DuVig Brewing Company, Branford
Branford’s DuVig Brewing Company prides itself on making good, simple beer true to style, something they do very well. DuVig specializes in well-balanced session beers, which hover around five percent alcohol by volume, thereby allowing you to have more than one in a “session” and not keel over.
It’s a relatively small operation—DuVig has a 6 barrel system (equal to about 1,500 pints) they fire up twice a week—but a brewery doesn’t have to be huge in order to be great. This one has a down-home family vibe, and when you pair DuVig’s inviting atmosphere with high quality, highly drinkable beers, you’ve got a winning watering hole.
A Cream Ale, Brown Ale, Pale Ale, and Czech Pilsner were on tap when I visited, and since it was Friday, Moxie, a deliciously caramel-tinged Red Ale, was also available. This beer is a collaboration between Madison restaurant Moxie and DuVig, and it’s offered regularly as the “Mother Plunker” at Moxie and at at the brewery on Fridays. My favorite of the beers was the delicious Cream Ale, and their chocolate-y Brown Ale may be one of the best Browns I’ve ever had.
DuVig’s beers can be found across the state at plenty of restaurants and bars, and I’m in luck—the brewery is collaborating with Thimble Island in canning their scrumptious Cream Ale this spring. Keep an eye out for it at your neighborhood liquor store.