Outer Light Brewing Company

 

this place is great, low key, ambitious, fun, what beer should be, i had a blast spending time here, and have enjoyed their beers as well, they have a good thing going. its tucked down of the road in a little strip mall sort of space, garage doors, they have a couple of bays, production on one side and taproom on the other. the big parking lot doubles as a patio, they rope off a big area, have picnic tables out there, and even live music at times, a great setup when the weather permits. they have some tables on the brewery side too for overflow seating, neat to be among the tanks. the taproom is modest, high top tables in front of a short bar with just a handful of seats, but a view into the brewery, chill vibes abound, a no frills kind of space that feels community focused and cozy, come as you are. they have a wicked beer list, something for everyone, they kill it with the hoppy stuff, all of it, my favorite was a hibiscus hazy, but they have a lot of other fun beer too, fruited kettle sour, a great amber and an imperial version of it, a coffee stout that bangs, and many others, they must work hard to produce so many beers on this humble system, really rad! a couple of the beers were less than amazing, the pils for one, but also a fruited kolsch, but their hits are hits for sure. smores inspired dunkel was next level too. the other thing that has to be mentioned is the people, got to spend time with the whole crew here, and everyone is kind, friendly, welcoming, well informed, and generous, they made my time there really awesome, and they treat everyone like that, super cool. they are rightly well respected, seem to be having fun doing what they do, and it was a wonderful hang. cant wait to go back!

 

 

 

Stopped by here during a recent road trip on a Thursday night, and it was a busy place - but the crowd was vibrant, and there were quite a few people - bar patrons and bartenders alike - who were actively talking about the beers, and it was an overall friendly place. Stop by here and you won't be disappointed! Good selection of beer, knowledgeable staff, friendly atmosphere, beergeeky type of place!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very prompt and friendly service, despite being relatively busy.

 

 

 

This review is based on approximately 7 visits over the course of a year.
The vibe is pretty good, but it can get too crowded when EB and Pfizer a letting out. Vibe was MUCH better when dogs were allowed. They sent out an e-mail that some Ledyard Food District BS does not allow dogs where food and beverages are consumed. To the life of me I don't understand the jurisdiction here.
Beer is pretty good, especially the stouts. They do some decent IPA's also.
Even when crowded the staff seems more attentive than most.
If your party is small the 6-8 seat tables almost guarantee conversation with strangers. In my experience this has always worked well, but you never know you might meet that one jerk...

 

Outer Light opened in Groton with a bang: for a brand new place, they were clearly well-funded from the get go, with a large space and tons of capacity. They've made good use of it by immediately putting out some excellent beers.

Their flagship ale is a toasty, hoppy red ale: Lonesome Boatman. It's everything an American red ale should be, instead of the red IPAs most breweries chuck out. This has a nice crisp hoppy bite, but it really showcases the toasted malt, and maintains an excellent balance.

Their standard IPA, SUBduction, is a very good IPA, and something you can order with confidence.

Their regular coffee stout, Libation Propaganda, is quite possibly the most coffee-forward beer I have ever had. While it isn't as delectable as Peche Mortel or as bold as FBS, it is an absolute treat for coffee lovers.

Outer Light doesn't serve food (beyond chips), but they do allow you to bring your own in. The bar area is relatively small, with seating for maybe 30-ish people. The bartenders and owners are all very friendly.

It's a great spot to stop by for a pint after work, or to pick up a growler or two for the weekend.

 

Located near the end of a industrial plaza. Open and comfortable. Nice tables and bar. Large selection. Flight served in globe shaped glasses (thank you). Relaxed atmosphere. Board games available.

 

 

 

A great newer brewery located in Groton CT, "the submarine capitol of the world." These guys pump out solid suds at a consistent rate. They offer a few beers regularly and do a lot of experimental brews as well as barrel and keg releases at their brewery and on occasion local establishments. The tap room is lively and the vibe is good. Can get busy at times so getting a fresh pint or growler may take a minute, but it's worth the wait.

Tucked in the edge of an industrial strip area just off of 95 North. Nice size tasting room with maybe 10 larger tables and a decent sized bar. There were 4 cars there when they were ready to open at noon! Nice open space, very friendly vibe. Plenty of loose board games along the wall to stay and play. I had 2 flites and everything was top notch. The coffee stout was just excellent as was the weizenbock-I got growlers of both. The imperial stout-both plain and barrel aged were fantastic. Their red ale-Lonesome Boatman-was very solid and a nice example of a style that is either way out of line and over done or has faded in the present day IPA craze. Service was stellar. All in a great place to drop by and maybe even stay a while. I had a very pleasant hour there today. Good press from the blurb in BA mag has lead me to a new favorite. Wish I lived closer.

 

 

 

 

Converted warehouse, high ceilings and open garage door give place a very spacious feel. Bar, against back wall seats 10, and a half dozen tables fill out the floor. A dozen beers on tap, also sells cans. Friendly service.

Groton now has a brewery to call its own and that brewery is Outer Light Brewing Company...and boy did we luck out. The space is awesome. Bigger than some tap rooms I've visited but small enough to still be intimate. The people are fun and good natured. Met several the first night we went and everyone was a pleasure to speak to and they even handled me and my friends well after we had a few. Lastly the beer is top notch. At the time of opening there was only one beer from OLBC in tap and that was Lonesome Boatman, a red ale or sorts, that really hit the spot. Not normally my favorite style but these guys nailed it. I went a second time today and they had just released their IPA SUBduction. Malty and balanced it's an IPA that will keep me coming back. After those two beers I am excited to try more of their offerings in the near future. A welcome addition to our CT beer scene!

Visited early on their second day of a soft opening. Located at the end of a light industrial strip with tons of parking, in an easily forgettable section of Southeastern CT. Small taproom with a few high top tables and a small bar with a dozen or so seats. Windows in the taproom look into the 15 bbl brewery, and corrugated metal lines the walls. Atmosphere is a little industrial with minimal decor, but very relaxed. Having been open only one day thus far, they only had one of their own beers on tap, a red/amber ale. Beyond that, they also had 3 guest taps from Willimantic Brewing, Grey Sail, and Cottrell, and one wine from Jonathan Edwards. No food, but you can bring your own in. Worth a visit if you're in the area, even in its infancy. IPA, coffee stout, and some seasonals will soon join the red/amber. Brewer is from Foothills Brewing, I look forward to seeing what he can bring the this area of CT. Review numbers are a little premature and will be updated as they grow and get into full gear, but wanted to get a written review in for the curious.