Beer Bar Review #1: Darien Social, Darien

Name: Darien Social

Location: 10 Center Street, Darien CT 06820

Beer Selection: 31 Taps / 6 Bottles or Cans

Beer Prices: $4-$9

Beer: 3 Mugs

Food: 3 Plates

Happy Hour/ Beer Specials: None that I have found

Will I go Back: In a heartbeat, instant favorite

Scene: Wealthy folks acting casual...haha but seriously

I recently went to the newly opened Darien Social with my girlfriend.  There has been much buzz leading up the opening of this place a few weeks back so hopes were high.  To put it simply we were not disappointed. 

First and foremost lets discuss the place in general.  The only thing that I find that rivals beer selection/quality/price in importance is the general look and feel of the establishment.  Either Beer Bars and Brew Pubs either have that "it" feel or they don't (The same goes for Beer Festivals, but more on that in future posts).  "It" is tough to explain but I will try.  A Beer Bar that has "it" has an older somewhat rustic/worn feel, whether or not the building is actually old or brand spankin new.  A Beer Bar that has "it" does not look or feel like part of a chain even if it is. 

Darien Social has "it"!

Darien Social has a great interior.  The setup of this place is one of my favorites of any bar/restaurant.  There are three main aspects to the interior.  The back of the restaurant serves as a formal dining room.  The front of the restaurant is split into a more casual dining area and the bar itself (there is a partial wall separating the two).  The formal dining area is far enough away from the bar that you don't hear any of the noise if that is what you are looking for.  We opted for the casual dining area, which fit our desire to eat at a table as opposed to the bar but also allowed us to enjoy the vibrant scene.

There is a patio in the back of the building for outdoor eating in warmer weather, though there was a fire pit ablaze back there and a few brave souls gathered around it...beverages in hands.

The Location of this restaurant is fantastic as well...right across from the train station on Center street in Darien.

Now to the Beer :)

Lets talk numbers for starters.  31 Different Beers on Tap and half a dozen bottles and cans.  The number of taps puts this place up there with any Beer Bar in CT (the bottle/can selection is a little light)

The selection of draft beers is excellent.  Pilsners, Lagers, Light beers, Dark beers, White Ales, Ciders and my favorite of all the IPA!  Beers are served in a variety of glasses that are suited to bring out the flavors of the accompanying beers.  These glasses range 16oz to 23oz and include the: Snifter (16oz), Pilsner (16oz), Imperial Pint (20oz) and Weizen (23oz).  Beer prices are a little much if you aren't used to the FCSRIR (Fairfield County Super Rich Inflation Rate).  The priciest beer is 9 bucks and the cheapest is 4.  The majority settle in the 6-7 range.

One feature that I think is a great idea is that 5 of 31 taps are dedicated to specific breweries and provide a "beer of the week" each from the 5 breweries.

Lastly concerning Beer, it was cold and the glasses were clean which is always nice.

I will only briefly touch on food, as this is a Beer blog.  The food here was excellent.  Not a huge menu but a solid selection of small plates, artisan pizzas, sandwiches, salads and entrees.

I had: Mac & Cheese small plate, Burger w/ Blue Cheese and Bacon and Lagunitis Little Sumpin' Sumpin Ale and Widmer Imperial IPA