Two Roads Brewing Company

With Covid travel restrictions loosening up, it is time to once again feature places in my home state of Connecticut. What a better place to open the summer travel season with than Two Roads Brewing Company in Stratford! Two Roads is the brand that in just a matter of years has put Connecticut beer on the map, and it was their effort that actually made Connecticut more brewery-friendly. 

Before starting down the road less taken, cue Robert Frost, and how the brewery got its name, a huge tip of the cap goes to Mayor Ryan Crowley. Ryan is the brand ambassador for Two Roads and has been deemed the mayor of the brewery. After only spending a few minutes with Ryan, it seemed as if we had known each other for years. Ryan generously took my wife and me behind the scenes at Two Roads and Area 2 for the most tremendous brewery tour that I have ever been on, for the better part of a day. I always knew how good the beer was, but Two Roads Brewing Company is built on historical tradition, a deep understanding of science, and environmental friendliness.

First Impressions

As a Connecticut native, when I started seeing Two Roads beer pop up in my local package store, I immediately felt nostalgic. The Connecticut pride in the brand is tangible. One of their first beers I tried was the Honeyspot Road IPA which is named for a road in Stratford and is also an exit off of Route 95. Speaking of the highway, Rye 95 is another beer with geographic ties, as the highway traverses the town. From the get-go, being able to consume a piece of CT at my neighborhood bar made me immediately happy. With my books Connecticut Lore and More Connecticut Lore, I have long championed Connecticut. It felt like Two Roads was doing the same. 

Soon after their founding in 2012, distribution started to the point where they could often be found in stores and bars. (Quickly, this brewery has jumped to around 43rd biggest in the nation!) My maiden Two Roads brewery voyage was after a trip to the Bronx Zoo in 2015. Since it was a busy Saturday, the taproom was packed. As I muscled through to the bar, I chose a flight of four beers. In spite of the crowds, what first grabbed me about the interior of the taproom is the historic nature of the building that remains preserved.

The Brewery Visit

The factory building where Two Roads resides is located on Stratford Road, wedged between Route 95 and railroad tracks. The historic building circa 1911 is accented with large tanks alongside the western outside wall. Entering through the doors, the original wood paneling is present. Climb the steep steps in the entryway to reach the taproom. During this visit, the taproom was just as I remembered it. Due to Covid restrictions and the need for reservations during my visit, it was easier to make out all of the architectural details which were obscured by the crowds during my initial trip. 

US Baird Factory

The Two Roads brewery was once home to US Baird, a machinery company. Two Roads has been able to intertwine the factory’s history into not only their building but also their story as well. Baird called this factory home until 2006. The building sat vacant for only six years as the brewery opened in October of 2012 and the tasting room two months later.

Tangible pieces of the Baird factory are all around Two Roads. Baird manufactured buttons, clips for suspenders, rivets, and zippers for jeans, among other products. For example, the original factory floor, after being dismantled, was sanded and refinished and has been turned into bar tops. Also, the staff hold hammer parties in which they shuffle over every square inch of the taproom making sure there are no nails protruding upward. If so, with a hammer in one hand and beer in the other, they knock them back into place. 

Just like Frost’s poem, the owners of Two Roads Brewing Company chose the path not taken. Each one at points in long careers, the four friends decided to completely veer off of their career path to open Two Roads. The owners of the brewery are Brad Hittle, Clem Pellani, Peter Doering, and head brewer Phil Markowski. Their story alone would be an article by itself! Markowski was the head brewer at the Southampton Public House on Long Island which has long been heralded for its beers.

What to try!?

In the taproom, I decided to ask Ryan what to try first. He picked the Wee Demon for me. At only 95 calories and 3.8% ABV, this would normally not be the first beer I would choose. Sipping this, it has so much taste for a low alcohol beer! I can see this as the perfect summertime sipper. My second was the Espressway stout. This coffee stout is well balanced. It’s full of coffee roastiness without being heavy. 

