Welcome to Hog River Brewing

Craft beer, community, friends and family. That's what we're all about here at Hartford's living room. We're local CT folks, born and raised, and what we wanted more than anything else was a laid-back place to have a pint and while away the afternoon with our friends. So after quitting the corporate gig and embarking on eight years of professional brewing around the state, it was go-time to bring our vision to life.

Our taproom draws inspiration from our domestic and international travels, where we've enjoyed beers at breweries that were nothing more than an open garage, a picnic table by a river or a viking and fire inspired beer room on the shore of a fjord (ok, that last one was pretty special). What we loved about all these places and others, is that they made us feel at home. And of course the beer was incredible too.

That's why at Hog River Brewing, we want you to feel at home here. There's always a friendly face and someone at the bar (hi Rich!) willing to talk to you about any and everything. Oh, and we're pretty proud of our beer too. 

Taproom

We have seating at our bar, tables and beer rails for 75 and standing room for much more. Our taproom is a lightly fixed-up industrial space, with just enough warmth to make you want to spend a few hours. 

Besides our shiny brewhouse and tanks, we're most proud of the two turn-of-the-century, 20 ft. machine presses tucked (ha!) in the corner of our taproom. These towering monsters tell their own story of the history of Hartford and our Parkville neighborhood. Used to hammer parts for the first pneumatic tires manufactured for automobiles and bicycles in the country, they are the last remaining vestiges from when the building served as Hartford Rubber Works, and later Pope Manufacturing Company.

Offerings

We offer 16oz. pints of any of our house beers, as well as 5 oz. samplers (individual or flights) - an easy and enjoyable way to get a taste of any of our beers. And if you need beer to-go, we sell a rotating selection of 16 oz. 4-packs, 64oz. and 32 oz. growlers (new and refills).

We don't serve food, but we welcome you to bring your own and we can point you in the right direction of local food. Thursday - Saturday, we have some of CT's amazing local food trucks on hand. 

If you really want to make us your second home, consider becoming a Mug Club member. $100 annual membership includes 20oz. pours for the price of 16oz., 15% off merchandise and an annual Mug Club members-only party. Mug Club members can renew their memberships for $75 annually.

We hope you'll stop by for a taste of Hog River Brewing soon! We can't wait to welcome you in. When you're in our living room, you're family.

PS - For updates on beer & food truck schedules, general ramblings and pretty pictures, 
follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, 

Location

1429 Park Street
Hartford, CT 06106

TIP: Use 30 Bartholomew Ave. as your destination address for more accurate directions to our taproom. We are not located in this building, but we are right next to it in the 5-story white building on the corner of Park St. and Bartholomew Ave. Parking is available in lot on opposite side of the street.

Directions >
 

Hours

Mon & Tues - Closed
Wed - 3-8pm
Thurs - 3-10pm
Fri - 3-10pm
Sat. - 12-10pm
Sun. - 2-7pm

Our Beers

Our taproom beer menu features a constantly rotating selection of house beers, poured direct from tank to your pint. Our philosophy is simple - we brew what we love with the hope that you will love it too. We offer a range of styles from classic German beers, such as our house Kölsch-style ale, to our big and bold barrel-aged beers.

Currently on tap

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 20, 2018

Golden Messenger Kölsch

15 IBU, 4.5 SRM, 4.3% ABV

Our Brewer’s favorite style, this classic, cold-fermented German ale is brewed with Cologne malt imported from Germany. Lightly hopped with Hallertau Mittlefruh hops and conditioned for 3 weeks. A clean, crisp and refreshing lighter-style craft beer.

Warehouse Pilsner

16 IBU, 4 SRM, 5.1% ABV

There is nothing quite as refreshing as a classic pilsner. But we wanted to take what can sometimes be a one-dimensional beer and coax out subtle flavors of fruity sweetness and slight bitterness to add depth to the classic clean, grassy flavors. Brewed with floor malted pilsner and debittered Amarillo hops, which lend a pleasant noble hop profile leaving behind flavors of orange and tangerine.

Oktoberfest

11.8 IBU, 11.8 SRM, 5.8% ABV

A classic Marzen beer, traditionally drunk at Oktoberfest each year. Malty, bready and boasting a caramel color. Just what autumn calls for.

Local 35 IPA

32 IBU, 4 SRM, 6.2% ABV

A hazy IPA brewed with Golden Promise malt and flaked barley. A heavy dose of Citra and Amarillo hops added at the end of the boil for a fragrant aroma of citrus, tropical fruit, apricot and peach.

