Rule of 3 Brewing – East Hampton, CT

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By New England Beer Buddy Beer Beer To Go Blog Breweries Connecticut Brewery Craft Beer Craft Brewery New England Brewery Taproom September 10, 2024

There are two particular Constitution State breweries that a devoted Craft Beer Geek will make a pilgrimage to in the Lower Connecticut River Valley.

I probably don’t need to point these places out but one is a Farm and the other a House.

In between is a nice stretch of CT 16, filled with some great views of farmland, covered bridges and wildlife areas.

It also gives you some extra beer destinations to check out. One of which is in East Hampton, CT called Rule of 3 Brewing.

Rule of 3 is the creation of John Vitale and brewer Scott Cross. Scott (formerly of Fat Orange Cat and what was to be Steady Habit) brings years of beer creativity with a nuance of taking classic beers and giving them an “outside the box” spin. They opened their brewery in 2022 and have since become a welcome place for both the local and thirsty beer traveler alike.

They live by the mantra of “Great beer should never take itself seriously.” Which is probably why their brand (as well as their mascot) is brought to life by a Court Jester named “Canisius.”

A fact I never knew was that, in medieval times, part of a Jester’s job was to keep the beer flowing during celebrations. If you add this to the infamous knowledge that a jester’s task is keeping the party going, it is quite the perfect expression of what passionate brewery operators should be all about.

Following the directions to the Rule of 3 location (hopefully as you make that aforementioned brewery tour), guide your vehicle all the way down the plaza parking lot to the left. Even though there is a designated parking spot for Food Trucks you will find plenty of spaces to leave your ride before heading inside.

You enter to find a VERY spacious taproom. Certainly a warehouse feel to it with plenty of flat and round table seating. Personally, I took a seat at the gigantic, lengthy bar. This was situated along the left side of the taproom and gave me the opportunity to get a great view of the tap selections as well as chat with the staff.

Luckily, I actually got to meet and chat with John and Scott themselves. Super cool dudes who love what they do and were happy to indulge me with all my questions.

The beer menu is loaded with multiple options to choose from. The IPA selection is very vast but they also include the great classic styles such as Brown Ale, Stout, Sour and Lagers. Also available on the menu was a Seltzer and a guest tap Cider option.

With so much variety I couldn’t decide which beer to pour for a pint so I went with a flight to ease my curiosities.

For my paddle I chose:

Shadow Jester, Black IPA. Very roasty with hop forward touch. I’ve always said there needs to be more of this style available.
2nd Rule, West Coast IPA. Found this to be slightly bitter with a hint of pine that you find normally find in the style.
Ol’ Einstien, Brown Ale. I do love me a classic brown. This had a good malt presence with a hint of chocolate but was also very light.
Heckle & Clyde. Breakfast Stout. This was by far my favorite. A touch of maple that complimented the coffee roast flavor. Hoping someday they create a version with either smoke or bacon. Or both!

I would be remiss if I went to Rule of 3 Brewing and left without honoring their flagship 1st rule. Conveniently, I grabbed a to-go can of their 1st Rule New England IPA. Insert the traditional: “juicy citrus forward flavor” description here for what one would find in a NEIPA. However, this had a very cool and unique herbal finish to it.

In spirit of keeping the fun going, the Rule of 3 taproom is filled with many options to keep one engaged while enjoying their beers. If you enjoy watching multiple games, there are multiple TVs that align the walls to offer a perfect “Game Day” experience.

If your vibe is more interactive, there is a dart board section, a stage for live events and a human sized Connect 4.

Rule of 3 lists an Events Calendar on the website, mostly for trivia and industry nights but keep an eye open for any live music, celebrations that may be booked.

What I found to be an interesting nuance to the taproom was that multiple college banners were hanging from the ceiling. Not just from Connecticut or even New England…but across the country! When asked if Rule of 3 had multiple collegiate loyalties, John informed me that the banners were are all brought in by their customer’s themselves. “If people bring them in, we’ll hang them up!”

To give yourself a more personalized feel to the Rule of 3 experience (and be able to proudly explain “My name is literally on the wall!”) the brewery offers a Mug Club as well as a Founder’s Club.

No food made onsite but plenty of food trucks are scheduled on a regular basis.

(As an aside: Totally not their fault, but the food truck that day my only disappointment. Not mentioning names but the food truck was known for their Mexican food. On the food truck’s menu read a Chimichanga that sounded to die for! Sadly their fryolator was broken. So was my heart…)

I’m sure people come to this area for…something. But if you are like me, and plan to visit some well known brewery destinations, I always implore Beer Buddies to expand their journey. Do a search, ask around and discover places off the beaten path. Places like Rule of 3 will not only be a great addition to your tour but a wonderful surprise as well.

Location: 201 West High Street Unit B1, East Hampton, CT 06424

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