Black Pond Brews – Dayville, CT – New England Beer Buddy

0 1

By New England Beer Buddy Beer Beer To Go Blog Breweries Brewery Restaurants Connecticut Brewery Craft Beer Craft Brewery New England Brewery Taproom February 28, 2024

As one who does not live *that* close to the “Quiet Corner” of Connecticut, I made sure in a recent visit to utilize my trip to the area to hit a multitude of places.

One of which, a brewery that has been on my radar for quite a while, was Black Pond Brews in Dayville.

After a stop at one of their local brewing neighbors, I took the quick drive down 395 and finally got to check them out.

So when I say I have been waiting ‘quite a while’ to visit, I’m referring to back when the brewery was located in nearby Danielson. Opened in 2014 the Black Pond Brews location was tucked away in the lower part of the Danielson Adventure Sports building. Many people had informed me that the beers were great and the place was always crowded…but it just didn’t have very much elbow room. When they moved to their newer, much more spacious location in Dayville in 2021, my intention was to visit right away but sadly the trip kept getting sidetracked.

I might be a few years off of my intended target but the wait certainly paid off and I found Black Pond Brews to be a gem in the Connecticut brewing scene.

When pulling into their parking lot, you are tempted to walk to the front of the building to enter. Don’t do that! Walk towards the wooded area in the back. A small walkway and a beautifully painted logo on the building’s wall guides you to the entrance.

Once inside you are quite impressed with how much space the interior has. Plenty of tables including a section of window seats on the left. Plus, important for me, plenty of seating at the bar!

At the counter, up behind on the brick surface wall, is a video screen displaying the available pours on tap. Always one to enjoy a variety of styles, I was impressed Black Pond Brews had created some styles one may not normally see as well as the standards all the beer geeks have come to love.

Now, the state of Connecticut has many indisputable facts. A few include:

It is actually the 4th or 5th most densely populated state in the country.
It is home to the 1st ever US speed limit laws.
It’s citizens just can’t let go of the fact the Hartford Whalers left over 25 years ago!

It’s this 3rd fact I mentioned that caught my attention when I spotted “Pucky The White Whale” up on the menu. For those not into WHL/NHL lore in the Nutmeg State, this was the beloved logo and mascot of the aforementioned Hartford Whalers hockey team. I ordered this Belgian style witbier, brewed with coriander and orange peel, while jesting with the server behind the counter on the decades long abandonment. Although I do chuckle at the dedication of these Connecticut fanatics for their long departed team, I also respect it and this delicious white ale was a great tribute.

As my conversation with the man behind the counter continued I discovered that he was actually Black Pond Brews co-owner Cory Smith. I always find it delightful to meet and have conversations with owners as they not only share their love for the business but they also interact with us patrons. Very friendly, gave me great suggestions and was fun discussing other breweries we’ve visited.

He and co-owner Matt Teed are High School chums who began brewing together back in 2010. After winning numerous brewing competitions, the original brewery was opened and named after the body of water in nearby Woodstock. Apparently, this was the party spot of the area and now it can be the party spot of Dayville.

With 12 different beers to choose from, I had to be a tad selective before heading back home. I decided to let the creative names and interesting styles catch my eye, including the “Connecticut Uncommon”. A fan of California Common style of beer, plus saddened by the closure of Anchor Steam in San Francisco, I went for the Black Pond Brews version and was quite impressed. Toasty, biscuity malt flavor made this an incredible representation of the much beloved “Steam” beer. Turns out, this was actually one of Black Pond Brews 1st recipes. This batch was released in December of 2023 so that a portion of the proceeds would go toward the former employee co-op of Anchor Brewing to buy back the company.

To make sure I was able to try a good amount of variety, I also got tasters of Machu Picchu (a jalapeno spiced saison), Mr. Kitty (a milk stout in ode to their dearly departed brewery resident), Fully Stoked (a coffee brown ale) and the Peanut Butter Whoopie Pie Stout (no explanation needed!) The PBWP stout simply blew me away. Your taste buds drown in pb and marshmallow flavor and the stout drinks so very smooth. I’ll probably catch hell for saying this but, in my opinion, it blows the famous SoMe Brewing Co. version away.

Trying out many different beers can make one hungry. Thankfully, Black Pond Brews has an in-house kitchen; The Farmhaus Kitchen to be exact. With plenty of starters, handheld sandwiches, flatbreads and entrees you will not lack in options for tasty food while enjoying your brews. (I went with the Schnitzel Sandwich. It was fabulous!)

Not just limited to beer consumption, Black Pond Brews also has a nice selection of Scotch, Wine, Canned Cocktails, Mixed Drinks and Non-Alcoholic options.

All in all, it was quite a productive trek to the far northeast section of the Constitution State Some beautiful scenery, nostalgic towns and found myself a wonderful brewery I hope to frequent again soon.

If you’re making a road trip to this neck of New England, and want to try a variety of tasty beers, definitely get off the beaten path and make a trip to Black Pond Brews.

Location: 1001 Hartford Pike, Dayville, CT, 06241

Beer Recommendations: