Filtering by Tag: CT Beer,Greenwich

Friday Froth- Coming Back To Back East Brewery

Features Ingredients CT Beer Beer Brewery Bloomfield

James Gribbon September 04, 2020

In October of 2019 I sat down with Tony Karlowicz at Back East to visit the brewery and talk about the 2017 gold medal won by his porter at the world's largest beer competition, the 2018 expansion that nearly tripled his brewing capacity, and the giant new taproom he'd hired an architectural firm to design and build for the spring of 2020. We shook hands and said we'd see each other again when I could write the article about the grand opening in April. Ten months and a global disaster later I looked at the glass in my hand as I sat, finally, for the first time, in that tasting room. Printed just above my thumb were the words "Find Your Way Back."

Garden Catering in Old Greenwich Opens Pop-Up Seafood Shack

Restaurant Seasonal Seafood Greenwich Garden Catering News Lobster Roll

Andrew Dominick August 26, 2020

Nuggets, cones, a Hotsy, and…LOBSTER ROLLS?!

That’s what’s been happening this summer at the O.G. Garden Catering location at their pop-up “Clam Shack,” where you can crush one of, or both versions of a lobster roll; Connecticut style, served warm with drawn butter or Maine style, served chilled, tossed in a mayo-based dressing with chopped scallions. Each is served on a buttered-and-griddled Martin’s Potato Roll.

And there’s more.

The Clam Shack’s expanded seafood menu includes a sizeable shrimp po’boy slathered with a homemade spicy remoulade, a New England shrimp salad roll, and a battered-and-fried clam strip roll. Clam strips are also offered as a platter with fries and coleslaw or just the strips in a one pound serving.

Newtown's NewSylum Brewing Co. is a Pandemic Success Story

Restaurant Features CT Beer Beer Beer Garden Newtown Brewery Openings

Connecticut Magazine August 21, 2020

Connecticut Magazine checks out NewSylum Brewery in Newtown. Here’s their review.

It was not the grand opening anyone envisioned.

NewSylum Brewing Co. owners Mark Lennon, David Kingsley and Mark Tambascio had been planning their brewery for several years as a taproom-centered operation. One that took full advantage of their unique location in Newtown within a historic building at what was formerly Fairfield Hills Hospital, a psychiatric facility on a 100-plus-acre campus with more than a dozen buildings.

NewSylum Brewing Co. in Newtown opened during the coronavirus pandemic in a historic building in the former Fairfield Hills Hospital, a psychiatric facility.

Then the coronavirus hit.

The brewery was slated to open the first week in May, but Connecticut was still shut down and the taproom the owners had envisioned as the centerpiece of their business couldn’t be opened. “We had to shift gears from our original plan,” Lennon says.

They hadn’t planned on canning their beer but quickly contracted with a mobile canning company, and began offering curbside pickup.

Grigg Street Pizza Opens in Greenwich with Artisan Sourdough Pies

Restaurant Features Greenwich Homepage pizza

Andrew Dominick August 20, 2020

Right off the busy Greenwich Avenue, is Grigg Street. There’s not much on it besides an independent bookstore, The Perfect Provenance’s parking lot, a soon-to-open coffee shop, and a basement level space that previously housed Lord of the Pies. The white tiled walls of the subterranean restaurant remain. But now they’re partially decked out with Jimi Hendrix, The Sex Pistols, and Pearl Jam posters that go along with the current residents’ eclectic, mostly rock playlist, a perfect soundtrack for Matthew Watson and Jon Corbo as they pound, stretch, spin, and roll dough at Grigg Street Pizza.

Pizza making is a switch up for the two longtime friends and Greenwich residents, who were formerly partners in the string of Corbo’s Deli locations. After the sold their part of the deli business they wanted to continue working together. “We missed that face-to-face interaction,” Watson says. “I’m making your food. I want that. We yearned for that feeling again.”

With pizza, they’re getting that again. But make no mistake, Grigg Street Pizza is no run-of-the-mill corner slice shop. Call it artisan if you want to. The philosophy here is quality ingredients and local ingredients whenever possible, using a few vendors, and to make everything, or damn near everything, in-house. “Nothing is coming out of a bottle. We’re making our salad dressing. We want everything to be legit,” Watson reveals.

