Artisan Breweries, Bringing Them Back

The earliest evidence of beer brewing is dated back to Sumeria, around 3000 BC, using emmer, an early grain grown in the Tigris-Euphrates region.  The first brewers and bar tenders were women, Sabtiem, priestesses of the temples, who offered vapors to their gods and goddesses. Because beer was sanctioned by the gods, it was thought to have medicinal benefits, particularly in populated areas, where water quality was easily compromised.

By the time the Babylonians rose to power, beer had become significant to their culture, so much so that it was addressed in the Code of Hammurabi. Brewers accepting  payment (except in barley) were considered sacrilegious, overcharging merited a death sentence. Beer was rationed: Civic leaders, priests and priestesses were permitted up to 5 liters a day; administrators and civil workers, 3 liters; while day workers were permitted only 2.

Babylonians used emmer and barley in their brews developing 16 different varieties. They exported many of these ales in trade to Egypt. Beer was so highly revered in Egypt that it was often accepted as currency. They added date sugars to their recipes, reducing spoilage, adding ‘shelf life’.

By 800 BC. beer could be found in Germany and throughout the eastern European grain belt. Beer became a staple in the medieval diet. As Christianity spread, monasteries were established. As self-sustaining entities, they created their own breweries. They often sold their surplus in the surrounding towns, funding both the Church and monastery. Hildegarde, a Benedictine abbess in Rupertsberg (Mainz) Germany, first added hops, an anti-bacterial, herbal sedative, to her beer recipe, resulting in a more reliable finish and longer life. This led to the development of ‘lager’ or storage beers, which could then be stored in barrels, and easily shipped. Commercial brewhouses sprang up as beer rose in popularity. By the 1300s beer had become the most popular beverage in Ireland, England and Eastern Europe.

In 1516, Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria issued the German Beer Purity Act, specifying malted barley or wheat, yeast, hops and water as the only ingredients to be used in beer, whereby the process and the product became more consistent and reliable.  This set the standard for today’s German beer.

Beer is produced by wetting grain, most commonly barley or wheat, and allowing it to ferment. By using brewer’s yeast, and controlling temperature, production could be optimized. By adding hops and storing beer at cooler temperatures, the process could be slowed. Louis Pasteur (1822-1895), in his “Studies on Fermentation” identified and prevented ‘diseases of beer’.

American colonists continued to enjoy beer shipped from England. Some resorted to home brewing, using local grains, corn, honey or molasses. Our earliest Brewery-Taverns date back to 1633 in New Amsterdam (New York), Boston in 1687, and Philadelphia in 1685. Matthew Vassar founded his Poughkeepsie brewery in 1798. It grew to become the largest post-Revolutionary brewery in the US creating the first Beer Empire. Anheuser-Busch, Miller and Schlitz followed suit, using railroads to distribute their beers, until prohibition. Prohibition, followed by the Depression, drove most small brewers out of business. WWII introduced canned beer for servicemen and women. The 1950s to 1990s saw a resurgence of major lager brewers who could afford brewing, canning and transport.

Our Northwest corner breweries were established more recently, between 2018 and 2021. Each offers from 12-16 signature brews, from ales, lagers, pilsners, porters, stouts, and even alcohol-free varieties. They generally open mid-afternoon and close around 9:00 pm, with extended hours on the weekends.

The Norbrook Brewery, named for its location on the Norfolk-Colebrook town line, is owner-operated by brothers John and Randy Auclair. Their brewery opened in 2018. The premises, purchased from a hunting club, include an 18-hole disc golf course, over 9 miles of hiking and ATV trails, a hops garden, several farm animals, a lite fare restaurant and tap room, an outdoor patio and a new pavilion. Their Contractor’s Light Lager is the most popular. They offer a 5/5 oz sampler that allows your choice of their ales, lagers, pilsners, stouts and seasonal brews. They also accommodate restaurants and individual sales. They raise barley, wheat, oats and hops (but not enough) purchasing locally whenever possible.

Warming climates have left Connecticut-grown hops subject to mildew, fungi, the Japanese beetle and more recently, the lantern fly, forcing outside purchase.

The Little Red Barn is located in Winchester, just outside Winsted. Mils Johnson and brothers Matt and Nathan Day, who opened the Barn in 2019 started by experimenting in Matt’s basement, until Matt’s wife threw them out. “You’re making this house smell like a brewery!” she complained. So they moved their operation to the Little Red Barn.

Nathan has the brewmaster’s palette and enjoys using seasonal fruits to tweak his offerings. They offer a taster’s club to introduce new beers. Customer favorites include Everyman’s Port, Rescue Red Ale, and Lawnchair IPA. They buy their grain locally from Thrall Farm in Windsor and offer their spent mash to surrounding farms. They sell to nearby restaurants and have their own full restaurant, banquet service and outside catering. They bring in music and Bavarian Dancers for Octoberfest and host Holiday Craft workshops and Fairs.

The Bad Dog Brewery, opened in 2019, is located at the old firehouse, in downtown Torrington. It’s owner-operated father-son team, Matt and Chris Kac, started with a home brewing kit. Blond Ale, NE Zoomic IPA, and German Heifferman are most popular.  They also have seasonal dessert beers. Bantam Bread and Klug farm utilize their spent grain mash. All additional biologic waste is composted. They offer banquet facilities, a mug club, local musicians, line dancing, juke box bingo, and seasonal events. They sponsor Autistic Artist and Animal Rescue benefits. Bad Dog is a small brewery, but maintains 14, ‘2 Barrel’ fermenters, which gives them the versatility to constantly keep new batches on tap.

Thomaston’s Clocktown Brewing Company opened in 2020. It’s owned and run by Stacy and George LaCapra. Brewmasters Danny MacDonald and Matt Bellemare focus on brewery operations, while Stacy manages the family-friendly restaurant and tap room. Their award-winning, most popular beers are the Thomaston Lager, When Pigs Fly, 1875 Traditional Lager, and Fascia’s Chocolate Factory. They’re a growing brewery, showcasing their trophies, sponsoring their own events, coordinating fair sales (including the Big E) as well as local town and theater events. They also handle sales and distribution throughout Litchfield County.