Beer Dinner: Hops & Hogs @ Firebox in Hartford

Restaurant:  Firebox

Breweries:  Element, Allagash and more

Location:  539 Broad Street, Hartford

When:  Monday, June 25th 6:00PM

Price: $65 per person - not including tax or gratuity (You can call 860-246-1222 to buy tickets)

The Skinny:  The fine folks at award-winning restaurant, Firebox in Hartford are hosting their 2nd annual Hops and Hogs Dinner (What a great name, right?).  The headliners at this awesome event will be craft beer and suckling pig! (I'm guessing you smiled upon reading that phrase "craft beer and suckling pig").

The menu has been planned, and looks amazing from they oysters and pork belly all the way on down to the bacon and salt crusted potatoes and the strawberry cobbler desert!  The great people out at Firebox don't want to reveal everything, so there will be a few surprises.

Here are the tasty craft beers that they have planned so far:  Element Brewing Company Dark Matter, Allagash Curieux AND a one off cask of Element Extra Special Oak with Tahitian Vanilla















Here's how the evening has been planned out, starting at 6 PM:

Oyster reception

Raspberry Point Oysters

pickled bacon mustard caviar

1st

Mustard Greens

House made guanciale, local english peas, shaved
asparagus, grape tomatoes, crispy goat cheese

 

2nd

Cucumber and tomato gazpacho, sweet pea farm feta
cheese

MAIN (plated)

Eaglewood Farm Suckling Pig

Crispy pork belly, pulled pork, house made
sausages

SIDES (served family style)

Grilled asparagus

Beet and bacon slaw

Baked beans

Bacon and salt crusted potatoes

DESSERT

Strawberry cobbler with lemon basil ice

Please note that it is subject to change depending on availability, and could even change the day before slightly.

TapintoCT visits Baltimore

I took my craft beer fandom to Baltimore for Memorial Day weekend.  As preparation for my trip I studied up on the local breweries, beer bars and other amazing craft beer destinations.

Though my trip was not entirely dedicated to craft beer guzzling (As my love for craft beer is trumped by my love for my girlfriend, who certainly enjoys beer but is not as much of a nut about it as I) I did get to sample some amazing brews.

As most road trips go, you start out with a loose plan and then end up doing a bunch of different things you never thought you would do.  Case in point:  We originally had dinner reservations at craft beer mecca, Brewer's Art but when we found ourselves in a different Baltimore neighborhood on Sunday night, meeting up with an old college buddy, we ditched those plans and ended up spending the afternoon/evening at Max's Taphouse instead.  So while I can't say for certain that Brewer's Art isn't an AMAZINGGG place, we are so glad the we ended up at Max's.

Main Entrance to Max's and yes that dog on the scene has both a beer and a cigar

Max's Taphouse is located in the historic and gorgeous Fell's Point area of Baltimore.  Fell's point was founded in 1730 by William Fell and was a shipbuilding and commerical center for many years.  Now the area, which maintains it's historic and rustic charm, features more than 120 pubs (That's right 120 Pubs in a 75 acre area).  The area sort of has an Olde Boston-ish feel to it.  The craft beer scene in Fell's Point and Baltimore for that matter is headlined by Max's Taphouse.  First lets look at the numbers:

•  140 Rotating Draft beers!!!!!!! (If you pooped your pants upon reading this, you might not be alone)
• 5 Hand Pumped Cask Ales
• 1200 Bottled Beers

That's not some ancient scroll, that's the draft beer list!!!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Just one of a few tap stations scattered around Max's

Beyond the stunning Beer stats at Max's the place is simply awesome.  A little dive-y.  Just my kind of beer bar...one with character.  Max's is one of those unique places that is frequented by both tourists (such as myself and girlfriend) and the locals.  The places is irresistible and unavoidable.
They also offer a food menu, though we did not eat there, as we had just had some Boog's Barbeque at Camden Yards (Very solid BBQ, especially when factoring in that it was a baseball stadium).  My old college buddy had some fish tacos at Max's that looked good and according to him, tasted good as well.

As best as I can recall (as I have had many beers in between now and then) I had the Black Diamond Rampage, Flying Dog El Dorado Imperial IPA, Laughing Dog Devil Dog and Schlafly APA.