Ryan shared how Two Roads actually had the Connecticut brewery laws changed! Prior, breweries could provide a tour and a few samples but could not serve a flight or a pint. This would not work with the owners’ vision of the taproom. A communal spirit is strong, with regulars often saddled at the bar. Looking around, there are no televisions on the wall which conveys the ethos of unplugging. The art of conversation abounds at Two Roads. 

Art at Two Roads

The importance of art and design at Two Roads is ever-present. Since early on, they have run a Conn Artists series. It has featured Connecticut artists, with the winning work to be displayed as a beer label. Among the images was that of Stratford’s famous aviator, Igor Sikorsky, who practically invented the helicopter. The contest has broadened its scope, focusing on the road less traveled and no longer relegated to only Connecticut artists. Some of these images adorn tanks inside the brewery. 

Looking at the now-iconic Two Roads label, the two hands are both right hands, one hand representing the brewery workers and one the consumers. This represents that without the consumer there would not be the brewery and vice versa.  For Area 2, it is two left hands, echoing the same sentiment. 

At Two Roads Brewing Company, they have repurposed as much of the past as they could. They reused the wooden floors to design the side of the bar. An old powerhouse building used by Baird was torn down, but the windows are used inside the taproom. Even an antique machine used by Baird is on display just outside the glass of the taproom. Another neat piece of history is the relic of the unisex bathroom located off of the taproom. It brought me back to elementary school with floor-length urinals! 

A Little Science

Jackie tried the Terroir table beer. Terroir translates to “of the Earth” and this Connecticut Terroir is found with all ingredients from the state. It is a beer used to cleanse the palate. Fifty percent of what is brewed at Two Roads is from other breweries. These include Evil Twin from Denmark, Stillwater Artisanal Ales from Baltimore, City Steam’s Naughty Nurse from Hartford, and Lawson’s from Vermont. When choosing what building to move into, the team inspected many different structures in the Stratford-Bridgeport area. One main reason why they ended up here was the water. Stratford’s water is well-balanced and can be manipulated to recreate the water needed for all of these different locations’ recipes. The ph can be changed to harder or softer depending on the beer. 

The environment is also a primary concern of Two Roads. From solar panels to the fact that they use six gallons of water instead of the typical eight to brew a gallon of beer, conservation is key.

Being able to walk around the factory floor was amazing. Seeing all parts of the process from the canning line to the laboratories to being inside the outdoor tanks, was quite the tour. Two Roads employs scientists who take readings on the quality of each and every batch of beer. If the beer is not up to par, it is put down the drain. 

And a bit of history…

Ryan also pointed out a crawl space area that is located between the ground and second floor that was nicknamed “Lil’ Heaven” by Baird employees. One day former factory workers visited the brewery. Two Roads staff brought them on a tour and they mentioned this space where workers would go to take a nap or do other things which gave it the nickname “little heaven,” thus the name of their session IPA, Lil’ Heaven.

Overhead is a crane that was used by Baird. An earlier incarnation actually killed a man as it uncoiled uncontrollably and crushed him to death. A tribute newspaper clipping was found, and now it is displayed in the hallway when entering the taproom. Another former employee who visited the brewery was able to sit back down at his old desk, sipping a beer while looking out the window of his daily view. The history here is incredible. 

The Tanker Truck Series

Another name that came to make sense is the “Tanker Truck Series” of sours and goses. Due to the continued production of beer, the souring process could not be made inside the brewery. As an ingenious solution, the company bought two former dairy tankers. These, which are located adjacent to the brewery, are literally filled with the beer that they are souring, hence the name. They are literally stored in a tanker truck!

Most of the production at Two Roads is in cans. Bottles mainly attract the older demographic who are fearful that cans will give off a metallic taste. No liquid actually touches aluminum in production today. 

Our tour also included the offices. Now used for Two Roads employees, it was once the headquarters of the factory. The retro wood paneling remains, as do the signs etched on the glass of the door such as the “accounting” sign which actually does house the accounting department! The bathroom here is draped in bygone wallpaper with sketches of ships at sea. 

