Craft Beer + Music: Twelvenote Brew Co. Opens in Black Rock Brewery Interview Features Brewery Twelvenote Brew Co Black Rock Bridgeport Music Craft Beer Beer Opening Interview Brewer Homepage Andrew Dominick January 08, 2026 Brian Pietrzak has had some “pinch me” moments lately. As the brewer and co-owner of Twelvenote Brew Co. in the former Aspetuck Brew Lab space in Black Rock, he’ll tell you candidly that it’s all a bit surreal. “I wake up sometimes at 3 a.m. and I can’t believe I own a fuckin’ brewery, like, I can’t believe this is my job now,” he says. Originally from Erie, PA, Pietrzak’s brewing story started as you might expect it to, with a home brewing kit he received as a gift from his brother-in-law, who’s his now partner at Twelvenote. Read More
Two Roads Brewing Company Launches Dinner Pairing Series- A New Brewery Experience Events Features Brewery Ingredients Interview Tasting Menu Brewery Two Roads Brewing Company Craft Beer Spirits Distillery Interview Homepage Stratford Beer Andrew Dominick March 20, 2025 If you’ve followed the evolution of Two Roads Brewing Company, it’s quite something. Since the main brewery opened in 2012, one thing they kept doing is continuing to evolve. Not including a laundry list of beer releases, Two Roads went onto open a second facility next to their Hop Yard six years ago that you now know as Area Two Experimental Brewing. Following Area Two and all their fun, funky small batch drops, and in no particular order, Two Roads got into making canned cocktails, non-alcoholic beer, distilling (we’ll have a few teasers on that), and they even purchased the former PizzaCo across the street and turned it into Two Roads Food Hall & Bar and next door, Two Roads Tee Box, a golf simulator, making it a full-blown “campus.” Read More
A Family Biz: Sly Bandit Brewing Company with Full Service Restaurant Opens in Wilton Brewery Ingredients Features Craft Beer Wilton Homepage Interview Brewery Sly Bandit Brewing Family Friendly Opening Beer Andrew Dominick March 18, 2025 When a homebrewing hobby runs in the family, it’s only proper to open a brewery, isn’t it? That’s at least what happened in the Guda Family, whose brewery, Sly Bandit, may have caught your eye while on Route 7 in Wilton near the Norwalk line. Owned by Dave, who’s retired from the information technology world, Wendy, a former New Cannan High School math teacher who still teaches at CT State Community College Norwalk, and their son, Mike, who left his job as a market research executive to brew beer full time. Read More
Spacecat Brewing Company in Norwalk Debuts Food Truck + New Cocktail Program Brewery Ingredients Interview Spacecat Brewing Company Norwalk Burgers Fried Chicken Sandwich Food Truck Brewery Cocktails Homepage Andrew Dominick February 26, 2025 The next time you’re enjoying a pint in Spacecat Brewing Company’s taproom, that tray of burgers that just went by IS NOT courtesy of Shake Shack’s Shack Truck. Right out back by Spacecat’s appropriately named patio, “The Litterbox,” is their own brand-new food trailer where the brewery smashes burgers, grills up Connecticut’s own Hummel Bros. hot dogs, and fries to perfection a crispy chicken sandwich. Read More
Chef Andrew Mercado's Butternut Squash Dashi Broth Soup Recipe Recipe Features Recipe Soups CTbites Team October 22, 2024 A few years back, guests were delighted to find themselves dining under the stars in Terrain’s outdoor garden, at a pop-up dinner hosted by Andrew Mercado of FED Hospitality Group and Chef Jes Bengston. One of the lineup’s starters was this wonderful soup, inspired by campfire cooking and the fall season. The beauty of this soup, is that it is vegan, and built upon a Dashi broth base. In Mercado’s words, it is “vegan, creamy, flavorful, soul-warming, subtly spiced, coconut-infused, simple and perfect for fall weather.” We couldn’t agree more. Read More
Tree House Brewing Co. Bought a Farm in Woodstock: Go...Drink Some Cider Features Brewery Ingredients Road Trip Seasonal Craft Beer Beer Cider Cidery Woodstock Tree House Brewing Company Homepage Andrew Dominick June 21, 2024 Ahh! Remember the good old days when standing in long lines at breweries was something people actually did?Me too. And thinking back on it now, and despite making snobby craft beer small talk, that legitimately sucked. What were we thinking? I’ve even heard tales about people sleeping on the street overnight just to get stouts at Other Half. Perhaps the undisputed king of waiting in a beer line took place in the first half of the 2010s when Tree House Brewing Company moved to Monson, Massachusetts in 2013 and you hoped with all you had in your soul that you could get a growler fill or even a couple cans of Julius, Haze, or Green. IYKYK.Hell, let’s take it even further to the days of making your non-beer drinking friend, mother, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, and possibly someone you didn’t even really like that much to go up with you, stand in line behind you, and you could potentially double your allotted Tree House haul. Read More