Another part of our trip that was surprisingly craft beer-y was our trip to Oriole Park at Camden Yards to see an Oriole's game.  We had a great opportunity to catch a little bit of the game but mostly explore the park because I am a Yankees Fan, while my girlfriend is a Red Sox fan (yes we are one of those divided couples) and neither team was in town.  First off, the park is beautiful.  Everything that a baseball stadium should be.  New to the stadium for this season is Demspey's Brewpub (how convenient) out on Eutaw Street (The closed off road between the right field wall and the giant warehouse building, for those who have seen the stadium on TV).  Though it is a faux-brew pub, it was still a nice feature nonetheless.  I had their "home-brewed" IPA...not the greatest but also not a bad way to start a day at the ballpark. 

Another welcomed sight was the various Flying Dog stands throughout the stadium.  For those that haven't been to a major league baseball game in a few years, the beer situation/selection has changed quite a bit.  The prices still stink but offerings are far more diverse. 

Although I wasn't at the game on a Friday, I couldn't help but be amazed/happy that I came across this sign on the side of the Flying Dog stand.  That's right, on Fridays they offer Cask-Conditioned beer!!!  I find that to be so cool that you can find cask-conditioned craft beer at a baseball stadium.  We have come a long way from the beer menus that used to read: Light Beer or Dark Beer.

We had an amazing time in Baltimore.  We did most of our craft beer consuming at the ballgame and at Max's but given another trip (or more time) there is still plenty of new places to check out.  In terms of beer bars/brew pubs, Brewer's Art is at the top of that list.  There are also plenty of breweries in the are that offer tours and tastings, namely Flying Dog Brewery, DuClaw Brewing Company and Heavy Seas.

Another Baltimore Beer staple that can be found throughout town is National Bohemian, or Natty Boh as all the locals call it.  Natty Boh is a bohemian style beer (go figure) that dates back to 1885 and in the 1940's the National Brewing Company became the first beer company to market canned six-packs.  Although Natty Boh is now brewed in Milwaukee and distributed by the Pabst Brewing Company, the beer can still be found throughout town and the presence is everywhere.

The Old National Bohemian Brewery,
Now filled with other businesses in what is known as
The Natty Boh Towers (Though Mr. Boh is still there on top)

Mr. Boh, The National Bohemian and
unofficial Baltimore mascot since the 1930s

Overall I think that Baltimore is a great place for any craft beer connoisseur to visit.  There are several breweries in the local area and many great beer bars as well.  The prices are similar to what you might find throughout CT, and a little cheaper than the prices you find throughout Fairfield County.  There is a definite beer culture and craft beer atmosphere/scene in the area.  If you head down for a weekend dedicated to craft beer then you should be able to fit quite a bit in.  If you plan to mix in some craft beer consuming with some other adventures then a 4-5 night trip would definately make sense.  There is the Maryland Zoo (which actually was having a "Brew at the Zoo" craft beer event while we were down there), the renowned National Aquarium , the great sights at the waterfront of the Inner Harbor .  As well as the popular night time spot Power Plant Live! (Like an "R" rated Pleasure Island at Disney.  You can also catch Orioles or Ravens games depending on the time of year. 

The Weekender (June 8-10)

Every Friday I will publish "The Weekender". This will be your guide to awesome craft beer events and deals for that weekend.

I will give a brief highlight of 5 Connecticut Craft Beer events or deals to check out. Some will be the same from week to week and some will be different. So please check back each week.

5 Events/Deals You Need To Know Are Happening This Weekend:

1. Pies & Pints Friday, June 8th 7-9 pm

Head on over to Pies & Pints in Middlebury for a Sam Adams Tap Takeover.  There will be 5 taps dedicated to awesome Sam Adams draft beer.  On tap will be Boston Lager, Norse Legend, Tasman Red, Cinder Bock, Blueberry Hill Lager.  There will be free samples and full pints will range from $3.50 to $4.50 each.  Also, Peter from Sam Adams will be on hand to explain the nuances of each beer and answer any questions you might have.

Address:  One Store Road, Middlebury
Phone Number:  203-598-7221
New Haven County

2. Monster B's Bar & Grille Friday, June 8th

The awesome folks at Monster B's in Stamford are teaming up with Widmer Brothers Brewing Company out of Portland, Oregon for a Tap Takeover.  There will be awesome Widmer brewskis on draft as well as some cool giveaways.  Sidenote:  Grab some of Monster B's buffalo wings while you are there.  They are AWESOME!!!

Address:  489 Glenbrook Road, Stamford
Phone Number:  203-355-1032
Fairfield County

4. Prime 16 Saturday, June 9th 2-4pm

Enjoy any of Prime 16's 20 premium drafts at 1/2 price!