Corbo interrupts to praise his friend. “This man can cook,” he says about Watson (who’s a French Culinary Institute grad). “I wanted to be a part of that. I don’t think anything we make, or very few things we make, have more than 4-5 ingredients. We want to let that shine.”

Some of those quality ingredients? Bianco DiNapoli Tomatoes for their red sauce, homemade mozzarella, and house-ground fennel sausage should you opt for it. A few drizzles to entice you and enhance your pie include habanero-garlic infused honey and roasted Chile de árbol hot oil.

And pizza, obviously, is the star of their show. Specifically…sourdough pizza. Each pie is full-sized, cooked in a gas oven, and spun carefully for an even char and well doneness. What they’re achieving here with the mother-based dough, with no commercial yeast, and naturally leavened for three days is a lightness that doesn’t make you feel too full. It’s crispy. It’s got a little chew.

MIKU SUSHI Launches a Pop-Up Sushi Bar at Tony’s At The J House in Greenwich

Restaurant Sushi Pop-Up Bar Pop-Up Dinner Greenwich Openings

CTbites Team August 13, 2020

The owners of MIKU SUSHI on Greenwich Avenue, K Dong, and Chef Steve Chen, have partnered with Tony Capasso, managing partner at Tony’s at the J House, to launch an all-new “elevated” sushi bar at the trendy boutique hotel, J House, in Greenwich, Connecticut.

The MIKU x Tony’s pop-up is led by Executive Chef Joe Liu, former head sushi chef at Tao and Masa in Manhattan. Chef Liu trained uber master sushi Chef Daisuke Nakazawa, featured in the documentary film, Jiro Dreams of Sushi alongside world-renown master sushi chef, Jiro Ono.

The menu soft-launched this week and features almost a dozen of the MIKU signature rolls including two new exclusives, Tony Roll made with bluefin toro, avocado, scallion and spicy lobster salad, and J House Roll made with king salmon, avocado, wasabi sesame and spicy yellowtail.

Friday Froth: Can Anything Be The Same?

Features Friday Froth Beer CT Beer Editorial

James Gribbon May 29, 2020

The bar where my initials were once carefully poured into the foam crown of a Guinness every time I called, with a place setting waiting both in case I wanted a snack, and to save my favorite spot, is gone forever. It was my first local, a place close by where reliably stopping in and not causing too much trouble develops into an earned mutual welcoming. The place feels like a friend's living room - you know where to sit, they know what you like, and everyone slips easily back into the conversation you shared last time you stopped in. The whole experience, whether as a relief from the day, the glow of alcohol, whatever brought you back through the doors - it just feels warm. Like I said at the start, it's gone now. The place I mention hasn't been open for years, but what about your place? What about so many of these shared environments whose doors we'll never walk through again? What will it be like at the old regular tables and spots we used to take up now the ones who lived through America's epidemic experience may reopen? "Everything's changed," they tell us - but can anything be the same?

Connecticut Brewers Release All Together IPA For Coronavirus Relief Fundraiser

Features CT Beer Beer Fundraiser Brewery

James Gribbon April 19, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic's outsize effect on the restaurant, bar, and brewing industries has been apparent and catastrophic, but hope greets us in the knowledge that even as we all stay at home, we're finding new ways to stand together in support of the people who need us. The American craft brewing industry's will to work with one another is famous, and All Together - a collaboration spearheaded by Other Half Brewing in Brooklyn - is a way consumers and brewers alike can join up to support service industry, breweries, and healthcare workers. Fifteen Connecticut breweries have already joined up to produce an All Together beer.

The owners of Other Half share the message, recipes, and label designs on the All Together website:

60 Connecticut Breweries Still Open For Take-Out And Delivery

Ingredients Features CT Beer Brewery Beer Take Out

James Gribbon March 18, 2020

The wave of local breweries made this new world possible, but for now their doors are mostly closed. Here's what we can do to see them open again.

Breweries are still allowed to sell to-go orders, offering pickup or curbside delivery options. This post will list info on breweries, their hours, and links to order online. I won't be able to find them all, so I encourage readers, brewers, and reps to include further info about their operations in the comments section below. Most breweries are small businesses, and all depend from some degree or entirely on in-person sales. Let's help the brewers and staff keep the Connecticut beer culture we love going.