A CINCO DE MAYO Agave Spirits Primer & Recipes via CT Bartender Khalid Williams Features Recipe Cinco de Mayo Cocktail Recipe Cocktails Recipe Khalid Williams April 28, 2024 My favorite tequilas that are values:(I love George Clooney and all, but you can do much better than Migos.)Cimaroon-this, by far is the most value driven example of pure agave flavor.It may be a bit too funky for some, but it is super authentic and full of spice, lime, and herbaceous notes.Casa Noble Reposado- Aged for one day less than an Anejo, this is attainable luxury in a bottle. They check all the boxes for production, sustainability and investment in the drinking public with good information about how to truly appreciate the spirit. Vanilla, white pepper and bright orange dominate. Gran Centenario Anejo- oak aging takes away agave flavor, and skill is required to add the notes of candied apple, chocolate and cinnamon while preserving the soul of an agave. This is great for a bourbon lover, and a spoonful on top of your margarita is instant elegance. Read More
First Look: Elicit Brewing Company Opens Second Location in Fairfield Features Brewery Restaurant Elicit Brewing Company Fairfield Craft Beer Beer ct beer Homepage Brewery James Gribbon February 10, 2024 Elicit Brewing Company’s second location will open to the public on Monday, February 12, and CTbites has the inside scoop. More accurately a brewpub, the brand-new location will encompass a microbrewery, 100-tap taproom and social space, an in-house cocktail-focused speakeasy, and a large, covered back patio with direct access from the Fairfield Metro train station. Read More
Holiday Cocktail Recipes from Bartender Khalid Williams Features Recipe Cocktails Holiday Recipe Khalid Williams November 22, 2023 Two people walk into my bar. They both want to make amazing drinks for that holiday dinner. One of them is a bartender that studies the craft on a regular basis. The other person doesn’t know much besides a few drinks they they enjoy and have never made drinks themselves. Does one deserve to have a better time than the other simply because they do this all the time? I say no. We all deserve to have a good time and enjoy our adult beverages or mocktails. IF YOU HAVE SKILLS WITH CRAFT COCKTAILS: Read the room, and read beyond the room. Holiday gatherings aren’t the time for us to prove why it was smart for us to drop out of college by pulling out the molecular mixology kits or playing with dry ice. The holiday gathering is about a laid back good time, or at least pretending that cooking for 17 hours is a relaxing activity. In any case, the beverage should contain flavors that anyone can understand, pronounce and enjoy without much research . Use familiar spirits -bourbon and rum are seasonally fun. Vodka is a safe bet. Gin seems adventurous and may get a side eye, but in a sour style fruity cocktail, your guests WILL enjoy it. Sell them on the yummy ingredients. Just One Thing-One ingredient can make multiple spirits shine and turn your 3-4 bottles into a complete menu. Read More
Broken Symmetry Introduces New Chef, New Menu, and Teases Expansion Brewery Interview Restaurant Brewery Bethel Interview Beer chef Andrew Dominick September 13, 2023 It wasn’t all that long ago that we covered Bethel’s own Broken Symmetry Gastro Brewery and some of the changes that were happening at the time. Read More
Friday Froth: Mexican Lager, Made In Connecticut Features Brewery CT Beer Brewery Beer Beer Garden Friday Froth James Gribbon June 22, 2023 Despite expert credibility having recently taken several cannonballs below the waterline, and 60-degree sweater weather remaining in abundance, summer - they tell us - has officially arrived. The days are near their longest, and the months start with “J”, so we must grudgingly accede they have a point. This time each year, in a migration as timeless and majestic as the great herds of the Serengeti - Nutmeggers can be seen dragging our coolers to beaches and backyards. What are we drinking? Hard seltzer! NO! I mean, yes, but also: shut up. We are drinking:Very cold.Easy drinking.Usually Mexican lager. Corona, Pacifico, Modelo, ET C.Why do we drink these? Because 1&2, but also... it’s what we’ve always done. Why are you thinking about this?BECAUSE I’ve been noticing Connecticut brewers have been trying out the style in increasing numbers, they are delicious, and more people should know, which has always been the entire point of this column. Read More