Address & Directions: 172 Temple Street, New Haven, CT 06510
Phone Number:  203-782-1616
New Haven County

4. The Outer Space Saturday, June 9th 5-7pm

$2 Drafts during their Happy Hour! (Currently 4 Connecticut Beers on the Draft List!!!)

Address & Directions: 295 Treadwell Street, Hamden
Phone Number:  203-288-6400
New London County


5. Willimantic Brewing Company Sunday, June 10th

Stein Day!  Bring in your favorite drinking glass/stein/receptacle and get some awesome discounts!!!

***BONUS TIDBIT: Sunday is also Postal Workers Night, so if you happen to work for the postal service you can get 10% off of your bill!!!***

Address & Directions: 967 Main Street, Willimantic
Phone Number:  860-423-6777
Windham County

10 Simple Tips to Enjoy Craft Beer on a Budget

1 Drink at home as opposed to at bars

      Any way you slice it or dice it is cheaper (and safer) to drink at home. First of all, beer bought at package stores is almost always cheaper than beer bought at bars. Also, you don't have to pay for gas and in most circumstances food at home (your groceries) are cheaper than bar food.

2 Buy in larger quantities

      Buy cases or even kegs as opposed to 4pks and 6pks (More Beer!!! what could be bad about that?)  Beer like most other products is cheaper when bought in bulk. Check out the prices sometime. A 12-pack is almost always a better deal (beer by beer or ounce by ounce) than a 6-pack and a case (24-pack) a better deal than a 12-pack and on and on


3 Go to free/cheap tastings at breweries

      Most breweries throughout Connecticut and elsewhere for that matter offer tastings and tours to one degree or another. The tastings are sometimes free or if they do cost anything it is usually $5 - $10 (sometimes for unlimited samples!!!) This is a great way to taste some excellent and well crafted brews. Also, because you are doing this at the brewery that makes the beer, you have an amazing opportunity to pick the brains behind the brews!  Also, another great place to meet craftbeer fans like yourself.

4 Go to beer festivals (WooooHoooo)

      First of all, regardless of the fact that it's a good move financially, if you love craft beer or even enjoy craft beer to any degree, attending a beer festival is a must. It is the single best way to sample the widest variety of beers and also to meet other like minded craft beer aficionados. Most craft beer festivals offer unlimited sampling (please always make sure to pace yourself, eat some food and secure a safe and reliable transportation source!!!). Also, unlike hoity-toity wine festivals, the admission prices to craft beer festivals are usually far from astronomical ($30-40 average ticket prices). You also usually get the opportunity to score some cool schwag and listen to some awesome music.

Check my list of upcoming beer festivals in Connecticut (HERE)


5 Go to tastings at package stores (usually free)

      Next time you are at a package store, take a look around at some of the signs or better yet ask one of the workers if they offer tastings, you will be surprised as many do (especially the larger chain ones). They usually do this on a set schedule (weekly or monthly) and feature different beers each time.

6 Buy Growlers

     Many local breweries offer to fill new or used growlers in addition to offering their tours and samples. The prices for these growler fills are often a great deal, especially in comparison to prices at beer bars. Thomas Hooker Brewery offers growler refills for as low as $8 on all their beers (except for Porter and Doppelbock). Some simple math (I will try to do this but I'm a couple of IPAs deep as I write this) shows us that a 64 ounce growler would yield four pints of Thomas Hooker Beer.  Find me another place where you can get $2 pints of awesome craft beer and I'll be amazed (and happy)

7 Craftbeer Happy Hours

      A Craftbeer Happy Hour is pretty much like a regular Happy Hour only way way more awesome. Instead of getting a half priced bud light (ooh yummm!), you can get a few bucks off of craft beer selections, up to half off at some places! Most beer bars in CT offer them, just check out their websites or give them a ring to find out when and what the deal is.

8 Buy Flights

      Buying flights is a great way to sample various craft brewskis. If you are on a budget or just like to be wise with your moolah, why buy 16 or 20 ounces of a beer you have never had, when you can have a small taste for free. Get a flight of beers (which usually works out to be a bit of a deal, ounce per ounce when you compare the price with full beers on the menu), see which one(s) you like the best and then go with full glasses of those.

9 Tasting nights at beer bars

     Most beer bars are really creative with their promotions and if you have a little flexibility in when you are willing to consume some craft beer goodness you can usually find some nice tastings offered for free or a reduced fee. Prime 16 in New Haven has a free tasting every Wednesday night, featuring a specific brewery and a few of their offerings. Other Connecticut Craft Beer hotspots like the Plab B locations, Gingerman locations and others offer them as well.

