#alternative control

Arepas at Basso Cafe in Norwalk Connectiut

Beer taps at The Ginger Man in Norwalk

Do you know what’s sad about it almost being Labor Day?  Yeah, we know…you can’t wear white again.  But, then again, who are we to follow silly rules?  Guess what?  On Tuesday Dan will wear his white linen suit with white shoes just to show what he thinks about these rules.  Yeah, don’t spend your life following all the rules and doing what society tells you!  Instead, come along with us as we tell ya all about some great events that are coming up as well as hit ya with some beer news from across the state.

Events and Deals

Craft 260 in Fairfield is pretty serious about football.  So serious, in fact that they’ll be offering up happy hour food and drink specials during Monday night games all the way up until last call.  Great food and beer, football, and a good deal?  C’mon now!

Stamford Restaurant Weeks is still going strong…all the way until September 1.  Check out all the deals!

8/27 Starting at 8 pm, check out Trivia Night at Coalhouse Pizza in Stamford!  They have .50 wings, $5 drafts, and $12 pitchers, too.  This is a recurring event, so even if you can’t make Trivia Night tonight, you can always check out next week.

8/28 Love ribs?  Good, Vinny’s in Fairfield has ya covered with a crazy good deal:  buy 1 rack of ribs, get the second for half the price.  Share them?  What, you crazy?

8/30-8/31 Now a Labor Day weekend tradition, the 7th Annual Blues, Views & BBQ Festival in Westport has plenty to satisfy you whether you’re into BBQ, food trucks, beer, cooking demos, or live music like Popa Chubby, Rick Derringer, and the Spin Doctors.  Be aware that ticketing is different this year with general admission coming in at $10 (12 and under are free), while an all access pass to the music stage costs $50 for Saturday, $25 for Sunday, or $70 for both days.  For more info, check out the BV&B site.

8/31 You gots ta check out the 3rd Annual Caribbean Cultural Jerkfest at the City Center in Danbury. Taste your way through some great Caribbean food and find out why Jerk seasoning is one of our favorite spices! The fun goes down from 12-10.

9/4 Annalisa Ewald, playing Spanish guitar, will be rocking Basso Cafe from 6-9. Basso is an awesome spot that we fell in love with, so definitely get there and set up a reservation. Also, BYOB, baby!

9/4 Dip into Salsa on the Farm at Common Ground School at 358 Springtide Ave. in New Haven from 6-8:30!  There will be live music, food trucks, stuff for the kiddies to do, and you can even get a tour of the farm. Entrance to Salsa on the Farm is by donation at $5 per person or $10 per family.  It all starts at 6 when the music starts and Ay Arepa, The Meat Truck, and Fruit Whirled start providing you with food. Then, at 7 take a tour of the farm…then have more food!

9/5-7 Yup, the Norwalk Oyster Fest is back! Food, beer, shopping, and music…yup yup.  Tickets are $5 for kids 5-12, $10 for adults on Friday, or $12 adults on Saturday or Sunday. Practice your Jesus pose with Scott Stapp of Creed on Friday at 9, get down to some killer rock & roll with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts on Saturday at 9, and check out the US Army Band at 1 and the Tito Puente Jr. Orchestra at 4 pm on Sunday.

9/6-7 You definitely want to check out the Westpour Block Party held right on National Hall Green in Westport from 6-10. There will be plenty of food from local chefs, plenty of brews, craft cocktails, and plenty of live music too!  Tickets for food and drinks are just $5 each or you can buy a pack of $10 for $45. Beer and a tasting plate cost 1 ticket, wine and cocktails cost 2, and if you want a full sample plate that will be just 3 tickets. Westpour is brought to you by Experience Hospitality, the same people behind the VERY soon to open NEAT and Vespa which should open fall-ish.  Future dates include 9/13, 9/14, 9/21, 9/27, and 9/28. 

9/6 Check out the Down by the River Festival from 11-7 pm at the Riverwalk and Veterans’ Memorial Park on Canal Street in Shelton.  You can Bike for HOPE and/or check out live music, shop around for goodies, or even get some food from DJ’s Food Truck, Rita’s Italian Ice, Lighthouse Rum Cakes, Vazzy’s Cucina w/ a pig roast, Ben & Jerry’s, and Christophe’s Crepes.

9/6 Celebrate Baldwin’s Birthday (from Alternative Control) with a crazy amazing selection of live bands at Seaside Tavern in Stamford.  We’re talking about Mantyhose, Jimmy Junk Bird and the Stiffs, She Walks Without Legs, and possibly a few surprise guests.  The music starts at 9 with no fee to get in…that’s good, too:  use that extra money for beer and wings.

9/6-7 Plenty of nomworthy food at A Taste of Greater Danbury this year from 12-10 on Saturday and 12-7 on Sunday right on the City Center in Danbury.  Check out a helluva lot of Danbury and other local restaurants and cooking demos, too.  Oh, and don’t forget to see Bo Bice (from American Idol) as he takes the stage to lead Blood, Sweat & Tears at 8 on Saturday night.

Beer

Tuesdays just became sacred with Ginger Man SoNo opening up their vintage vaults!  Yes, for every Tuesday in September they’ll be tapping a brand new old vintage beer.  And, to start things off, they’ll be pouring a 2011 World Wide Stout from Dogfish Head.  Do yourself a favor and check this beer out…it’s amazing, especially when it’s aged!

Thursday Night Pint Nights start this Thursday at Local Sono!  This week Local will be featuring Thimble Island Brewing from Branford on tap.  Just get there at 6 and you’ll get $1 off any Thimble Island brew (they have a special cask, too) and you’ll even get to keep your glass if you’re one of the first at the bar.

Shebeen Brewing in Wolcott recently added a Mug Club where you get exclusive first tastes of beer, a growler, 10% off all merchandise, a free birthday beer, access to a Mug Club members only page on Facebook, and more. They also just released their own version of the classic pumpkin beer (Mug Clubbers got first tastes):  this one is their highly anticipated Pumpkin Scotch Ale!  And, hey, if you haven’t had a chance to get your dirty paws on Shebeen, it’s now easier because they are available throughout CT!  If you don’t see them at your local shop, just ask…

Black Hog Brewing is a MACHINE!  Not only is their grand opening this Saturday, but they already have new brews in the work like their Disco Pig. PLUS, you can try their brand new year-round Coffee Milk Stout at bars and restaurants throughout CT!  Here’s a description of the brew from Black Hog:

Based on a sweet stout recipe and enriched with cold Toddy extracted Organic Columbian Supremo and Espresso Roasted coffee. Exclusively poured on Nitrogen gas lines for a silky texture with a pillowy white marshmallow head. Toddy extraction enhances the natural coffee notes of the malt for a robust brewed flavor with no bitterness. The result is a rich, creamy stout with a round hearty roasted coffee punch and a quick addictive finish that hits the mark.

Beer’d Brewing in Stonington was named Best Beer 2014 by Connecticut Magazine.  Here’s what they said about their Whisker’d Wit:  “One taste of the Whisker’d Wit will tell you what all the fuss is about—this refreshing witbier is a tasty work of liquid art.”

The contest to see whose design for Firefly Hollow’s Cone Flakes was tough, but they selected a winner.  The winner was Sara Mclaughlin and here’s what it looks like.