Official (unofficial) Guide to American Craft Beer Week in Connecticut (UPDATED 5/18!!!)

American Craft Beer Week is right around the corner.  It will be celebrated nationwide and more importantly statewide from May 14th - May 20th.  There will be tastings and flights and draft specials and bottle specials and much much more.

So, consider this your Official (unofficial) guide to American Craft Beer Week in Connecticut.  Check back throughout the week for updates.  In addition to all of the events/specials detailed below, check out these links for comprehensive listings of Beer Bars and Breweries in Connecticut.

Beer Bars

Breweries
Breweries


Relic Brewing Company

Friday May 18  From 5PM - 7PM The fine folks at Relic Brewing Company over in Plainville are celebrating American Craft Beer Week with a beer tasting!!!  On Tap will be Fortnight infused with whole Amarillo hops, for a "taste explosion".  They'll also be infusing some orange chunks with Whiting Street.  They will also  have Whiting Street (slightly hoppy easy drinker), Fortnight (classy American IPA), Houndstooth (traditional Dark English Mild, malty and lucious) and a small amount of Shipwright (strong British IPA with a complex hop profile and higher alcohol content) on tap!!!

Growlers are available in 64oz and 32oz sizes.

Saturday May 19  From 12PM - 2PM The fine folks at Relic Brewing Company over in Plainville are celebrating American Craft Beer Week with a beer tasting!!! On Tap will be Fortnight infused with whole Amarillo hops, for a "taste explosion". They'll also be infusing some orange chunks with Whiting Street.  They will also have Whiting Street (slightly hoppy easy drinker), Fortnight (classy American IPA), Houndstooth (traditional Dark English Mild, malty and lucious) and a small amount of Shipwright (strong British IPA with a complex hop profile and higher alcohol content) on tap!!!

Growlers are available in 64oz and 32oz sizes.
Thomas Hooker Brewery

Check out the TapintoCT review of Thomas Hooker Brewery (HERE)

Friday May 18 Friday Open House:  A $10 donation gets you a beer tasting, a tour, a pint glass, a chance to hang out with other beer lovers, and a great start to your weekend!  (Among the beers available to taste will be a special Cask Hop Meadow IPA!!!)  This is held at Thomas Hooker Brewery

Saturday May 19 Barks & Brews Fundraiser:  The great guys and gals at Thomas Hooker Brewery are teaming up with Double Dog Rescue for this great event! The purpose of this event is to raise money to help cover the expenses associated with saving homeless dogs and find them new homes. The fundraising event will be held at Thomas Hooker Brewery in Bloomfield.

Head (Here) to Purchase Advance Tickets.

Link to TapintoCT post for the event

Saturday May 19 Saturday Beer Tasting:  Come for a tour and full tasting of Thomas Hooker Beers and guided tours from their friendly staff.  This is held at Thomas Hooker Brewery.

Sunday May 20 Bikes & Beers:  The bike ride portion of this event will kick off at the boat launch parking lot at riverside park at 12:30PM.  The ride should finish up by 2:00PM and then it is just a short drive over to Thomas Hooker Brewery. 

The bike ride will be free.  If you intend on going to the brewery for the tour, craft beer tasting and food there will be a $17 charge at the door of Thomas Hooker. ($7 if you don't want to eat...)

Food will be provided by Connecticut's gourmet grill cheese sandwich truck, The Whey Station!

Menu: Choice of sandwich and either soup or chips

• Monger- our signature 5 cheese blend
• Bacon marmalade- our "truckmade" sweet and salty bacon jam and brie
• Caprese- fresh mozzarella, tomato, and pesto
• Soda

Cavalry Brewing Company

Wednesday May 16 Cask Wednesday:  From 5:00PM - 7:00PM the great people at Cavalry Brewing Company in Oxford want you to stop on by for "Cask Wednesday" All you need to do is bring 5 bucks and your own drinking glass and the folks at Cavalry Brewing Company will provide the rest.

Link to TapintoCT post for the event                             


Cottrell Brewing Company, Pawcatuck

The people over at Cottrell Brewing Company will be offering tours and tastings all week.  So stop in for a tour and to sample some of the finest Connecticut Craft Beer!  The schedule is below:

Monday May 14  By Appointment
Tuesday May 15  By Appointment
Wednesday May 16  By Appointment
Thursday May 17  Tour at 3:00PM
Friday May 18  Tours on the half hour 3:00PM - 6:00PM
Saturday May 19  Tours on the half hour 1:00PM - 5:00PM

 

Beer Bars & Brew Pubs

Coalhouse Pizza, Stamford

The awesome people at Coalhouse Pizza will be Celebrating American Craft Beer Week in a number of different ways.  There will be Draft Specials, Food Pairings, Five Dollar Flights, Raffle Contests, and Free Merchandise.