Friday Froth: Caius Farm Brewery Opens in Branford Brewery Features Beer CT Beer Brewery Branford Homepage Opening James Gribbon March 31, 2023 On March 15, 44B.C., the “Ides of March” made famous by Cato and Shakespeare, Julius Caesar was assassinated after declaring himself dictator for life – essentially a new king - by senators who wanted to preserve the Roman republic. It was during this shakily-auspicious lunar period when I found myself transfixed by a circa-2nd century A.D. Roman mosaic of the god Mercury at the brand-new Caius Farm Brewery in Branford, and sipping a beer called “Brutus.” Cosmic.“Caius” isn’t just the name of the place, it’s the name of its owner, one Caius Mergy: a Middlebury College Classics major with a Masters in Classical Archaeology from the Oxford University in England, who then decided to graduate at the top of his brewing classes at the Siebel Institute in Chicago, and the Doemens Academy in Munich. You know, for fun. Long time readers of this column will know about my history dork-dom (it’s my undergrad degree, too), and I mention with a name like that, Caius’ parents must have also been into classics. Read More
Run & Hide Brewing Co. Opens Taproom in Port Chester Brewery Features Interview Craft Beer Run & Hide Brewing Co. Run & Hide Brewery Brewery Port Chester Beer Andrew Dominick January 30, 2023 Tim Shanley admittedly had butterflies right before he opened his small taproom in Port Chester.“I was talking to a childhood friend that I’ve known for 50 years and told him ‘I’m nervous,’” Shanley says. “He said to me, ‘What are you nervous for? When you were in eighth grade, you bought a blitz beer ball (a plastic jug that holds around five gallons) and you charged $2 a person for people to come into your mom’s backyard to drink.’”Ahead of Run & Hide Brewing Co.’s public opening, that recollection put Shanley’s mind at ease. He then recalled throwing keggers for upwards of a few thousand students and going through a couple hundred kegs when he attended SUNY New Paltz and bands like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones rocked the campus. Read More
Former Nosh Hound Food Truck Owner Maycie Ralbovsky Joins Broken Symmetry as Executive Chef Brewery Features Interview Restaurant Brewery Chef Talk Tasting Tasting Menu Tacos Mexican Craft Beer Homepage Bethel Beer Andrew Dominick November 18, 2022 Ask any Fairfield County food truck fanatic what their favorite one was over the past handful of years and they’re likely to mention Nosh Hound if they know what they’re talking about.The stacked sandwiches, the tacos, the burgers, and the bowls, and yes, even the “F” word…FUSION. It all really worked for Nosh Hound. I, for one, sought out Sam and Maycie Ralbovsky’s truck at every Mill River Park event. My final Nosh Hound memory was at Half Full’s Oktoberfest in Downtown Stamford when I obliterated a pork schnitzel sandwich. Read More
Bank & Bridge Brew Pub in Mystic: You Can Bank on Quenching Thirst and Hunger Brewery Restaurant Brewery CT Beer Beer Mystic bar food Comfort Food Homepage Opening Kristin L. Wolfe September 29, 2022 Labor Day might be over, but grilling is still very much in the daily DNA over at Bank & Bridge. Their signature “Get’Cha Face Dirty” burgers created by Chef Josh Ulmer who has trained in places like Madison Square Garden and Nolo in New Haven, are worth the mess they make. Seriously, you need a napkin for every bite, but it’s a noble mess if ever there was one! These beefy mounds are no joke.Bank & Bridge celebrated one year on the map in June and (in my book) have added to the magical scene that has recently made Mystic a culinary darling. Maybe it is something in the water, but this small but mighty seaport just knows food. And, although many may land in the pub for their tremendous line up of brews, nurtured by Head Brewer Jason Riggs, there is hardly a better match (even coming from a self-professed “beer sipper”) than a good juicy burger and brew. Read More
