🟢 Bloomfield Loses Happy Hour Favorite

Good Morning Hartford County,

When it comes to Connecticut construction and traffic, have you ever felt like this?

The bottleneck on 291 is soooooo annoying and I-84 is ALWAYS under construction for one reason or another.

Anyways, at least there is a way to tune it out a bit with some tasty beverages.

In today’s edition of The Hartford Pour, we’ll get into:

— Chris M.
Local Whiskey Nerd, Husband, Dad, Entrepreneur (Fun Tip: I was working from home before working from home was cool)

What kind of stuff would you like to read about?

I’m a bit of a coffee snob along with being a whiskey-head, but are you?

(Beer from the guy who wrote the dictionary)

Noah Webster gave America the dictionary (yeah, that Webster), and now he gives us beer.

On Saturday, September 12 from 1 to 4 PM, the Noah Webster House at 227 South Main St in West Hartford runs its 11th annual Real Ale Beer Festival and Cask Challenge.

Fifteen Connecticut breweries each bring one cask-conditioned ale, poured the old way, straight from the firkin. That means no CO2, no nitro, just gravity and patience.

If that sounds Greek to you, it just means it going to be fresher than you’re used to.

The twist: every entry has to include at least one ingredient you'd have found in Webster's actual 18th-century garden or pantry.

This includes herbs, fruit, honey, grains, the kind of thing a 1790s West Hartford household kept on the shelf.

So the uniqueness will be off the charts.

You taste all of it, wander through Webster's birthplace (a National Historic Landmark), play some early American tavern games, and vote for Taster's Choice while a judging panel crowns the Cask Champion.

Some of the breweries/distilleries that will be there are: Dragonfire Meadery, Litchfield Distillery, and Quiver Spirits are in the mix too.

It's 21 and up, rain or shine, with street parking along South Main. Tickets are on sale now, and Noah Webster House members get a discount.

Waypoint Spirits is one of those places I'm supposed to have on my radar. Part of my job is knowing about every brewery and distillery around here, but honestly, this one still slipped past me.

It sits right there in Bloomfield, around the corner from Back East. But I just kept forgetting it was there. I made it into the taproom a handful of times over the years and never had a bad experience.

We even gave Waypoint a quick mention in early July when they had live music. But a month later, the taproom is closed as of August 12, 2026.

Here's the part I want to make sure is super clear: Waypoint is not going anywhere. Still in business, still distilling, it’s just… different/focused.

They shut the taproom to put everything into getting bottles onto more restaurant and liquor store shelves.

And I don’t hate the logic here, running a bar is brutal, the margins are razor thin, and I respect a team that knows when to change the play.

It still stinks a little because it was a chill spot. Good thing Back East is right around the corner when you need the hang.

So the move here is to buy the bourbon.

Their 94 proof drinks a touch above its number, which makes a genuinely good old fashioned, and I don't usually build one under 100 proof.

Do them a solid and specifically ask for Waypoint at a restaurant or liquor store. It’s decent juice.

Regardless, drink local spirits. This is one of the good ones.

(Jazz is always the way to go)

There is a version of the agenda this Friday where you dance salsa twice in one night and regret exactly zero of it, lol.

Start on the lawn at Talcott Mountain Collective in Simsbury, 140 Nod Rd, where Gozza Salsa Jazz plays the mountain base from 6:30 to 9:30.

They have a decent tap of beers there, and one of my favorites is Alvarium, so look out for them and I’ve confirmed that there will be plenty of food trucks on deck!

Finally, head to Parkville Market, 1400 Park St. Where you can dance even more salsa with the Salsa Under the Stars on the patio from 7 to 11. DJ Bombero and Joey Salsa Con Huertas are running the dance floor.

The drinks move is a $10 Teremana margarita (classic and frozen will be available) and that price holds until 10pm.

If your feet give out before the night does, Black-eyed Sally’s at 350 Asylum St has Wildcat O’Halloran playing the blues from 8 to 11.

I mentioned it last week, but it still stands… get the Hurricane Sally and thank me later.

A few weeks ago, we mentioned Plourd Brewery and it got a lot of attention! So here is their main event.

Oktoberfest. Doors at noon at 1277 Main St in East Hartford, for day one with Jayy’s Food Truck parked outside until 8.

At 1pm, slide over to the Noah Webster House at 227 South Main St in West Hartford for the Real Ale Beer Festival and Cask Challenge, 11 years running.

I mentioned it earlier, so won’t get into repeating any details here.

After that it’s a straight shot to the river.

The Black-Eyed & Blues Festival takes over Mortensen Riverfront Plaza, 300 Columbus Blvd, from 3 to 9, free to get in, bring a blanket.

Black-eyed Sally’s runs the food and drink tent, so this is your window for the mac ’n cheese and a cold craft beer with a blues band and the Connecticut River behind the stage.

It’s a crazy busy day, so got one more for you for Saturday.

Last stop is a drive, so plan for it.

Mike DelGuidice plays Simsbury Meadows, 22 Iron Horse Blvd. Gates open at 6 and music at 7.

If you don’t know who he is, he’s Billy Joel’s guitarist (crazy, right?)

That’s a lot. Nobody says you have to do all four but if you are feeling adventurous, why not?

By midday Sunday there are close to 3,000 people marching through downtown Hartford in feathers, flags, and full sound.

If that is your thing, then the 62nd Greater Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade is the biggest parade the city throws all year.

It ends at Bushnell Park, 5 Trinity St, for the Festival del Coquí right after.

Main stage of Puerto Rican and local acts, vendors working roast pork, yellow rice, and fritters until 7, and it’s free to attend (not the food, duhh).

Parking will be INSANE. So leave early and put the car in a garage.

If you’d rather trade the crowd for livestock (which I don’t blame), Hops on the Hill in South Glastonbury, 275 Dug Rd, is running Pig Yoga from 11 to noon and Pigs & Pilates from 12:30 to 1:30.

Both are ticketed and both (surprisingly) involve actual pigs. This will be a wild and fun one if you are into farm animals or just want a unique experience.

Parade or pigs. Connecticut contains a vast array of fun, for sure.

Do you know of an AWESOME restaurant or bar? Or something not included in this email you’d like to see?

REPLY to this email and let me know!