I am looking for local feedback on my itinerary (below) for my annual Beercation for 8 buddies. FYI we are driving down from north of Boston and our AirBNB is in New Haven. As you can see from our itinerary, the focus is craft beer, food, golf, beach, and any other fun local activities...Thanks for feedback! Are there any must-visit breweries I've missed? Are there any breweries on my list we should skip? What is a good pubic beach within reasonable driving distance of New Haven? Any good brunch spots in or around Nw Haven? WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6 Drive from Boston to CT morning golf - Lyman Orchards Golf Club, 32 Reeds Gap Rd, Middlefield, CT after golf - New England Brewing Co., 175 Amity Rd, Woodbridge, CT - hit Amity Wine & Spirits? Check into Airbnb Night out at Counter Weight Brewing Co., 23 Raccio Park Rd, Hamden, CT 4-9 PM Should we grab dinner from the rotating food trucks at Counter Weight? Or is there a better place in the area to grab food to bring to the brewery? THURSDAY, AUGUST 7 Any good brunch suggestions? Beach-we need a good beach recommendation Beer at night in New Haven Armada Brewing, 190 River Street , New Haven - 3-9 PM East Rock, 285 NICOLL STREET, NEW HAVEN, -lagers- 3-9 PM Dinner @Sally’s Apizza, 237 Wooster Street New Haven, FRIDAY, AUGUST 8 morning golf at Hop Brook Golf Course (9 holes) - 615 Church St, Naugatuck, CT OEC Brewing - 7 Fox Hollow Road, Oxford, CT Black Hog - 115 Hurley Rd 9A, Oxford, CT Dinner @ Shell & Bones Oyster Bar & Grill, 100 S. Water ST, New Haven, CT 06519 SATURDAY, AUGUST 9 Fox Farm Brewery 62 Music Vale Rd, Salem, CT - open at 11:00 am Stay at Foxwoods 5:00 Louis CK at Foxwoods 7:30 Cedars Steaks & Oysters SUNDAY 11:00 ish - Golf at River Ridge, 259 Preston Rd, Griswold, CT (18 holes) drive home
A few quick ones for you … I’ve lived in CT my whole life, I wouldn’t come here for the beaches. You have the old Counterweight address. They are now on Diana Court in Cheshire. They’ve been there a few years and are 30 minutes from downtown New Haven without traffic. This may alter your thoughts as the old location was much closer to NH. That said, Counterweight does now have a permanent food option on site these days in Ritual Pizza. I think they are open most hours that the brewery is.
A CT beer trip? Crazy! Have fun, make sure to let us know how it went! My suggestions: WEDNESDAY: Counterweight is fantastic! If you're a pizza guy though I'd recommend skipping Ritual and instead visiting Fuoco down the street. Among the best New Haven-style pizzas available in the US today. FRIDAY: OEC is great. If you're going out there you're also going to be close to Newsylum, which IMO is one of the best breweries in the state and often overlooked. Masters of classic styles, GABF hardware, cool 1800s asylum building, etc. SATURDAY: Fox Farm will be a zoo but it's a must-stop. Pro-tip, go at opening if you can. If you end up with extra time in the middle hit Epicure in Norwich. It's exactly on your way in a really neat Victorian-era town, total hidden gem. The guy bartending Saturdays is an old-school BA and they are stepping up their lager game lately. I second the beach is not worth your time. If you must, Silver Sands State Park is 15 mins from New Haven and probably one of the more 'iconic' beaches in the area without being dirty or too crowded
I was at Fox Farm maybe three Saturday's ago around 3 PM. Zero wait, zero zoo. I have seen it more crowded, for sure, but I just didn't want you to let the zoo comment scare you. Even if it does, go anyway. Gorgeouse place with worldclass beer. I've always found Newsylum to be fine. Awesome building that is almost always packed during busy times but has plenty of outdoor seating. If you go there and don't get a seat inside, at least check it out. It's a great old building. The pizza and pretzels are better than most of the beers in my opinion. I would definitely go here over Black Hog (better experience, beer and food). Didn't think of it when I posted above.
Thanks for the heads up about CT beaches. Do you have any suggestions for a fun summertime activity if we skip the beach? Any must see CT tourist activities? Or fun towns to visit and poke around? Many thanks for the heads up about Counterweight's new address. You saved me from a boondoggle driving to the wrong spot!
Ha, yes, a CT beer trip! Every August I plan a 5-day Beercation within driving distance of Boston's North Shore. We're enthusiastic golf hackers and enjoy craft beer, food, and good laughs. This trip is not necessarily about going to world famous beer locations. I believe that decent golf and craft beer can be found just about anywhere. We've been to Waterbury/ Stowe/ Burlington VT 2x...Hudson Valley...Providence...Worcester....Springfield...and Atlantic City. I'll surely report back upon our return in August. I really appreciate the local input!
“Among the best New Haven-style pizzas available in the US today.” Fuoco is decent pizza, but among the best in the country??? I would go to either Sally’s or Modern. If you are already in Cheshire and want to eat out I would go to Viron Rondo Osteria, which although a bit overpriced, has good food and a pretty good tap list as well.
i said among the best of new haven-style and i stand by that. there can't be more than 50 or so legit NH pizzerias in the usa and that includes pepe and sally franchises. fuoco definitely top 10 if not top 5 and way better than modern and all sally's satellites.
Lot of Modern love in here it seems. I must have gone on an off day for them because it was our bottom of the big three.
Maybe they’ve gotten better since I last had their pie about a year and a half ago. They were better post fire but not big three tier IMHO.
i never understood how modern ended up in this category over, say, bar. modern's pizza does not look or feel like new haven style, especially when they start adding toppings. i also think christo's is better than fuoco but i think we can ALL agree that fuoco is preferable over ritual. sorry CW love ya!!!!
Thanks for the suggestion. I need to figure out if an hour-plus drive is worth it for a day at a nice beach.
Having grown up in CT I am not joining the "Connecticut beaches are bad" chorus. Rocky Neck in East Lyme and Hammonasett in Madison are fun. It helps if you see them with the eyes of a seven year old.