10 Get a CT Beer Trail Trailblazers membership

      A CT Beer Trail Trail Blazer's membership will set you back a minuscule 10 bucks and get you more than a dozen awesome craft beer discounts throughout the state (more beer bars, breweries and brew pubs are offering discounts every month and there are even discounts on beer festival tickets!!!).  For all the details on discounts and deals offered head (HERE)


***And lastly, don't forget to check back at this blog often for sweet deals and events. AND if you have any more great tips on drinking great craft beer on a budget please leave a comment and I will add it to the list***

7,318 Reasons to visit Coalhouse Pizza in Stamford

Why should I visit   Coalhouse Pizza in Stamford?

Because of the Pizza!
Because of the Wings!!
Because of the Draft List!!!
Because of the Bottle List!!!!
Because of the Vibe and Atmosphere!!!!!

Coalhouse Pizza is beyond AWESOME.  Coalhouse Pizza has that "IT" factor.  It's one of those places that makes ya smile the second you walk in the door.  When you walk inside, you look straight and to the right and you see all the Taps.  And you smile.  You look up and see dozens and dozens of craft beer bottles.  And you smile.  Some make you reflect on your experiences and memories with those beers and others make you envious for having not tried them before.  But they all make you smile.  You smell the food...the wings, the pastas and oh the PIZZA.  And again you Smile.  You see the pictures of the jazz greats on the walls.  And you smile.  You hear the jazz music emerging from the speakers.  And you smile.

Coalhouse Pizza on High Ridge Road in Stamford can make you smile in so many different ways.

Like I said, this place his the "IT" factor.  They have the "IT" factor in a hundred different ways, coming at you from a hundred different directions.

Since this is a beer blog, we will focus there.

Coalhouse Pizza has a 52 Tap System.  A 52 TAP SYSTEM (typed again and in all caps for dramatic effect)!!!  If you want an awesome craft beer selection this is the place to go.  They've got Lagers, Pilsners, Bocks, Wheats, Whites, Belgians, Amber Ales, Brown Ales, Scotch Ales, Pale Ales, IPAs, Strong Ales, Porters, Stouts, Barleywines and even a section called "The Unusuals"!!!  Not only do they have each of these varieties of Craft Beers, but they have many options within each category.

They have Strong beers, such as the 18% Dogfish Head 120min IPA (The clear your schedule, I'm gonna need a nap beer) and light beers, like the 3.8% Sebago Hefeweizen (The I can have a few of these and still be a productive citizen beer)!

They also consistently have Connecticut Craft Beers on Tap as well from such awesome breweries like Thomas Hooker Brewery and New England Brewing Company.

AND, just when you thought "Things don't get any better than this", they do!  What I detailed above is just the draft beer!

On to The Bottles!!!

Coalhouse Pizza offers more than 100 different Bottled Craft Beers, in no less than 32 different styles!!!  Some of the larger portions of the impeccable list include a whopping 9 American IPAs!, 7 Imperial IPAs, 6 Witbiers and 5 Stouts!

If you're looking for Craft Beer deals/specials/events (and aren't we all?) they have them all the time.  There are often multiple deals/events/specials every week out at Coalhouse.

Here is a brief look at the various Craft Beer events and deals they have lined up for June!!!:

-Every Monday-Friday 3PM - 5PM Happy Hour ($5 Flights, $5 Drafts, 1/2 Priced Mixed Drinks)

-Every Saturday Half Priced Bottled Beer, Choose from any of their bottled beer on their new menu

-Tuesday, June 5th @ 5PM Blind Beer Tasting, Four Beers, One Style

-Thursday, June 7th Cask Night Featuring Berkshire Brewing River Ale

-Tuesday, June 12th @ 5PM Sixpoint Brewing Flight Night

-Thursday, June 14th @ 5PM Beer and Cheese, Artisanal Cheese and Craft Beer

-Saturday, June 16th @ 5PM Beer Glass Give-Away Night

-Tuesday, June 19th @ 7PM Home Brew, Join them when they announce the winners of their Pale Ale / IPA Home Brew Competition!  Marc & Tess from Maltose Express will be there with a team of Home Brew Judges.