They will also be offering $5 drafts from different microbreweries on each different day of American Craft Beer Week.  The schedule is below:

Monday May 14 Dogfish Head
Tuesday May 15 Harpoon
Wednesday May 16 Stone
Thursday May 17 Southern Tier
Friday May 18 Clipper City
Saturday May 19 Lagunitas
Sunday May 20 Alagash

The Ginger Man, South Norwalk

The Great people down at The Ginger Man in South Norwalk (SoNo if you are from the area) will be recognizing American Craft Beer Week with a different deal every day of the week.  That's right, seven deals for seven days!

Monday May 14  Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Draft Night!
Tuesday May 15  Debut of The Ginger Man, SoNo's very own "Randall the Enamel Animal"!
Wednesday May 16  Vintage Beer Night -- A Few goodies from their cellar!
Thursday May 17  Food and Beer Pairing Night.  Each Food Special Paired with a Beer!
Friday May 18  Cask Beer Night -- Featuring 4 Different Gravity Casks!
Saturday May 19  Flight Night -- Featuring Different Flights of Styles and Breweries!
Sunday May 20  1/2 Priced Big Bottle Night!

Delaney's Tap Room, New Haven

The folks at Delaney's will be celebrating American Craft Beer Week by doing "Name Your Own Flights" all week.  People will be able to create their own flights ranging from 5 to 9 beers and Delaney's will come up with unique price for your individually created flight.

Mikro Beer Bar, Hamden

The great people at Mikro in Hamden are ringing in American Craft Beer Week in a few different ways:

Monday May 14 "FUH-CAN MONDAYS" Mikro Beer Bar we will be running specials on canned craft beer Monday from 6:00PM to close. All canned craft beer will be $3.00

Wednesday May 16 Mikro Beer Bar is going to have a Tap Takeover featuring craft beers from Sebago Brewing Company (Including Double Dry Hopped Full Throttle Cask IPA, Elegans Saison, the NEW limited Trekker Pale Ale!!! and many many more)


Willimantic Brewing Company, Willimantic

The great people at Willimantic Brewing Company will be celebrating American Craft Beer Week every day next week.  They will be supporting a different local organization and featuring a different craft brew from a Connecticut Brewery each day of the week (What an AWESOME idea!!!).   Each day From May 14th – 18th they will make a donation to a local organization in their community based on the sales from that day’s featured beer.  The schedule is below:

Monday May 14  The Windham Textile & History Museum

Featuring a Willimantic Brewing Company beer

Tuesday May 15  The Garden Club of Windham

Featuring a Thomas Hooker Brewing Company beer

Wednesday May 16  The Eastern Connecticut Railroad Museum

Featuring a Calvary Brewing beer

Thursday May 17  The Jillson House Museum/Windham Historical Society

Featuring an Olde Burnside Brewing Company beer

Friday May 18  Willimantic’s 3rd Thursday Street Fest

Featuring a Cottrell Brewing Company beer


The Cask Republic, New Haven

The great folks at The Cask Republic in New Haven will be celebrating American Craft Beer Week by featuring a different American Craft Brewery each day of the week!  They will update Facebook and Twitter each day with specifics.  The Schedule is below:

Monday May 14  New England Brewing Company, Woodbridge
Tuesday May 15  Blue Point Brewing Company, Patchogue, NY
Wednesday May 16  Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE
Thursday May 17  Goose Island Beer Company, Chicago, IL
Friday May 18  Great Divide Brewing Company, Denver, CO (A release of our2010 Yeti series! (limited supplies available; no longer available in CT)
Saturday May 19  Anchor Brewing Company, San Francisco, CA (A release of our vintage Anchor Christmas series: 2008, 2009, & 2010! (only 6 sets available- $21)
Sunday May 20  Celebrate all American craft breweries and get 1/2 price 750ml bottles of all American craft beers!

Prime 16, New Haven 

The great folks at Prime 16 in New Haven are kicking off American Craft Beer Week in style.  Check out their deals:

Monday May 14  1/2 Price off all draft beer from 4:00PM - 7:00PM and $1 off cans of New England Brewing Company Sea Hag!
Tuesday May 15 1/2 Price off all draft beer from 4:00PM - 7:00PM and $1 off Brooklyn Brewery Lager tall boys from 7:00PM - Close!
Wednesday May 16 Free craft beer Tasting at 9PM with River Horse Brewing Company.  Three great Beers to try including casks of Bourbon Oak Tripel and Milk Stout!


Eli Cannon's Tap Room, Middletown

The people over at Eli Cannon's Tap room are celebrating American Craft Beer Week with our neighbors to the south, Brooklyn Brewery.  Check out this promotion:


Tuesday, May 15  Stop in to see what is new and exciting with Brooklyn Brewery.  On tap will be Sorachi Ace, Mary's Maple Porter, Blast Double IPA, Summer and Companion Ale Wheatwine