Highest-rated breweries in Connecticut
Cold beer, anyone? American beer drinkers have their fair share of options no matter where they might live.
Indeed, a market once dominated by a handful of major brands has become far more diverse since the craft beer scene expanded sixfold between 2008 and 2016. Independent production cooled off just a little in 2023 but still accounted for a whopping 23.4 million barrels of beer and craft beer's overall market share by volume rose to 13.3%, according to the Brewers Association. For context, in 2013, there were 3,108 craft breweries in the U.S.—and as of 2023, there are 9,761, representing a 214% increase in just a decade. Cheers to that!
Why the ongoing obsession? Putting aside the fact that people simply love their brew, beer has emerged as a wildly versatile beverage category. Craft breweries explore beer to its fullest potential and tend to rank highly as a result.
Another thing about beer is that every sip tells a story. It's first and foremost the journey of the beer's own production, namely one involving water, malted grains, botanical hops, and yeast. However, it's also a chronicling of the area in which the beer was produced since every state has its own respective history, climate, geography, and resources. Then there's the tale of the people who produced it, turning their love of carbonated alcohol into a passion project and hiring all kinds of local talent.
Combine America's love of beer with endless flavor possibilities, and you arrive at a sensational pastime and a thriving national industry. With nearly 10,000 craft breweries bubbling up across the nation, each one offers its own unique qualities, some complete with guided tours and tasting rooms (and maybe some hearty gastropub fare).
Many of the nation's highest-rated breweries are so small and independent that the only way to sample their suds is to visit them in person, while others distribute their products around the country—or even across the globe.
To find some top spots near you, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated breweries in Connecticut using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a business with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of June 6, 2024.
Regardless of the brewery's size and scope, one thing is for sure: Now is a great time for a beer!
#30. Hog River Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (17 reviews)
- Address: 1429 Park St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#29. Kent Falls Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 33 Camps Road Kent, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#28. Black Pond Brews
- Rating: 4/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 1001 Hartford Pike Killingly, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#27. Relic Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (19 reviews)
- Address: 95B Whiting St. Plainville, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#26. Broad Brook Brewing
- Rating: 4/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 915 South St. Suffield, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#25. Brewery Legitimus
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 283 Main St. New Hartford, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#24. Kinsmen Brewing
- Rating: 4/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 409 Canal St. Milldale, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#23. Still Hill Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 1275 Cromwell Ave. Shunpike Business Center, Bldg. C, Unit 8/9 Rocky Hill, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#22. Back East Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 1296 Blue Hills Ave. Bloomfield, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#21. Epicure Brewing
- Rating: 4.5/5 (11 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#20. Brass Works Brewing Company
- Rating: 5/5 (13 reviews)
- Address: 2066 Thomaston Ave. Waterbury, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#19. Cottrell Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 100 Mechanic St. Ste 22 Pawcatuck, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#18. Connecticut Valley Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 765 Sullivan Ave. South Windsor, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#17. Urban Lodge Brewing
- Rating: 4.5/5 (11 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#16. Stubborn Beauty Brewing
- Rating: 4.5/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 180 Johnson St. Middletown, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#15. Norbrook Farm Brewery
- Rating: 5/5 (16 reviews)
- Address: 204 Stillman Hill Road Colebrook, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#14. Thimble Islands Brewing Company
- Rating: 4/5 (67 reviews)
- Address: 16 Business Park Drive Branford, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#13. Fox Farm Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 62 Music Vale Road Salem, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#12. Barley Head Brewery
- Rating: 4/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 12 Water St. Unit 1A Mystic, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#11. New England Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (38 reviews)
- Address: 175 Amity Road Woodbridge, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#10. Beer'd Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (38 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#9. Alvarium Beer Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 365 John Downey Drive Suite B New Britain, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#8. Outer Light Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#7. Half Full Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 43 Homestead Ave. Stamford, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#6. Powder Hollow Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (65 reviews)
- Address: 504 Hazard Ave. Enfield, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#5. Thomas Hooker Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (79 reviews)
- Address: 16 Tobey Road Bloomfield, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#4. Tribus Beer Co.
- Rating: 5/5 (39 reviews)
- Address: 100 Raton Drive Milford, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#3. Stony Creek Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (161 reviews)
- Address: 5 Indian Neck Ave. Branford, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#2. Spacecat Brewing Company
- Rating: 5/5 (26 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#1. Two Roads Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (211 reviews)
- Address: 1700 Stratford Ave. Stratford, Connecticut
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jacob Osborn, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states and Washington D.C.
