Better Half Brewing




59 North Main St
Bristol, Connecticut, 06010
United States
// CLOSED //
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by WillieThreebiers from Connecticut
3.67/5 rDev +21.1%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev +21.1%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.75
Located in an old cvs building in the downtown area. Large open area in front with a dozen or so communal hightop tables and a corn hole area. Large L-shaped bar on right hand wall with additional tables through the center space in-between the bar and the pizza kitchen on the left. 10 beers on tap (what is listed on the board and what might end up coming out of a can is not clear. Live music was seting up... place was pretty lively... a few little parties going on... more kids than I care for. I did not try the food.
Jul 10, 2021Reviewed by woodchipper from Connecticut
2.74/5 rDev -9.6%
vibe: 2.25 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3.25 | selection: 2.75
2.74/5 rDev -9.6%
vibe: 2.25 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3.25 | selection: 2.75
Had a quieter experience than @nebulla1999, but it wasn't great. Wife and I want on a Saturday afternoon about 2PM. Place was kind of creepy in that it was very big and very empty. Maybe 12 customers in a really big space. The only noise of note was from two guys playing corn hole near the front windows when their bags would hit the boards. Wife had a tangerine ale as there was no lagers available. She said it was "okay", I only had one sip and I would say the same.
I had a porter that was under fermented. Definitely needed some help.
We left one and done and wife said we are not going back there again.
Another creepy note (depending on your personal opinion) the brew kettles are named after Friends characters... Ross, Rachael, etc.... Never watched that crap myself.
May 23, 2021I had a porter that was under fermented. Definitely needed some help.
We left one and done and wife said we are not going back there again.
Another creepy note (depending on your personal opinion) the brew kettles are named after Friends characters... Ross, Rachael, etc.... Never watched that crap myself.
Reviewed by nebula1999 from Connecticut
1.89/5 rDev -37.6%
vibe: 1 | quality: 1 | service: 2.25 | selection: 3
1.89/5 rDev -37.6%
vibe: 1 | quality: 1 | service: 2.25 | selection: 3
My wife and I went on a Saturday late afternoon. Walking in we're greeted by a blast of crowd noise so loud we almost walked out. Screaming kids and noisy games, like walking into an out-of-control daycare. Better Half occupies the former CVS Pharmacy space, so it's one long rectangular box with high ceilings. The furnishings are nice and the large wraparound wood bar is beautiful. Lots of tables, but not many two seaters.
Sat at the end of the bar in the quietest place we could find (still crazy noisy). Took about 5 minutes for anyone to realize we had sat down. Finally ordered up a sample tray of 4 beers, plus one. My wife took a sip of the Peach Pilsner, and decided to order a glass of white wine instead. Tasted all the beers, Pilsner, DIPA, Amber, Oatmeal Stout, and an Imperial Stout. The Pilsner, DIPA and Amber were all undrinkable. The stouts were only slightly more agreeable, and they were all on the flat side. All had a harsh metallic medicinal taste, like trying to force down cough syrup.
I've been to dozens of breweries thought the state and region and others throughout the country. Some great, some not so great. The beers at Better Half Brewing are by far the worst I have tasted anywhere. And it's not just the beers. The place is not somewhere to go for an easy pint to ponder. The noise and commotion in there were unbearable for us. Not relaxing or pleasant or enjoyable at all.
I don't know their brewing process but it almost tastes like they are modifying their water profiles too much. Too much minerality, or gypsum or something. The beers taste bad as a result. But who knows what's going on in the brewhouse. I think they need some outside help with their brewing. There are consultants for this sort of issue.
We didn't try the pizza, but it looked good (thin crust). We dropped $20 of good money for a miserable 30 minute stop, and we just wanted to leave before we went deaf.
Jan 05, 2020Sat at the end of the bar in the quietest place we could find (still crazy noisy). Took about 5 minutes for anyone to realize we had sat down. Finally ordered up a sample tray of 4 beers, plus one. My wife took a sip of the Peach Pilsner, and decided to order a glass of white wine instead. Tasted all the beers, Pilsner, DIPA, Amber, Oatmeal Stout, and an Imperial Stout. The Pilsner, DIPA and Amber were all undrinkable. The stouts were only slightly more agreeable, and they were all on the flat side. All had a harsh metallic medicinal taste, like trying to force down cough syrup.
I've been to dozens of breweries thought the state and region and others throughout the country. Some great, some not so great. The beers at Better Half Brewing are by far the worst I have tasted anywhere. And it's not just the beers. The place is not somewhere to go for an easy pint to ponder. The noise and commotion in there were unbearable for us. Not relaxing or pleasant or enjoyable at all.
I don't know their brewing process but it almost tastes like they are modifying their water profiles too much. Too much minerality, or gypsum or something. The beers taste bad as a result. But who knows what's going on in the brewhouse. I think they need some outside help with their brewing. There are consultants for this sort of issue.
We didn't try the pizza, but it looked good (thin crust). We dropped $20 of good money for a miserable 30 minute stop, and we just wanted to leave before we went deaf.
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