal River Brewing Company in Canton, Connecticut.
First Impressions: Awesome owner/founder running the place with a passion for beer. The beer ranged from easy to drink ales to crazy basil and chile beer. Tidal River beers are as fun and funky as their names. The spot is a low-key, unassuming place with small scale production (just a tasting room, no formal tap room... yet). It is in a commercial space with a main tasting bar and a table or two (they are not large enough to accommodate large parties). They are technically a "nano-brewery" and their license does not allow the sale of pints or flights. They are more than happy to provide samples of their beer on tap and they can fill growlers for you to take home.
Let me start by saying that I am not one of those girls that shies around beer and prefers a glass of wine or a fruity drink. And I am definitely not the person who orders a Bud-lite or a Corona. I love beer and love trying new flavors and styles (especially small scale local breweries). My favorite beers are typically a good spiced Saison, or the citrusy bite of a west coast IPA. I like my beers with a whole lot of funk and flavor and I love a good IPA, as long as it's not "too hoppy".
I figured this would be the perfect winter activity, sample some of Connecticut's finest beer dressed up in my favorite sweater while the weather was crummy. Well, I started a little early on my brewery tour and after hiking Bear Mountain, I stopped at one of Connecticut's newest; Tidal River Brewing Company in Canton, Connecticut.
First Impressions: Awesome owner/founder running the place with a passion for beer. The beer ranged from easy to drink ales to crazy basil and chile beer. Tidal River beers are as fun and funky as their names. The spot is a low-key, unassuming place with small scale production (just a tasting room, no formal tap room... yet). It is in a commercial space with a main tasting bar and a table or two (they are not large enough to accommodate large parties). They are technically a "nano-brewery" and their license does not allow the sale of pints or flights. They are more than happy to provide samples of their beer on tap and they can fill growlers for you to take home.
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| Sampling beer at Tidal River Brewing in Canton, CT |
