On Saturday, March 26, 2022, we drove to Wallingford, Connecticut to the Toyota Oakdale Theatre for the fourth annual CT Craft Beer Fest. The festival consisted of two sessions, with VIP entrance, 1-hour before opening to the general public for each session. We attended the first VIP session that began at noon. Ale, Cream Ale, Pale Ale, Blonde Ale, India Pale Ale, Brown Ale, Hazy IPA, Lager, Porter, Sours, Stout, Imperial Stout, and oh my, so many amazing products to sample during the 4-hour session. The breweries were busy chatting, educating, and pouring fresh “on tap” draft selections, as well as canned and bottled products.
Welcome to CT Craft Beer Fest 2022
The Craft Beer movement is not only alive and well in Connecticut it is thriving. The number of breweries has grown exponentially with 125 breweries now located across the state of Connecticut, and the diversity and the high-quality of their products has aficionados sitting up and taking notice. For every palate there is a craft brewing style, and with levels of alcohol ranging from low (5% + alcohol by volume) to high (15% + alcohol by volume), there is a vast selection from which to choose.
The 2022 CT Craft Beer Fest had 60 breweries in attendance offering attendees the opportunity to taste and learn about their products, including many special beers made especially for the festival.
2022 CT Craft Beer Fest – The Connecticut Brewers
Badsons
Black Hog
Black Pond Brews, LLC
Brewport
Broken Symmetry
Center Street Brewing
City Steam Brewery
Epicure Brewing
New England Cider Co.
Nod Hill Brewery
Pink Booties
Two Roads
Thimble Island Brewing Company
Willimantic Brewing Company
Witchdoctor Brewing Company
Tasting Time
Top Notch Band
As our palates tend to lean towards dark spirits and dark beers, we gravitated towards sampling the various stout offerings. From Armada Brewing we tried their Night’s Executioner 2022, a Russian Stout with Tahitian Vanilla Beans and Willoughby’s Coffee with 15% alcohol by volume. We also sampled Abomination & ET/CT Collaboration’s Imperial Midnight Snack Biscotti Break, which was an Imperial Stout featuring Coffee, Almonds & Vanilla Beans, 12.5% alcohol by volume., Another interesting stout was the Calentador, an Imperial Stout with cocoa nibs, cinnamon, and chipotle peppers, 11% alcohol by volume from Nod Hill Brewery. What we liked most about the Imperial Stouts we sampled was the depth of flavors and subtle nuances that made each of them unique and very tasty.
Rum Runners
From Black Hog Brewing we tried their Hogenator, a German Style Doppelbock, 8.8% alcohol by volume. From New England Cider Co., we sampled their Pommeau, a traditional oak barrel aged apple wine, 20% alcohol by volume, and their Ice Cider Apple Wine, 11.9% alcohol by volume.
Hot Taco Street Kitchen
Throughout the day we roamed through the two smaller tasting rooms, as well “the Dome” sampling the many offerings, listening to the bands (Top Notch Band, Rum Runners), watching the ongoing Jenga game, visiting the food trucks, (Little Italy Pizza Truck, Crispy Melt by Caseus, Hot Taco Street Kitchen, Jonz N’ BBQ, Lobster Craft), browsing the 20 vendors’ merchandise stands, and enjoying the ambience and the camaraderie of other craft brewing fans. Sacred Heart University was also at the show as they have a Brewing Science Program, perfect for craft beer fans interested in learning the art and science of crafting artisanal beer.
Little Italy Pizza Truck
VIDEO – Phil Pappas, Executive Director of the CT Brewers Guild talks about the CT Craft Beer Fest 2022 –
Until next time, Cheers!
To Jenga, Or not to Jenga?
CHEERS!
About the CT Brewers Guild
“The Connecticut Brewers Guild was founded in June 2012 to promote the interests of the fledgling craft beer scene in Connecticut. As of November 2021, the Connecticut beer scene boasts more than 123 operational breweries, with many more in planning. The goal of this Guild is to further promote our local breweries, move forward on Guild Member initiatives that foster profitability, and increase public awareness of all in-state breweries and legislative actions.”
For more information about the CT Brewers Guild or their upcoming festivals and events, please visit their website: https://www.connecticut.beer/
CT Brewers Guild
470 James Street
Suite 7
New Haven, CT 06513
United States
Telephone: +1-203-293-8622
Email: ctbrewersguild@connecticut.beer
Phil Pappas, Executive Director: phil@connecticut.beer
Website: https://www.connecticut.beer/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CTBrewersGuild/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ctbrewersguild/
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