Brewery Opens On River Street

The city’s newest brewery has opened its doors — and its taps — in a former Bigelow Boiler Factory building on River Street, with hopes that ​“danky” beers, dreamlike art, and spacious gathering spots will help spur an economic revival for Fair Haven’s derelict industrial waterfront.

That new brewery and taproom is run by Armada Brewing out of a renovated two-story former industrial building at 190 River St. at the corner of Lloyd Street. 

After a spate of (sometimes contentious) public meetings — and after winning all necessary city and state approvals to open a new venue for brewing selling, and consuming beer — the River Street venue is now open. 

Armada Brewing’s John Kraszewski told the Independent that the beer hall and upstairs lounge hosted a ​“soft opening” last Friday for friends and family only. An official grand opening party is planned for this coming Friday.

Its taproom will be open from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursdays, 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. 

“We’re planting the seed” on River Street, Kraszewski said while sipping on a Sacred Throne Helles Lager in the River Street building’s second-floor lounge, the sun-dappled Q Bridge — and a vacant asphalt-cracked lot — visible through the upper-story windows to the south.

The block of River Street that Armada now calls home has for decades been a bit of a vacant industrial wasteland. The city recently demolished collapsing adjacent former factory buildings; various other businesses have plotted, and then ditched, River Street relocation plans over the years; and a movie studio is still eyeing purchasing city-owned land nearby with the hopes of converting the area into a creative arts district.

“We’re going to be a long-term thing here,” Kraszewski said about Armada. ​“We want to help improve the community” by giving neighbors and customers a place to gather, not just to drink beer, but to hang out, talk, meet one another, connect.

He said he’d love to see River Street ​“cleaned up” and redeveloped with new restaurants and other attractions. ​“People will come here,” he posited, so long as there is ​“something to come here for.”

Kraszewski said his River Street business already employs 10 people. He plans to scale up to 15 or 16 workers when the first-floor brewhouse is fully up and running this summer, allowing Armada to brew lagers, ciders, wines, and other beers.

For now, Armada is trucking over wort from its East Haven outpost and brewing ​“mixed fermentation” beers on site. Customers can also come by to purchase and takeout canned Armada beer, or order a beer on tap and drink in the downstairs beer hall.

One such beer newly available on Wednesday was ​“The Herbalist,” which Kraszewski described as a ​“danky” and ​“fruit”-flavored IPA that Armada makes available every year on 4/20.

Ray Gurdak drove down from Bristol on Wednesday specifically to try Armada’s ​“Herbalist” beer.

How did it taste? ​“It’s a little resinous,” he said with a smile. 

“I’m really excited about” this new venue opening on River Street, he said, giving him a reason to visit the Elm City more frequently to enjoy a beer.

Bill Steinbacher from Wallingford stopped by the River Street beer hall Wednesday to order a dunkel lager, and to support his long-time friend Kraszewski.

“He takes a lot of pride” in the work that he does and the beer that he brews, Steinbacher said about Kraszewski. He said that pride in his craft comes through in the taste of each beer.

How is he feeling now that the brewery is finally open?

It’s been months of ​“long nights, long hours, and lack of sleep,” Kraszewski said about converting the former industrial building into a new home for his brewery business.

Now he can get a bit more sleep — and finally welcome customers and neighbors on in.