Fox Farm Brewery (2021)

Holy shit, you're right, prices are crazy. Because you're going on a weekend and the proximity to the casinos. I stayed at the Comfort Suites in Norwich a couple of years ago, about $90 per night. Not glamorous but clean. For Saturday, July 10th it's $219. Ouch. But during the week it's $96. Your best bet is probably to stay somewhere else not near the casinos or the CT shoreline. Where are you going before or after Fox Farm? Good luck.

 

southeast CT is super touristy over the summer. I suppose the casinos are a draw too. unfortunately, CT is just expensive as hell.

 

I grew up down the road from where FF is now...the short answer to your question is no. It's the middle of nowhere.
Honestly your best bet with a young kid and pregnant wife is Mohegan Sun, but it'll most likely blow by your $150 budget.
There's plenty of open fields, I'm sure someone would let you pitch a tent, in case you never wanted to talk to your pregnant wife again.

 

I usually have luck renting via Airbnb. Doesn't look like there is a lot in the area, but a couple of places show up.

On a similar subject, I want to stop by the brewery on the way North for lunch/beer pickup. I understand that I'll need a reservation, but We don’t have any food available but folks are welcome to bring light snacks to enjoy on-site is very vague. What do they mean by light snacks? Can I bring a homemade sandwich? Or should I just plan to pick up beer, and have lunch somewhere else?

 

I take that statement as do not come have a picnic. A homemade sandwich, and maybe even some chips and a pickle, I think would fine.

 

Timing is everything...as is word selection apparently! haha

 

Based on your comments, I will/will not have a picnic. Now 'we'll see what my family thinks about this idea.

 

If anyone is around this coming Friday I will be at Fox Farm for a noon table if anyone wants to meet up for a pour and bullshit for a while.

 

I ate a sandwich inside three weeks ago and saw someone with a full picnic outside two days ago.

You should be good.

 

Ended up finding a nice little place in Norwich. Since the online ordering can be placed 14 days ahead I was able to Pre-order and secure a case. Got basically 2 cans of everything available right now which turned out to be exactly a case-worth. Just figured I should secure some of those cans before they sell out.

Noticed on insta they announce most new releases in Monday’s and are every 1-2 weeks, so will place a second and/or third order for whatever pops up before July 10.

aiming for 2 cases total so will round it out over the next 2 weeks. Anything stand out releases you would recommend doubling up on? I’ve not had Fox farm yet but their style of IPA seems right in my sweet spot. Not overly murky or muddled - kinda hill farmstead-esque?

anyways pretty pumped. Hope they release another lager too. So far only cottage.

 

Glad to see FF take this on, and with the supported guidance from Live Oak no less -

 

I would try the Grodziskie for sure. The last batch of Burst was great, so I would say based on what you are looking for that would fit the bill.

 

I really have enjoyed the FF beers, but I can’t help but think that, man, all of these beers taste so much better from draft (or, I would guess, a well poured growler).

I do think that bottles tend to taste better at this point and it’s likely due to the fact that beers will bottle condition. In other words, there is finished beer in cans, unfinished beer in bottles.

Fox Farm is crushing it, and I really wonder how hard it is to capture all of that in cans.

 

Do you have details on how Fox Farm cans their beers?

FWIW I am not a fan of mobile canning since moving a canning system and then properly calibrating the system between moves is just fraught with error/issues.

Cheers!

 

I don’t, but I’d be curious to know. I have suspected there’s a difference between a mobile canning unit and an in-house one, but maybe cans just suck?

 

On a related note I had the pleasure of drinking the Live Oak Grodziskie and I discussed it in a past NBS thread:

“Overall:

I think this beer is very good! I think my wife summarized this beer perfectly via her exclamation of “It’s delightful!”



https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-717.595089/#post-6265329

Cheers!

 

I have had the pleasure of drinking many high quality beers from cans from breweries who own and operate their own canning lines. As regards breweries who choose to not purchase a canning line and instead can using a mobile canning service those beer have been 'hit or miss' for my personal expererince. Mobile canning services may package beers properly but it comes down to properly calibrating their mobile systems when they set up at a new location (brewery) and having a conscientious labor force to ensure things are done right.

Cheers!

 

FWIW they do use a mobile canning line. Unless they expand the brewing space I don't think that they would have the room to accommodate a dedicated unit.

 

What is your experience with the canned beers? How would you compare the canned beers to drinking the same brand on draft?

Cheers!