-Wednesday, June 20th @ 5PM Taste of Belgium

-Thursday, June 21st @ 5PM Battle of the IPA's, Flower Power IPA, Southern Tier 2xIPA, Burton Baton, Big Eye IPA

-Saturday, June 23rd Beer Stein Day, Bring your own beer stein or club mug and enjoy select craft brews!

-Tuesday, June 26th @ 5PM Flight Night

If this amazing list of awesome deals and events isn't enough, the great people at Coalhouse Pizza will also be putting on Wine events and featuring live music throughout June.

For more information on any of the great things going on over at Coalhouse Pizza, give them a call at 203-977-7700 or check out their website at http://www.coalhousepizza.com/

Fundraiser & Total Tap Takeover @ Plan B Glastonbury, Thursday, June 7th and Thursday, June 14th

Location: Plan B Burger Bar, Glastonbury

Breweries: Brooklyn Brewery & Dogfish Head Brewery

Dates:  Relay for Life Fundraiser, Thursday, June 7th 5PM-11PM

            Dogfish Head Brewery Total Tap Takeover, Thursday, June 14th 6PM - Close

Relay For Life Fundraiser

The Skinny: The awesome people at Plan B Glastonbury have a couple of great events planned for the first half of June.  On Thursday, June 7th, they will be hosting their 4th annual Relay for Life Fundraiser.  This great fundraiser event, will have it all, including a patio party with a live DJ, a cookout and raffles.

There will also be $3 mini cheeseburgers (YUMMMM) and oh yea, some drink specials!!!, such as $3 Brooklyn Lager Drafts!

And of course as mentioned earlier, all of this awesomeness is in the name of a great cause!  100% of the sales from the aforementioned items will be donated to Relay for Life!!!

So head on over to Plan B Glastonbury for a great time and an even better cause.

Dogfish Head Brewery Total Tap Takeover

The Skinny:  Later in the month (the following Thursday to be exact) the great folks out at Plan B Glastonbury are teaming up with the ever-innovative Delaware brewery, Dogfish Head for what is being billed as a "Total Tap Takeover". What is a "Total Tap Takeover" you ask? A "Total Tap Takeover" means that every single tap at Plan B Glastonbury will be dispensing some Dogfish Head Brewery amazingness from 6:00PM until close!!!  The Dogfish Head brews on draft will be as follows (click on the beer to bring up the official Dogfish Head Brewery description for that beer):

Tap 1 120 Minute IPA

Tap 2 90 Minute IPA

Tap 3 60 Minute IPA

Tap 4 Nobel Rot

Tap 5 Old Skool

Tap 6 Sah'Tea

Tap 7 Red and White

Tap 8 Black and Blue

Tap 9 Palo Santo

Tap 10 Burton Baton

Tap 11 Ta'Henket

Tap 12 Theobrama

Tap 13 Raison D'Etre

Tap 14 World Wide Stout

In addition to the great brews, there will be trays of appetizers floating around from 6:00PM - 8:00PM.

The Weekender (June 1-3)

Every Friday I will publish "The Weekender". This will be your guide to awesome craft beer events and deals for that weekend.

I will give a brief highlight of 5 Connecticut Craft Beer events or deals to check out. Some will be the same from week to week and some will be different. So please check back each week.

5 Events/Deals You Need To Know Are Happening This Weekend:



1. Thomas Hooker Brewery Friday, June 1 5-8 pm

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!

Address & Directions: 16 Tobey Rd. Bloomfield, CT 06002
Hartford County
TapintoCT Thomas Hooker Brewery Write-up

2. Thomas Hooker Brewery Saturday, June 2 12-5 pm

Come for a tour and full tasting of Thomas Hooker Beers and guided tours from our friendly staff. Due to overwhelming demand this tasting is by reservation only. Call this number to reserve some spots: 860 242-3111

Address & Directions: 16 Tobey Rd. Bloomfield, CT 06002
Hartford County
TapintoCT Thomas Hooker Brewery Write-up

3. Coalhouse Pizza Saturday, June 2 All Day

All bottled beers on their menu are 1/2 price all day

Address: 85 High Ridge Road, Stamford, CT 06905
Fairfield County

4. Prime 16 Saturday, June 2 2-4 pm

Enjoy any of Prime 16's 20 premium drafts at 1/2 price!

Address & Directions: 172 Temple Street, New Haven, CT 06510
New Haven County

5. Cottrell Brewing Company Saturday, June 2 1-5pm

Tours every half hour on the half hour. Also a tasting and beer sales!

Address & Directions: 100 Mechanic Street, Pawcatuck, CT 06379
New London County