Cheers!

Sunshine, friends, family and a new sun-inspired beer — all the ingredients converged Saturday for a successful launch of the Stony Creek Brewery along the Branford River.

Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the opening of the brewery with its tasting room, celebration room and two decks that overlook the river along Indian Neck Avenue near the heart of town.

“The vision has turned out even better than we thought,” said Peggy Crowley, whose dream of brewing local craft beer inspired her husband to build the facility which is the second largest brewery in the state.

“It’s about socialization,” she said as she and her husband greeted friends at the door. ​“We’re giving them a fun spot that’s causal. Beer and friends — that’s it.”

“The enthusiasm of all the people is contagious,” said Ed Crowley Sr., who has almost 40 years in the beer industry. ​“Friends can come and sit and talk and enjoy.”

The Crowley family broke ground for the brewery last July. They credit the speedy completion of the project to a team effort and the fact that they hired Branford companies to design, construct and outfit the building. Three of those Branford companies include Architect Joe Sepot; Criscuolo Engineering; and Pat Munger Construction Co. 

“It’s a culmination of a lot of hard work from a lot of people,” Crowley Sr. said. But they still have a few more plans and will soon be adding Stony Creek pink granite to the dock area, along with Adirondack chairs, a firepit, and a bocce court. Here he chats with the Governor about his plans.

Governor Tours Brewery

“I think this is going to be a great destination,” Gov. Dan Malloy told the Eagle. Malloy attended Saturday’s event along with several state and local government officials.

“I’ve been familiar with this part of town for a long time,” said Malloy, who is an avid boater. ​“I always thought this area was underappreciated. This is going to be a real eye-opener for people.”

“This whole sector is such a jewel,” said State Rep. Lonnie Reed (D‑Branford), ​“There’s a lot of action on the river — there’s an incredible joie de vivre.”

Reed has been working to spur economic development along the riverfront which was once home to Branford’s major industries.

Reed congratulated the Crowley family, who live in Branford, for their years of planning and their use of Branford talent to build the brewery. ​“They were so well-organized throughout. They really utilized Branford people … It’s Branford all the way.”

State Sen. Ted Kennedy (D‑12th District), who resides in Branford, spent the afternoon talking with people about the riverfront area.

“You can really feel the excitement here,” Kennedy told the Eagle. ​“So many of the conversations are about what’s next,” he said. ​“I consider this brewery as really a spark-plug for this section of town.”

Manuel Rodriguez, director of operations at the brewery and a long-time friend of the Crowleys said ​“Today is amazing. The Crowleys had a vision. Ten months ago we got our construction permit and today we’re celebrating with friends and family,” he said.

“It feels fantastic,” said brewery owner Ed Crowley Jr. ​“It was a lot of hard work and preparation and planning. We’re very excited to be open.” 

Crowley Jr., son of the company founders, is pictured here in the extensive brewhouse, where tours are given.

“I’m thrilled and excited to be working with my whole family and all our employees — they’re all family now,” Crowley Jr. said.

Reclaiming the Riverfront

The Stony Creek Brewery is built on part of the sprawling property owned by the former Malleable Iron Fittings (MIF), which closed in 1971 after serving as the town’s largest manufacturer for decades. It’s located near the upscale Anchor Reef condominiums, and not far from the Shoreline East Train Station, which is currently being expanded.

The brewery is also near the site of the old Atlantic Wire factory, which is slated to become the Atlantic Wharf apartment complex targeted for young professionals. Click here to read about that.

First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove joined in the accolades. ​“I think it’s tremendous,” he said. ​“Anytime you’re able to accomplish a successful revitalization of an area is amazing.”

Peter Maresca, chair of Branford’s Economic Development Commission, said the Crowleys were adamant about using Branford talent and labor for the project. ​“All that money stayed in Branford.” And he emphasized that the family built the brewery without any state or local funding.

Branford architect Joe Sepot, who designed the brewery, was on hand to witness the opening. ​“It’s very fulfilling,” he said. ​“This is one of the best projects I’ve ever worked on.”

Sepot said that early in project, they went up in a cherry picker to see where the best river views would be and the building was designed to take advantage of those views.

It’s All About Dock Time, Cranky & Sun Juice

The stars of Saturday’s gathering were the craft beers — with names like Dock Time, Cranky, and Sun Juice. The brewery’s slogan is ​“aggressively laid-back beer.”

The brewery has been open part-time for a few weeks as a ​“soft opening” but brewmaster Andy Schwartz said Saturday was the first day it was warm enough to keep the deck doors open.

“The sun came out. People are here. It feels great,” Schwartz said. ​“We’re hoping this brings a whole new life to the waterfront.”

Sun Juice, which tastes a bit like sunshine, is one of Schwartz’s special recipes. He shared a few ingredients of the Belgium-style beer — bitter and sweet orange peel, grapefruit peel, coriander, and chamomile.

“I’ve heard people compare it to a mimosa,” Schwartz said. ​“It’s a good summer beer.”

Russ Meister, a microbiologist and lab technician, said the Stony Creek Brewery is only the second in the state to have a dedicated lab on site to provide quality assurance.

“Anyone can brew beer, but it takes a lot more to get the science behind it,” Meister said. ​“It’s really what beer is about — a balance.”

Jamal Robinson, in charge of sales and marketing, joined in the accolades. ​“It’s great to be part of the Branford scene … and to give people another reason to come to Branford.” 

The Stony Creek Brewery has a prime location near the river and near the Town Center, where an abundant variety of restaurants are located. The Crowleys decided not to include a restaurant at their brewery, but there are facilities for caterers to use. Local restaurants will deliver meals to brewery patrons, or people may bring picnic lunches. The Celebration Room is available for banquets, meetings and weddings.
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