Area 2

In 2019, Two Roads opened up a second brewery on site. This is called Area 2 which focuses more on experimental beers. The options often include sours, wild ales, and barrel-aged libations. Between the two breweries is the Hop Yard. It is a greenspace that they made where visitors can hang out in Adirondack chairs, play games, drink beer, and order from food trucks. Called the hopyard, hops are literally grown alongside the path between breweries. This outdoor beer garden allows dogs, but like all other areas of Two Roads, no one under 21 is allowed. 

On my way over to Area 2, Ryan told me I must try the Urban Funk. This is a wild ale that was brewed with yeast brought over in Superstorm Sandy. Petri dishes were left out to collect yeast by university scientists. Who knows where this yeast originated from! This beer is delicious, sour by nature with tremendous flavor and depth. Area 2 is only two years old but is designed to emulate the original brewery building. With a staircase leading to the taproom just like the other, a catwalk looks over a room full of aging barrels and foeders. 

Also located in Area 2 is the classroom of Sacred Heart University’s brewing program. At this lab, students have their own setup to learn how to brew beer. Area 2 includes a comfortable taproom with bar and table seating. There is also an outdoor balcony and a roof deck. On the inside, customers can also take their beverage to the first floor, with Adirondack chairs made from repurposed barrels. 

And to the great outdoors

Along the porch area, Ryan showed us one structure that was built around a coolship. With windows open, yeasts and bacteria are allowed to enter to put a different spin on traditional fermenting. The trains running on the tracks outside the brewery bring with it different microbes that get wafted into the coolship. Ryan also described the future vision for the backyard of Area 2. This was delayed due to Covid but the idea is to hire a biologist to identify and eradicate invasive species in the wetlands in the back of the building. Then plant other native species and create a boardwalk that loops through it as another place to sit and enjoy your beer while being immersed in a natural habitat. 

Two Roads also distills at Area 2. They have begun to market a vodka cocktail called Daybreaker. Vodka will be available soon, as well as whiskey which needs about two more years to finish. Currently, they can and sell flavored vodka drinks at the brewery and in stores under the banner of Daybreaker. These are super refreshing, try the blood orange flavor!

Feeling sour

Many of the beers at Area 2 have a sour or fruited influence. Phil actually studied in Belgium to create some of the finest Belgian style beers, including lambics which are not often on a domestic beer menu. One beer that I absolutely loved was the Twoquila which is one of the tanker truck goses, this one with Persian lime but aged in tequila bottles. Wow! They also had a margarita-style slushie available which was so good it could be dangerous!

Others available included the Jambic, a cross between their Jam series fruited summer beers and a lambic. Two Roads only uses real fruit and not artificial flavor or added syrup which gives all of their beers the real fruit taste. The Hexagonal is a sour that took 2.5 years in the making! I also sampled the Kviek which is a Norwegian farmhouse beer and a Flanders Red Ale that is actually made using balsamic vinegar! 

When you go to Two Roads Brewing Company!

My Two Roads experience was truly incredible. To be able to understand their story as a brewery, the history of the actual building, and the science behind the whole process shed a new light on the beers that I have always enjoyed. Learning nuances and puns of the beers’ names and the stories that go with them was a treat. And of course, being able to try some truly fantastic beers of all styles and ranges was an unforgettable experience. 

With eased travel restrictions, in-staters and out-of-staters need to make Two Roads Brewing Company a destination this summer! There are plenty of options to choose from, with two breweries, a beer garden, and deck seating, with an incredible number of beverages to enjoy. Ryan put it best when he proclaimed that Two Roads has a beer for everyone. I even sampled a beer that allegedly tastes like a Manhattan, and it really did! From traditional styles to the adventurous, from their Daybreaker cocktails to hard seltzer, this brewery simply does it all. 

Two Roads Brewing Company is located at 1700 Stratford Avenue in Stratford Connecticut. There is parking both outside of the main brewery and Area 2. Cheers! For more Connecticut adventures check out: A Coastal Connecticut Trip, Dodd Stadium and Books, Lobster and Beer in Coastal Connecticut.