Ask Your Mother DIPA

54.5 IBU: 5 SRM:, 8.4% ABV

Ask your mother...said every dad ever. This DIPA was brewed in honor of all dads who love craft beer! Even our cans pay tribute. Our then 3 year-old-daughter Iyla drew a rather spot-on portrait of dad, which made us laugh every time we looked at it. Now you can get a smirk from it too when you grab a 4-pack. Brewed with flaked oats, flaked barley and wheat this beer is unfiltered, smooth and fruity. Hopped and dry-hopped with 100% Galaxy hops, which showcases a unique and dynamic fruity character. 

Gobblefunk Boysenberry Sour

10 IBU, SRM ? (Purple), 5.5% ABV

Named for Roald Dahl's made up language, our first kettle sour strikes a balance of tradition and innovation. Gobblefunk is brewed with pilsner and wheat malts and fermented with Lactobacilis Brevis and Saison yeast. The final product boasts 252 pounds of Boysenberry puree for a fruity finish and a Wonka-ish purple color. 

AVAILABLE IN CANS:

Golden Messenger Kölsch

Warehouse Pilsner

Columbia Cream Ale with fresh orange

Hartford Pale Ale

Local 35 IPA

Ask Your Mother DIPA

Events & Food Trucks

There's always something going on at the brewery. We welcome folks to hold hangouts, happy hours, parties and more at the brewery. Whether you're looking for a casual get-together during open hours, or are looking to book the space for a private event, we can accommodate you. Email events@hogriverbrewing.com for more information.

Food Truck & Events Schedule

What is a craft beer taproom without a food truck? We can't get enough of the creativity and deliciousness pouring out of the CT food truck scene, and we love bringing it to the brewery to share with you. Check out who's joining us this month:

Thursday 9/20: Twang Thursday! Come and enjoy live music in the taproom with Gentle Temper and food from Skyscraper Sandwiches. Taproom open 3-10pm. Music 7-9pm. Never a cover.

Friday 9/21: Chief Brody’s Banh Mi

Saturday 9/22: Fuego Picante Mexican Food Truck

Sunday 9/23: Barre at the Brewery Join us for a seriously good workout with our friends Hartford Sweat. They’re bringing their sweat-inducing barre class to the taproom. Class is 11am-12pm. Registration is $25 and includes a complimentary drink from our bar. Plus, Chief Brody’s Banh Mi will be here 2-7pm.

Twang Thursdays

Experience live music in the taproom every Thursday

7-9 PM | No Cover | Food Truck onsite

Featuring Americana/Roots Rock/Folk artists from Hartford, the Northeast and across the country

the meadows brothers

Thursday, September 6th

The Meadows Brothers' distinct brand of roots music combines folk, blues, country and rock 'n' roll into what the Boston Globe calls  “An engagingly twangy sibling sound all their own.” Ian and Dustin Meadows are the Meadows Brothers. They share that essential brother-band DNA: a telepathic tightness, the ability to stop and start vocal phrases in lockstep, to fall effortlessly into close harmonies, trade off phrases and navigate together the fresh expression of American roots music they create. Their 2017 release, “TRUTH”, demonstrates the brothers' keen ability to get to the heart of the matter with simple melodies, blood harmonies, unsweetened songwriting, expressive guitars and blues tinged harp.

gentle temper

Thursday, September 20th

Gentle Temper is Ryan Meier and Marion Earley, an ocean-folk duo with a blues tide from the bayous of Boston. GT have opened for nationally touring acts LOLO, Ballroom Thieves, Bombadil, and 2014 NPR Favorite new artist The Family Crest. The two recently won first place in Cambridge's Lizard Lounge Open Mic Challenge Main Event. In September, they won 1st place in the Katrina’s Singer-Songwriter Challenge and appeared on the Gloucester television series “Local Music Seen” shortly after. The pair released “Sleep It Off: The Live EP” in December of 2017 alongside a coinciding documentary-style video. 

among the acres

Thursday, September 27th

Among the Acres is a folk rock quartet based out of Hartford that fuses an eclectic range of influences into a sound defined by cascading vocal harmonies, intricate string melodies, and an insatiable desire for “groove”. Songwriters and founding members Michael Day and Sean Lemkey sowed the seeds of the project while recording their own solo material with a common producer, Patrick Giguere. The pair spent countless hours workshopping songs, sharing a passion for the detail and depth of musical composition. Soon thereafter, drummer and percussionist Erik Lindblad and bassist Greg Ganci came aboard, bringing with them a keen sense of feel and rhythmic musicality.

