Connecticut... What's going on?

[caaam]

Figure this is the place to put this:

Visiting the girlfriend in a couple weekends, and she wants to get out of the (new york) city for part of Saturday. Was thinking of taking the train somewhere - she saw that two roads has a bus that goes from the train, so we could wander Stratford and see the brewery for a bit. Worth the trip? Other similar trips that should be taken instead? (No car, so something by train is a requirement, which I think mostly rules out OEC or NEBCo?)

Mostly wondering what y'all think of visiting two roads. Haven't ever heard folks talk about going one way or another

 

[Abitker]

Two roads has an impressive facility, and there will be a food truck or two, but the beer is pretty meh. Wandering stratford is about as fun as poking yourself in the eye with a pencil. That being said, NEBCO isn't much of a place to visit, and OEC isn't accessible without a car.

 

[davey101]

Two roads has an impressive facility, and there will be a food truck or two, but the beer is pretty meh. Wandering stratford is about as fun as poking yourself in the eye with a pencil. That being said, NEBCO isn't much of a place to visit, and OEC isn't accessible without a car.

All of this. At least if you had a car you could have it detailed across the street from two roads.

 

[jmarce]

Maybe look into going to Peekskill Brewery instead, they're near the MTA station and you can get better food and beer. I wouldn't bother coming all the way to Stratford for Two Roads.

 

[caaam]

So skip CT, at least for beer, seems to make the most sense?

Edit: without a car, for a day trip, in this situation

 

[Knine]

Maybe look into going to Peekskill Brewery instead, they're near the MTA station and you can get better food and beer. I wouldn't bother coming all the way to Stratford for Two Roads.

Seconded

 

[Lamnic]

My answer is: get a car and go to OEC. Chicks dig OEC

 

[DrWangerBanger]

So skip CT, at least for beer, seems to make the most sense?

Edit: without a car, for a day trip, in this situation

My suggestion, which is a bit of a compromise solution, would be to come up on the train, go to Two Roads, then call an Uber to take you down to Aspetuck Brew Lab in Black Rock and then maybe hit up a few places in Black Rock for drinks / dinner.

I've personally never been to Aspetuck Brew Lab, but they just opened up and I've heard good things about them. They do have limited hours though, I think they close at 5 on Saturdays. The Black Rock area is only 10-15 minutes by car down the road from Two Roads, and as people alluded too, the area of Stratford that Two Roads is in is very industrial and gross.

If you do wind up doing this, Crafty Monk and Walrus + Carpenter (both in Black Rock) are very nice places with good beer selections and a little further down the same road in Fairfield is Craft 260, which has, in my opinion, some of the best food and beer selection in maybe the entire state.

 

[codasnap52]

I've personally never been to Aspetuck Brew Lab, but they just opened up and I've heard good things about them. They do have limited hours though, I think they close at 5 on Saturdays. The Black Rock area is only 10-15 minutes by car down the road from Two Roads, and as people alluded too, the area of Stratford that Two Roads is in is very industrial and gross.

If you do wind up doing this, Crafty Monk and Walrus + Carpenter (both in Black Rock) are very nice places with good beer selections and a little further down the same road in Fairfield is Craft 260, which has, in my opinion, some of the best food and beer selection in maybe the entire state.

I'll second this. I tried a sample of Aspetuck's DIPA out of the fermentor on Tuesday and its freaking delicious. I think it will surprise a LOT of people when they release it tomorrow. Its a great little hangout and worth a stop. Ditto for food. Walrus or Craft 260 (and yes Crafty Monk is solid too) have great menus and their beer lists are top notch. Both are within walking distance from Aspetuck Brew Labs.

As someone who toiled in this dead zone of beer for the last 10 years, all of these venues have really turned around the craft beer scene making Black Rock a great beer destination for 2016.

 

[Phin1]

All of this chatter about the scenic town of Stratford reminded me of the Igor release in a couple days. Considering participating in the morning festivities & quaffing a draft or two . Anyone here going, thoughts on past years ?

