🟢 Windsor Locks Gets 20 Breweries in One Place

End of the week check-in Hartford County!

Thursday is the “eve” of the weekend and it’s the homestretch from here.

You’ve made it through the hard part of the week!

So, let’s grab a coffee and get you prepped for what has become a rather action-packed weekend.

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

— Chris M.
Local Whiskey Nerd, Husband, Dad, Entrepreneur (Fun Tip: I used to be a YouTuber. Like, a legit YouTuber with 70k subscribers)

The Hartford Pour is fast approaching its first 2,000 subscribers across Instagram and this digital publication and it almost brings a tear to my eye.

It was just a few months ago we hit send on an email hoping that a few people would read it.

Now we have nearly enough people to fill EIGHT Boeing 737 commercial jets.

WOW.

But believe me, I am NOT taking this for granted.

Our hope is to become the daily guide to Hartford for over 100,000 Nutmeggers in the next year or two. It’s a big goal, but having YOU along for the ride means the world.

None of this happens without you. The ones who open it or refer to a friend… you are the real ones.

So please do me a favor and hit reply right now. Tell us how you’ve been liking (or hating) the newsletter, whether you’ve shared it with a friend, and what you’d like to see more of.

Even a quick line makes our day because I have no life… I respond to every email I get. Every one. And I’d love to hear from you.

OK, enough teary-eyed optimism, let’s get to the fun.

Remember when going to Back East Brewing in Bloomfield meant checking Instagram first to see which food truck was parked out front?

Those days are over. They have their own kitchen now, and I'm so glad, because the menu is legit good.

Let's start with the beer, because, well… it's a brewery, lol.

That's their Oktoberfest, and see that rim? That's cinnamon sugar.

Fun fact: a traditional Oktoberfest beer gets nothing on the rim. Nothing. Putting stuff on the glass is a totally American thing. Why? Because… America!

And honestly, I'm all for it. Every sip mixes a little cinnamon sugar in with the beer, and it tastes exactly like this time of year should.

Not bad for the brewery that makes my favorite beer of the year (yes, I'm still talking about Triple Scoop).

Now the food. That's the BBQ Burger, a double smash burger, and the picture doesn't do the size justice. It was HUGE. And juicy. Very juicy.

Then there are the fries. I'll be honest, I don't usually like everyone's sweet potato fries. Back East's? Great. Like, actually great.

Swing by the taproom at 1296 Blue Hills Ave in Bloomfield, get the Oktoberfest with the rim, and get the burger. I'll definitely be getting another one.

Food trucks, we had a good run.

Distilled by: Penelope (still 100% MGP)
Mashbill: 74% Corn | 7% Rye | 3% Malted Barley | 16% Wheat
Age: Reportedly 4 years
Proof: 93
Findability in Hartford: 3 out of 10
MSRP: $80

Immediately, I’m hit with the rum finish. Getting orange, lemon, tangerine, all the citrus notes.

I’m also getting syrupy pancakes which is surprising since it only spent a month finishing in maple barrels.

Maple syrup pancakes, brown sugar, honey, toffee.

This whiskey’s mouthfeel is great and I found myself going back to it more and more in one sitting.

The finish hits harder than I expected at 93 proof and is short to medium. It still sticks to your teeth though, which is a feeling I love!

I got this from The Wine Loft Too in Windsor (645 Poquonock Ave), but it’s a special release. You will only see it for a few weeks near the beginning of the year. That has been when the last 2 batches have dropped.

Other than those times, you will likely see it overpriced in most areas.

For my palate, Batch 2 is better. It’s not as sweet as Batch 1, and more complex. I wish there was more proof, definitely drinking under the 93. But it has some staying power.

Mouthfeel is GREAT. Finish is longer. And even though it didn’t have legs in my Glencairn, it was surprisingly oily in the backend. I was smacking my tongue to enjoy every drop of this juice.

At the end of the day, this is a dessert bourbon and it has its place, so categorize it as such.

T8KE Rating: 07 | Great | Well above average

Click here: to check out the Havana on Penelope’s website

Back East Brewing in Bloomfield (1296 Blue Hills Ave) is throwing a party and calling it the coolest name ever, BOOYAH! It’s a costume contest, flash tattoos, and beer exclusives. They will have two exclusive Halloween beers dropping that night.

They haven't posted a start time yet, so keep an eye on their page. In the meantime, the I Scream Man (a Citra IPA with blood orange and hibiscus) is already pouring for the season.

Another little-known brewery is having a cool event. Problem Solved Brewing in East Windsor (2 North Rd) has its Halloween party and costume contest from 5 to 9 PM, plus what they're calling "Mystery Beers." I have no idea what's in them. That's kind of the point, lol.

Lots of Halloween stuff based on the season, but some normalcy will be here in a week or two.

Saturday is the main event, so pace yourself. Seriously.

Kick it off at noon with the Spooky Bike Pub Crawl from Witchdoctor Brewing in Southington (168 Center St). Pedaling between pubs in October is either genius or a cry for help, and honestly I can't decide which.

If Cloud Stepper, their hazy IPA, is on tap when you roll back in, that's your reward.

From 4 to 9 PM, Connecticut Valley Brewing in South Windsor (765 Sullivan Ave) turns into a Twilight fan's dream with Fangs & Flannels, a free night market with local vendors, a costume contest, and Twilight-themed food and drink specials.

Then close it out at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks (36 Perimeter Rd) for Halloween in the Hangars Brew Fest, with 20 breweries, cideries and distilleries pouring, live bands in all 3 hangars, and costumes surrounded by 100+ actual airplanes. You can even climb into some of the cockpits.

VIP gets in at 6 PM, general admission at 7 PM, and it runs until 10. Bring a designated driver (they have a DD ticket too).

Beer, bikes, vampires, and airplanes. Only in Hartford County.

Sunday plans come in two speeds this week, chill and fancy. Why not both?

Start mellow at Witchdoctor Brewing in Southington (168 Center St), where Bruce Gregori is playing acoustic from 2 to 5:30 PM. Easy afternoon, easy listening, and an easy pour of Love Is Blonde, their lightly dry-hopped blonde ale, if it's on.

Afterwards, dress it up a notch and head to Artisan inside the Delamar in West Hartford (1 Memorial Rd) for the Autumn Harvest Dinner at 5 PM.

Farm-to-table and all the fall flavors you've been craving since the leaves started turning.

Live music, then a harvest feast. If that's not the perfect fall Sunday, I don't know what is.

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!