Continuum Distilling Opens In Waterbury With Craft Spirits Made From Beer

Ingredients Features Beer CT Beer Distillery Spirits Local Artisan

James Gribbon March 03, 2020

Because they apparently didn't have enough on their plates with Black Hog brewing, Ordinary cocktail bar, OLMO, Caseus, and The Stack in New Haven, Jason and Tom Sobocinski and Tyler Jones have launched Continuum Distilling in Waterbury. The distillery logo features a hop surrounded by the tricorner symbol for recycling, an emblem of their process, which takes the often discarded "trimmings" from area breweries, and reduces them to an unusual, boozy essence.

I made it up to Continuum last weekend for their grand opening, and my first impression was that it shares a building with Brass Works Brewing. Neat! I'd had several Brass Works beers before, but I'd never been, so a single trip can be a BOGO for the efficiency-minded drinker on the go.

Blackstones Steakhouse: It's Not Just for Carnivores

Restaurant Steakhouse Steak Southport Norwalk Greenwich Stamford Homepage

Jessica Ryan February 09, 2020

It’s interesting that with all the restaurants to grace our local communities – from the sushi to the noodles, the vegetarian and vegan, the French, Mexican, Italian, Indian and Asian, to seafood – that we don’t have many steakhouses. So when I was invited to attend a media dinner at Blackstones Steakhouse last week I was quick to respond.

With locations in Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk and Southport, Blackstones is a name you should know – even if you’re not a meat eater. Each restaurant is slightly different in style and menu. The Southport location is reminiscent of the old world steakhouse.

Friday Froth: Experimental Brewing at 12% Brewing Project in North Haven

Features Ingredients Beer CT Beer Brewery North Haven

James Gribbon February 07, 2020

Half Full Brewery Opening 2nd Stamford Location (via Hey Stamford!)

Features Stamford Brewery Beer Garden CT Beer Openings

Hey Stamford! January 11, 2020

I remember it like it was yesterday, the doors would open a few days later and I had just left my first interview and brewery tour with founder and “Chief Hoptimist,” Conor Horrigan. Between his passion for the brand and the fact that Stamford was about to get its first craft brewery, I remember being really excited!

Cut to today. Not only has that little Waterside brew pup been churning out some fantastic award winning beer, they’ve also become a key member of the Stamford community. So, what’s next for Conor’s team? How about an expansion!

Over the holiday break , Half Full Brewery announced that they have signed a lease for a second Stamford location at 575 Pacific St.

Read the complete article on Hey Stamford!

La Taqueria Opens in Greenwich: Killer Tacos & More

Restaurant Mexican Greenwich Tacos Lunch Openings Fast Casual

Andrew Dominick January 05, 2020

If you turn onto Greenwich Avenue and blink, there’s a chance you blew right by La Taqueria, one of the street’s newest additions where tacos are front-and-center.

Before we dive into the stellar tacos at La Taqueria, you should get to know some of its backstory. That all starts with chef/owner Dennis Lake, who, like his restaurant, is a newcomer to Greenwich as a resident, but not as a stranger entirely. Years ago, he was a sous chef at Restaurant 64 before it was The Ginger Man.

Stamford's Winter Wonderland Market & Beer Garden Opens Dec. 6th

Features Beer Beer Dinner CT Beer Pop-Up Bar Stamford

CTbites Team November 30, 2019

Half Full Brewery and Mill River Park Collaborative announced today the return of Winter Wonderland Market & Beer Garden to Stamford, Conn.’s Mill River Park. The Winter Wonderland is intended to celebrate and unite local residents and professionals through a diverse and expanded slate of programming, which will run from Friday, Dec. 6 through Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2020.

Friday Froth: The Art Of Craft Beer Comes To Three Sheets

Features Beer CT Beer Design Exhibition

James Gribbon November 22, 2019

What if each drop in the ocean of American craft beer landed with a splash of new color? Thousands of breweries, making hundreds of thousands of beers, each rippling and bouncing with individual personality. Beer brewing is an art, yes, but in the process it also supports artists who make their own contribution to what brewers create, and drinkers see. This December, Three Sheets and The 16oz. Canvas will present The Art Of Craft Beer, featuring artists who add color to the craft beer scene of Connecticut.