 

[DrWangerBanger]

I'll second this. I tried a sample of Aspetuck's DIPA out of the fermentor on Tuesday and its freaking delicious. I think it will surprise a LOT of people when they release it tomorrow. Its a great little hangout and worth a stop. Ditto for food. Walrus or Craft 260 (and yes Crafty Monk is solid too) have great menus and their beer lists are top notch. Both are within walking distance from Aspetuck Brew Labs.

As someone who toiled in this dead zone of beer for the last 10 years, all of these venues have really turned around the craft beer scene making Black Rock a great beer destination for 2016.

Good to hear about Aspetuck, I'm heading there tomorrow night and I'm really looking forward to it. Place itself looks pretty neat.

Kinda crazy to think now that one general area has Two Roads, Aspetuck and soon(?) Fairfield Craft Ales

 

[codasnap52]

I'll be there around 6-7. If anyone wants to say hey I'll have a black jacked, brown glasses and a big 'ol mug of the IIPA!

 

[Rich2]

So when can we start rioting about the lack of a BA stout trooper release?

 

[Rich2]

fellow OEC goers: I have never gotten anything to eat around them. any recommendations for places close by to try??

 

[thegerm87]

fellow OEC goers: I have never gotten anything to eat around them. any recommendations for places close by to try??

There's a restaurant at the airport (I forget the name) that my family enjoys. I've never been but I've heard good things.

 

[lambandtunaphish]

fellow OEC goers: I have never gotten anything to eat around them. any recommendations for places close by to try??

You could go to the Pies and Pints in Oxford.

 

[averagjoe3]

You could go to the Pies and Pints in Oxford.

its open? well thats good news

 

[Phin1]

That restaurant is called 121 & the food is pretty good. Black Hog seems to have one food truck every Sat. I prefer the food trucks to their beer .

 

[primebeer]

So I'm an idiot and lost the email list I used to have for the Caseus bottle shares. I have good news, they're back! Here's the email I would have sent you if I still had that list:

After a long hiatus, the bottle shares at Caseus are back!

Here are the details:

Date: Monday, February 15th
Time: 6-9pm
Location: Caseus Fromagerie & Bistro, 93 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT
Entry Fee: $25 (plus service charge)
Spots Available: 30

You may bring two large format bottles or equivalent.

Caseus will be providing a selection of cheeses, salad, pulled pork, and our much-loved mac & cheese - available buffet style to be enjoyed throughout the evening!

Tickets are available here through eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bottle-share-caseus-tickets-21217921374

We expect spots to go quickly so be sure to grab tickets right away!!

Bottle opening rules for this share will be that only the bartenders will be pouring bottles for guests once the owner of the bottle requests that it be opened. This is the way we've been doing it and it seems to work really well. This allows you to keep an eye on what's getting opened so that you have a fair chance at getting a pour of something you'd like to try.

As has been stressed at past bottle shares, not everyone will be able to try every beer that gets opened. If you have a bottle that you're not comfortable sharing with anyone and everyone at the share, don't bring it! We want to keep this relaxed, fun, and stress-free!

Once we have a solid list of attendees, I will email out a shared Google Doc so that everyone can get a sense of what bottles will be brought to the event. I know there will be some Cantillon and Hill Farmstead, so that's definitely a good start!

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know and I will get back to you as promptly as possible. Also, Etkin lost the email list he had previously used to contact everyone, so make sure to reach out to any and all friends who you've attended the shares with in the past in case they didn't get the email!

Looking forward to seeing everyone on the 15th!

Tagging some CT folks I know may be interested and others I've seen post in this thread. Apologies in advance to those I've already spammed elsewhere, just want to get a good crew to attend!

