Olde Burnside Brewing Company

I've been to a lot of breweries and I've enjoyed a lot of beer flights and samples and growlers over the years. I've sat on a lot of bar stools and stood in front of quite a few service counters. I've been in some pretty fancy places and some pretty Spartan places.  But without a doubt, today's visit to Old Burnside Brewing was the most enjoyable, pleasant, and totally relaxing brewery visit I've ever had.

We sat in the Beer Garden- a big outdoor tent with tables and chairs and upholstered furniture. The weather was beautiful, and so was the music- yup, they had live music. A very gifted guitarist and vocalist entertained us. I asked if he had a Dylan tune in his repertoire, and he responded with a lovely version of "All Along the Watchtower". Next I asked for a Stones song, and he fired back a gorgeous version of "Wild Horses".

We sat and sipped a selection of terrific beers. I had a Dirty Penny Ale, their version of a Stout-like   Black and Tan.  I also had a Hopt Scot, a milder IPA, and a Penny Weiz - a slightly citrusy Wit beer.

What a great time we had -a nice mix of beer, music, sunshine, camaraderie, and relaxation.

If your middle-aged uncle owned a ice making business and decided to share his decades of craft beer making with the local community then you understand the essence of Olde Burnside Brewing.  This is a no thrills brewing company, but part of its charm lies in its character.  To be fair we visited in December to use a soon-to-be expiring Groupon when the brewery is normally closed.  The business is located in the back of the ice making company in a semiconverted refrigeration warehouse.  The tasting room is not heated, but there are space heaters and ample rustic seating areas. The barrel fire outside was fantastic and kept everyone warm.  Plus where else can you enjoy a space heater while utilizing a port-o-potty?  That being said bundle up and be prepared to don some layers if you visit in colder months.

What draws people to Olde Burnside is the quality beer.  The ten penny ale is delicious for any occasion and the dirty penny is a sought after stout.  We also had the chance to sample the Father Christmas Highland Ale, which with its dark complexity and cherry notes was a very pleasant holiday blend.  You can buy bottles as well as fill growlers on site.  The Ten Penny and Dirty Penny 4-packs were well worth the $7.  The discounted $16 (originally $20) was well worth the 6 pint sampler (although the cups were not quite pint size).  

We really enjoyed the beers at Olde Burnside and would love to visit in the warmer months to enjoy high quality beer when their beergarden is open.  If you have a passion for craft beer and are close by this place is definitely worth a visit, but be sure to call in advance to make sure that they are open as their hours vary.

I came here as part of the CT Beer Trail tour. Even though this was the fourth stop and we were a little beer fatigued, my boyfriend and I had a great time here. This place is pretty hard to find, as it's tucked away behind what looks like a run-down warehouse. Instead of indoor seating like most breweries offer, they have an outdoor beer garden with plenty of games (giant Jenga, Connect 4, and more). Even though it was cold and rainy when we arrived, the space is covered, and there were fires burning to keep us warm. It really feels like you stepped into a friend's backyard, if your friend lived in an industrial park. Everyone working there was super nice and welcoming, despite the fact that everyone in my tour group was raucous drunk when we got there...they deserve a lot of credit for that.

As for the beer, I tried the Ten Penny Ale, their most popular beer. It was fine, though admittedly most of their beers aren't really my taste, as I like sweeter beers. My boyfriend enjoyed the Dirty Penny Ale, calling it a classic, well-made beer. We didn't get to tour the brewing facilities, but the owner was nice enough to show us their ice house where they make real blocks of ice for sale (they're one of only 3 places in New England that still sell this, and the only one in CT). It was a cool little history lesson. Overall, we'd come back for the laid-back atmosphere, good beer, and friendly company.

What a find!  Under a sweeping tent behind a frankly drab storefront exists a beer drinker's haven. On a dreary Saturday afternoon my wife and I made our way to the rudimentary bar and began a tasting of some truly outstanding brews, poured with a smile and a story by owner Bob, as affable a host as you'll find anywhere.
We ended up leaving with a growler full of rightfully-renowned Ten Penny Ale and another of their Penny Wizs, a light, golden glass o' goodness. In addition virtually each of the different drafts we sampled was noteworthy. We came on a Groupon deal but we'll be back on our own dime.
Truly a gem in the rough!

My husband, cousin, and I just visited last weekend. We had a blast! Great beer and all the tables were set up with games on them. The big hit with my cousin and husband was the huge Jenga game they had set up for you to play. The owner was walking around talking to everyone and making sure they were happy. All in all a fun experience. We will definitely be back!

have been here twice already, having moved from NY. glad to have found this hidden gem. i had purchased a groupon to check this place out and it was well worth it for the amount of beer you get. located in a backyard with a deck and ton of chairs/tables. live folk music is always a plus - gave the place a nice vibe. i recommend bringing some snacks, since there is no food to order if you just want to pick. There is however, pretzels at the bar area.

Great craft brewery, one of the first in CT, been around since 2000. I always enjoy their ten penny ale, classic Scottish ale. They also have a great deal in their beer garden with unlimited tastings. Check the website for hours and dates of operations,  the beer garden is outside.

Unfortunately, closed (at least when I stopped- 12:30 on a Wednesday. Supposedly open until 2:00

Love this place and their beer. Have for decades. The specialty beers are individual and unique. Love the Sour Cherry one. It is an acquired taste, tart crisp and refreshing.The owners are great people. Great atmosphere too whether you take a tour or hang out in the outdoor covered by tent with bar and lights and eclectic collection of chairs. Or warm up by the fire. Always good company there.

We love hitting up all the breweries that Connecticut has to offer. This location was one of my favorites. Laid back, outside environment, easy-listening music and good beer. We found our deal on Groupon, but even without that, we will be coming back. They offer games, unlimited tastings and a giant game of Jenga. Good times. Just wish they had a bathroom other than a port-o-potty.