Twang thursdays house band

Thursday, October 4th

Join us for the first ever Twang Thursdays House Band experience. Local Hartford musicians play the classic Twang, folk, country and Americana hits from yesterday, today, and possibly tomorrow.

brian dolzani trio

Thursday, October 18th

Brian is a classic troubadour in the lineage of Dylan, Petty, Browne, and Young, and he has put his years of songwriting experience into his latest record. ‘I love pulling from multiple, stricter genres such as country, pop, blues, rock and roll,’ Brian explains, ‘then breaking out of those boundaries and just trying to write a great song that hopefully transcends those elements and becomes as big and wide as possible.’ On ‘A Place That I Can Feel’, Brian crafts meaningful, relatable lyrics that are astute and intriguing, often forthright and simply stated. His impeccably steady and strong guitar playing and tight rhythm section grooves hard on the Petty-meets-Cars-meets-Creedence ‘Am I OK’.

Jason Ingriselli & The Miles North Band

Thursday, October 25th

New England native Jason Ingriselli has been making music over the last decade in basements, bars and music halls throughout the Northeast. He has showcased his authentic Americana voice with a wide variety of local & national recording artists from stages to bar room floors. His unique and powerful voice sit right at home in an ever-growing landscape of Americana/Roots music throughout the region. After multiple trips to studios in Avon, CT and Nashville, TN - “The Miles North” is out on CRM Recording Co. and now available for download.

wool hats string band

Thursday, November 1st

The Wool Hats is a CT based bluegrass/jamgrass band. Built upon a driving rhythm section, the trio of lead instruments weaves intricate melodic spaces while the vocal harmonies add to the warmth and richness of their sound. Their repertoire includes bluegrass classics and unique interpretations of classic rock material, as well as well-crafted originals. The band consists of Matt Chimini, Ryan Mooney, Nick Krashefski, Johnny Lee and Erick Feucht. Together, their style fuses bluegrass, newgrass, classic country, rock, blues and other acoustic influences. 

the wolff sisters

Thursday, November 15th

Hailing from the cobblestone streets of Boston, The Wolff Sisters blend rock, blues, and roots music into their own unique sound. Their gritty songs draw from adventures all over New England that shaped their lives. The three sisters, Rebecca, Rachael, and Kat, create haunting harmonies that only siblings can manage to do. Drawing inspiration from bands like The Rolling Stones, Neil Young and Jackson Browne, TheWolff Sisters bring a refreshing sound and soul to the music scene. Their live performances are honest and raw, leaving you with their songs stuck in your head long after the show is over. They have released two EPs and currently tour all over New England.

plywood cowboy

Thursday, November 29th

Take yourself back to the days of dusty country roads, carefree summers, and your radio tuned to music that was soulful and authentic. Enter Plywood Cowboy. With their second album release, “Blue Skies”, the band continues to produce refreshing music that has been called “steeped in tradition, with lyrics full of longing, truth and heart” by Sound Waves Magazine. The album presents a roots Americana palate with modern harmonic sensibility. The band has opened for the Grammy-nominated act Yarn, as well as for U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, and has performed with members of Keith Urban’s band. In 2018, Plywood Cowboy won the Connecticut Folk Festival band competition.

If you are an Americana/Roots Rock/Folk artist and are interested in playing at our Twang Thursdays series, please send your bio and links to music/performances to Connor Millican at wiseoldmoon@gmail.com.

Our Story

We're Ben and Joy Braddock, crazy kids (now with a kid of our own!) that a long time ago fell in love with each other and fell in love with craft beer. Fast forward 15 years and we're almost one year into owning our beloved craft brewery & taproom in the heart of the Parkville neighborhood in Hartford, CT. 

We jumped the corporate ship, deciding life is too short to not pursue our dreams and spend our days doing what we love. Over 10 years ago, Ben quit his day job when his cubicle walls started closing in on him. It was a “now or never” kinda moment. He swallowed his pride and got his start in the industry cleaning kegs. As a brewer in both a production and brewpub setting, he learned the ins and outs and discovered his own brewing style. 

More recently, Joy quit her corporate gig to focus 100% on building a taproom experience that invites community, family and friends to not only enjoy our craft beer but also enjoy the space through other experiences like live music, pop-up maker fairs,  beer dinners and barre classes. She is excited to bring the community an ever-evolving lineup of unique events that bring people together.

Together, we invite you to come join us for a beer. You'll most likely find one of our faces behind the bar. Come say hello!

#HogRiverBrewing

contact us

We would love to hear from you! 

For general questions and comments, or for donation requests, please email us at: info@hogriverbrewing.com

To inquire about renting our taproom space for any type of party or event, email us at: events@hogriverbrewing.com

Location

1429 Park Street
Hartford, CT 06106

860-206-2119

*PLEASE NOTE: Our entrance is on Bartholomew Ave. (not on Park Street).

Directions >