For anyone on the fence, I'll be opening a Fou among other beers as long as my box from Belgium gets here safely!

purephase Abitker HopStunna lambandtunaphish GMRfx Dino apatrick17 Knifestyles Kpaxprime codasnap52 NicDacey davey101 GuzzleMcBrew blckout20 Knine quirk6 bizoneill ilovestouts Phin

 

[HopStunna]

YEESSSS!!! I have missed these sooooo much! Time to bring the whalez bruh!!

BriceNice you should come through since you are supposedly back in CT. averagjoe3 ilikegoodbeerCT kfernandez3

 

[primebeer]

Apologies to any beer friends I didn't tag. Obviously want everyone to come. TB comin on strong!

 

[Abitker]

I will be there

 

[Abitker]

I will be there

Only if I'm allowed to publicly shame anyone who brings 5 month old sip of sunshine.

 

[GuzzleMcBrew]

BriceNice is back??

 

[Rich2]

You could go to the Pies and Pints in Oxford.

this is perfect, thanks!

 

[primebeer]

So I'm an idiot and lost the email list I used to have for the Caseus bottle shares. I have good news, they're back! Here's the email I would have sent you if I still had that list:

After a long hiatus, the bottle shares at Caseus are back!

Here are the details:

Date: Monday, February 15th
Time: 6-9pm
Location: Caseus Fromagerie & Bistro, 93 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT
Entry Fee: $25 (plus service charge)
Spots Available: 30

You may bring two large format bottles or equivalent.

Caseus will be providing a selection of cheeses, salad, pulled pork, and our much-loved mac & cheese - available buffet style to be enjoyed throughout the evening!

Tickets are available here through eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bottle-share-caseus-tickets-21217921374

We expect spots to go quickly so be sure to grab tickets right away!!

Bottle opening rules for this share will be that only the bartenders will be pouring bottles for guests once the owner of the bottle requests that it be opened. This is the way we've been doing it and it seems to work really well. This allows you to keep an eye on what's getting opened so that you have a fair chance at getting a pour of something you'd like to try.

As has been stressed at past bottle shares, not everyone will be able to try every beer that gets opened. If you have a bottle that you're not comfortable sharing with anyone and everyone at the share, don't bring it! We want to keep this relaxed, fun, and stress-free!

Once we have a solid list of attendees, I will email out a shared Google Doc so that everyone can get a sense of what bottles will be brought to the event. I know there will be some Cantillon and Hill Farmstead, so that's definitely a good start!

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know and I will get back to you as promptly as possible. Also, Etkin lost the email list he had previously used to contact everyone, so make sure to reach out to any and all friends who you've attended the shares with in the past in case they didn't get the email!

Looking forward to seeing everyone on the 15th!

Tagging some CT folks I know may be interested and others I've seen post in this thread. Apologies in advance to those I've already spammed elsewhere, just want to get a good crew to attend!

For anyone on the fence, I'll be opening a Fou among other beers as long as my box from Belgium gets here safely!

purephase Abitker HopStunna lambandtunaphish GMRfx Dino apatrick17 Knifestyles Kpaxprime codasnap52 NicDacey davey101 GuzzleMcBrew blckout20 Knine quirk6 bizoneill ilovestouts Phin

10 tickets gone so far, I've talked to a few people and looks like some good bottles are coming out of the woodworks!

 

[Lamnic]

Any chance we can get a spreadsheet up for this? Some friends were talking about doing a share that night, but I think we may bag it if some of us want to do this instead.

 

[primebeer]

Any chance we can get a spreadsheet up for this? Some friends were talking about doing a share that night, but I think we may bag it if some of us want to do this instead.

I'll set up a spreadsheet in the next day or two. I'll personally be bringing Fou '15 and probably another loon, so that's a start. I'll keep you updated!

 

[Abitker]

 

[OkayBrendan]

Any chance we can get a spreadsheet up for this? Some friends were talking about doing a share that night, but I think we may bag it if some of us want to do this instead.

Do it Nic! I plan to bring a deGarde Blu Bu and either Soigne 1/15 or Convivial 8/14