Elicit Brewing Company Sneak Peek Info & Opening November 18

Features Beer Garden Beer CT Beer Brewery Openings Manchester

CTbites Team November 11, 2019

It's go time! After much work, construction, beer brewing, game assembly, mixology, and kitchen testing, Elicit (located at 165 Adams St, Manchester, CT) is ready to bring the FUN to Manchester - and you're invited!

Elicit Brewing Co. will be an American-style beer garden featuring a range of food from pizzas and sandwiches to smaller style plates including wings and pretzels. The brewery is expected to be open Monday through Friday late afternoon through late night, with more hours on the weekends To learn more about Elicit Brewing Co., follow us on Instagram (@ElicitBrewing), visit their website: http://elicitbrewing.com

If you would like to get in BEFORE THE PUBLIC, THEY ARE ACCEPTING RSVP’S FOR The PRE-opening weekend EVENTS.

Chef's Tasting at The Spread Greenwich with Chef Carlos Baez

Restaurant Chef Pop-Up Dinner Chef's Tasting Greenwich

Stephanie Webster November 06, 2019

Let’s be real. Dining out is always a treat. You don’t have to clean up afterwards, and if you’re like me, the menu at almost ANY restaurant is going to surpass what’s going on in my own kitchen. However, if you’re a diner who appreciates experiencing the mind of chef who is executing dishes that are inspired by the season, an “aha” moment, or a desire to experiment, a Chef’s Tasting is the way to take dining to the next level.

It was with this in mind, that I attended Chef Carlos Baez’ monthly Chef’s Table Tasting Dinner, held on the last Thursday of every month at The Spread’s Greenwich location.

Veteran Chefs Drew Nieporent & Stephen Lewandowski To Bring New Concept To Gabriele's in Greenwich

Features Restaurant Openings Greenwich Celebrity Chef

CTbites Team October 09, 2019

This just in…A star studded team of Industry veterans will be bringing new life to Gabriele’s Restaurant in Greenwich CT. The Church Street staple will be undergoing a redesign in early 2020 that will bring a new concept and cuisine to downtown Greenwich.

The partners on the venture include Stephen Lewandowski of Harlan Restaurant Group and Dana Cifone, the current head of operations, and formerly of Starr Restaurants, The One Group NYC, and Douro of Greenwich.

Stephen will be working with his longtime colleague and friend Drew Nieporent of Myriad Restaurant Group best known for Nobu, Tribeca Grill, and Bâtard, who will be acting as an advisor throughout the project.

Growing CT Beer, Part 2: Stewards Of The Land Brewery At DeFrancesco Farm

Features Restaurant CT Beer Brewery Beer

James Gribbon September 27, 2019

The first step in making an unexpected discovery is getting lost. Investigating the strengthening links between farming and brewing in Connecticut has led me down unfamiliar paths, both in terms of knowledge, and the kinds where I am worried about either running out of gas on country roads or stepping in something. The first piece in this series focused on a brewery that's also a farm, and my plan for this next piece was to show a farm growing hops for use in brewing. I picked a day, began at a farm stand, and found a brewery.

This is part two in Growing CTbeer, a look at how the rise of craft beer is affecting agriculture in the Constitution State, and how breweries and farms are working hand in hand to create and restore the growth of Connecticut beer.

College Pals Make Great Beer at Little House Brewing in Chester (via CT Magazine)

Features Beer CT Beer Brewery

Connecticut Magazine September 25, 2019

The story of this brewery begins with a common occurrence: college drinking.

It was 2010 and Carlisle Schaeffer and Sam Wagner were new students at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. The famous institution of higher education was founded by Matthew Vassar, who made his fortune as a brewer, so it seemed fitting that the new students were bonding over drinking and making craft beer as home-brewers, even if they were underage.

Schaeffer had previously had to hide jugs of fermenting brews from his parents in his closet at home. At Vassar, he ultimately converted his dorm-room kitchen into a lab for new brewing ideas. Wagner had learned the basics of home-brewing from his dad when he was 15 and was eager to expand on that knowledge.

“Pretty quickly into our relationship, we started joking about starting a brewery one day,” Schaeffer recalls. “Eventually, we just took that joke a little too seriously.”

The result is Little House Brewing Co., a charming, destination-worthy brewery that opened last year in Chester, in a building built in the 1800s that would do Matthew Vassar proud.

Read the full article at Connecticut Magazine.