Aspetuck Brew Lab

We started up north some and worked our way back over the river into Fairfield County. I was just following so not really navigating or paying any mind to where I was going, but we did get our food & beer one-two on; the latter being Aspetuck. If you asked “Where that at?” I’d probably reply with something like “I don’t know, but it’s a short distance from where hot dogs happened, just pull up the hot dog map, overlay the brewery map, figure it out…”

Anyway, I parked the mad driveway and in. it’s a small little tasting room, it is, uh huh. ‘L’ shaped bar to the rear; marble topped, panel wood base, & foot bar. Seating for upwards of a dozen on Halloweeny orange & black stools. 3 logo block handled cylinder stand up tap tower on the bar, and another 8 on a barbell row on the barback counter with glassware & sinkage fronting subway tile backing. More glassware below and can cooler action. A single shelf above holds growls, glassware, snacks, boots, steins, and stuff. Logo piece on center above over smaller boards to both sides. Draft selections on one board (beer & style, and pricing for 4 pack cans and/or 32oz & 64oz growls where applicable), and cocktails, hard cider & seltzers, pub run dates, and new beers listed on the other board.

White walls, concrete floorings, and a black painted corrugated ceiling with a single spinny. Forward roll up panel door to the parking lot and outdoor seating area. Bar counter space on the far wall with alt colored stools, a single rectangular hightop behind me angled, a pair of bar counter spur tables forward, and another table or two to the rear fronting the brewery. Also, a half dozen mix & match tables out front for the sitting at. Cone filament lamps tracing the bar, large suction cup lamps over the floor, baby lighting strung to and fro, and cool test tube swivel stick single filament bulb beaker wall mounts with logo pieces in between. A single flat in the corner over medals framed. Blue & white flaggings strung, light art forward the space, a can cooler in the corner, and a merch wall to the rear hugging the loo.

11 taps (Pilsner, 5.2%; Amigo, Mexican Style Lager, 5%; PT78, Platinum Blonde Ale, 5%; Winterfest, 5%; Field Share Saison, Belgian Farmhouse, 6.8%; Divine Sublimation, Belgian Strong Golden, 9%; Stone Fruit Pi, Sour Ale, 5.5%; Bramble, Blackberry Sour Ale, 5.3%; DDH Turbidity Lucidity, IPA, 6%; TuLu X2, DIPA, 8%; Extra Slice, Imperial Pastry Stout, 10.3%), + Pedro El Negro, Black IPA, 7%, in cans. It’s a good mix of a bunch of styles; Lager, Belgian, Sour, IPA, & Roast.

Amigo, Mexican Style Lager is clean, good for style; PT78, Platinum Blonde Ale, a very easy drinker, nice; Pilsner, crisp & clean, pleasant; DDH Turbidity Lucidity, IPA, citrus fruit, had a nice bite, a solid IPA; Divine Sublimation, Belgian Strong Golden was just that, dry, Belgianny candy sugarlike; Winterfest is meh, I don’t know what you were going for here; Field Share Saison, Belgian Farmhouse is Belgianny but not so Saisonny; Pedro El Negro, Black IPA, big beer, citrus & piney hoppy, I do like! Extra Slice, Imperial Pastry Stout, it’s just too much, vanilla & coffee & cocoa no, not for me. Am thinking Pedro El Negro Black IPA, Divine Sublimation Belgian Strong Golden, & DDH Turbidity Lucidity IPA for the wins.

Lots of 90’s play today. We are critiquing the Gin Blossoms (I happen to really like them). Alanis Morissette, Counting Crows, 4 Non Blondes, Blind Melon, and other 90’sisms. Friendly folks, cool scene, nice crowd. It’s a good house. I’m going to be looking in on this one again as I come up 95.

Three of us visited yesterday. Between us we tried 9 beers (one person started with a flight). All were really good.
Very small place, but as simple, small places can sometimes hit that vibe just right, this place does. Unassuming (despite the beer competition medals on the wall) and really casual.
It was a pretty warm day and the overhead and entrance door were wide open. Some people sat in the sun and under awnings in the parking lot, a handful of us bar flied it. It was kind of a slow afternoon but one or the other of the two employees went out of there way to go greet every new customer group, sometimes jumping to the door.
I will mention that there was a tv on at the bar. I know many of you have strong feelings about that. No one was really watching the NCAA baseball playoffs except one of the employees so I was kind of neutral about it.
Did strike up a pretty long conversation with another patron about a shared hobby initiated by me after reading his tee shirt. That happenstance meeting just enhanced this post-pandemic visit to a nice place.
Despite the general lack of theme or "newness" in the taproom (part of the vibe really) the bathrooms looked like they were just remodeled with top notch materials.

 

Easy on and off 95, not far from the sound, this smaller spot is modern and stark, small bar takes up most of the main room, a few tables to sit at, with the brewery equipment to the right as you enter.

Friendly staff, no food, perhaps a food truck...beers we tried were decent but not much more....they have been here for 4 yrs, so they must be doing something right....cans available to go...the NEIPA we took home was middle of the road at best

 

 

 

 

They have a few great beers, and a few pretty good beers. Their beers are differentiated from other breweries. Parking is tough. Good pizza place a couple minutes down the road, on the left, headed into Bridgeport.

Cool little place in the Black Rock area of Bridgeport, a stone's throw from the Fairfield line. Little bar area has a lot of seats and tables mixed in, should be enough for a decent crowd. Good music playing at a reasonable volume.

About half a dozen beers on tap, all seem pretty fresh though some could use some more refinement, overall not any bad beers but only one or two really good ones. Rest are nice but nothing noteworthy.

Service was good, I was left with an empty glass for quite some time, but we got quick service when we rolled up to the bar. Overall worth a stop for CT breweries.

 

 

 

 

Small, very modern and very clean space. Had about a half dozen beers on tap. All the beers were good with none being great. Very cool vibe, nice spot and well worth a visit if you are in Black Rock.

Really nice place, well worth a visit.

Taproom seats about 20-25 people. Very modern somewhat Spartan design, with high warehouse ceiling and lots of natural light. They had 6 beers on tap, a good variety and all very solid. Love that they sell 1/2 pints, as well as pints. Really nice bathroom!! Great friendly service... will definitely be back.