Destination Type: Breweries

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THE VIBES

“Alvarium” is Latin for “hive” and you’ll feel like the queen bee when you walk into this honey of a brewery. Taking its cue from New Britain’s Beehive City nickname (its Latin motto translates into “Industry fills the hive and enjoys the honey”), Alvarium Beer Company’s founders painstakingly built the place themselves (using hometown Stanley tools to boot), adding beautifully crafted beehive touches all around. From the hexagonal coasters and like patterned flight paddles up to the handcrafted honeycomb light fixtures, you’ll agree the place is sweet. Inside you can sit at the “10-Ton Bar,” crafted with solid steel I-Beams and reclaimed red oak, a traditional hightop or relax on one of its comfy couches. Well-behaved pups are welcome inside as well as outside on the roomy patio at Alvarium Beer Company. We recommend you indulge on their hot local kielbasa anytime while enjoying a Kraftwerk hefeweizen, made entirely with Connecticut-grown ingredients.

THE STORY

Alvarium Beer Company opened in 2017, a bit more than a half century after the city’s last brewery, Cremo Brewing, shuttered. Alvarium brews a modernized version of the original Cremo Ale, using the logo of the original on its cans. Bugnacki kielbasa served at the Alvarium Beer Company is from a specialty meats company owned by brewery co-owner Brian’s father, who first started that business in the 1970s.

THE VIBES

2nd Bridge Brewing Company is an funky little rathskeller in the bottom of Manchester’s 17th century Hilliard Mills, once home to the United States’ oldest wool mill but retrofitted in recent years for business suites. The owners pride themselves on creating an English pub vibe with exposed brick walls, dark wooden ceiling beams, strings of bare light bulbs hanging from the rafters and TVs tuned to soccer. The tap list is heavier on English style ales than trendy hoppy/hazy/juicy brews; all are available in 32-ounce growlers for order online and drive-up pickup. A small but friendly patio and an expanded “parking lot party” area have greatly expanded 2nd Bridge Brewing’s outdoor seating. No food here but they encourage visitors to BYO or have a local restaurant deliver.

THE STORY

The family owners are fans of English football (uh, “soccer” to us Americans) and they founded this in 2015 specifically so they and their footie-loving friends had a friendly spot to grab a pint and watch the game, toss some darts and enjoy a good chat. Fun fact: Hilliard Mills wool was used for the suit President George Washington wore to his inauguration and the material used for blankets for solders in the War of 1812 came from this very spot.