Caramelized Figs and Burrata Recipe from Chef Luke Venner Features Recipe Recipe CTbites Team September 14, 2022 Sometimes simplicity is best when it comes to cuisine. If you’ve ever eaten in Tuscany, you know this well. Great ingredients, prepared beautifully, and you’ve got yourself something delicious. Chef Luke Venner of Elm in New Canaan can execute the most elaborate dishes you’ve ever seen with layers of flavors and nuance, but he knows when to let the ingredients speak for themselves. We suggest sourcing your Mozzarella and herbs fresh from your local Farmers Market or cheesemonger. This simple dish is simply perfect. Enjoy his recipe for Caramelized Figs and Burrata. Read More
30+ Spots to Celebrate Oktoberfest 2022 in Connecticut Brewery Features Events Oktoberfest Festival Beer CT Beer Beer Garden Holiday Homepage April Guilbault September 10, 2022 Hops is on the brain and Oktoberfest is on the calendar. It’s that delightful time of year to gather with friends, German-style! Chomp into a giant pretzel, grill a brat, raise a stein (or 20, if you are partaking in a competition), and then toast, toast, and toast some more. Across our state, Oktoberfest celebrations are happening and you’ve simply got to get in on one of them. A better time will not be had! Prost! Read More
2022 Guide to Pick-Your-Own Connecticut Apples Ingredients Recipe CT Farms Local Farm Pick Your Own Homepage Anna Bendiksen August 25, 2022 At this time of year, when Connecticut’s leaves start to change colors, eventually rivaling those of a Turkish carpet, there are few pleasures keener than to drive along the back roads of our state to an apple orchard. To choose local fruit, often varieties that are otherwise hard to find, for oneself is a seasonal occasion worth seeking out, worth savoring, worth creating a special picnic for (think rustic breads, local cheeses, and local hard cider if the orchard allows it). If you’re lucky, all of this is set off by sweetly chilly temperatures and a sky of platinum blue---in which case, congratulations. You have officially reached peak autumn. Our guide to some of Connecticut’s best pick-your-own-apple experiences is here. Readers are encouraged to add their own. Note that this past spring, in the short period during which apple trees are pollinated, weather conditions were very unfavorable; a lighter-than-usual crop has resulted, so bring your flexibility along. As with all such outings, a little thinking ahead goes a long way. Be sure to call ahead for availability, wear sturdy shoes, and choose a good time for your visit. Weekdays are better for a quiet group or one that can’t deal with crowds; weekends will thrill the extroverts. Read More
Here’s What Happens at Two Roads Brewing’s Content Creator Day Features Brewery Craft Beer Brewery Two Roads Brewing Company Stratford Homepage Beer Andrew Dominick August 09, 2022 Two Roads Brewing Company barely needs an introduction. Chances are, if you live in Connecticut you’ve been at least once, or if you’re an out-of-stater hitting up a bunch of breweries, Two Roads is likely on your list of places to pound a pint.Since 2012, though, Two Roads has really come a long way from being known as one of Connecticut’s O.G. craft breweries. Not only is it the largest in terms of square footage and production, Two Roads has a bunch of accolades to boot, including local accolades in Connecticut Magazine for 2020’s Best Brewery and Best Beer that same year with its unfiltered, tropical bomb of a double IPA that you know as Two Juicy. Read More
Local Vegan Chef, Christian Tracey, Launches Plant-Based Video Recipe Series Features Recipe Video Recipe Vegan Plant Based CTbites Team April 26, 2022 Christian (Chrissy) Tracey is a local Vegan Content Contributor, Video Host at Bon Appétit Magazine, and Head Chef at Chrissy’s. She lives in New Fairfield CT.As a Vegan chef, Chef Christian Tracey knows a thing or two about the beauty of plants. She has recently launched a video series called “Plant Curious”, a plant-based series showcasing the food and cultures she loves. Tracey will be exploring cooking, baking, foraging, and a bit of her Jamaican culture. She strives to inspire her viewers to get excited about adding plants to their lifestyle---whether that be through diet and meal planning, or simply getting outside.In this video, she features Ackee, the national fruit of Jamaica. The dish, Ackee & Saltfish, is an ode to her childhood and her Jamaican heritage. It's a traditional meal consumed on a regular basis in many Jamaican households, and is savory and vegetable forward. Read More
