Guvnor’s Brewery in SoNo: OmNomCT Takes First Sips and Bites

With much anticipation and with a packed restaurant, Guvnor’s Brewery opened this past Friday.  People lined the bar that overlooks classic cooper brew tanks, ordering beer made by owner and brewer Tony Aulakh.  And there also wasn’t a table free, hungry people looking for a taste of what Chef Peter Crawford had to offer. Then, again, it happened Saturday night. In fact, manager Mike Sullivan was surprised to see that it was even busier the second night.  It’s the kind of opening that anybody could hope for.

When we stopped by on Sunday, The Battle of the Mannings was on the two screens above the bar and the huge 120 inch projection screen in the dining room—it’s all one room btw, but the areas are separated.  We met Mike and tried some of the three brews available: Summer Chill Wheat Ale, Full Monty IPA, and the Black Magic Stout.  Kristien loved the Summer Chill Wheat Ale and ordered one for herself.  It’s light, wheaty, and has some nice citrus notes. This is the kind of brew to drink all day long…or during a game…especially a game where your team loses badly.  Make the pain stop, make it stop.  Dan stuck with the IPA, a sweeter and less hoppy version than you’d expect.  But, we loved it, the complex flavors, and the easy drinkability. We also really enjoyed the Black Magic Stout, a dark and meaty brew that wasn’t overboard in terms of depth or alcoholy taste.  All in all, the three brews that they currently have on tap have a nice balance and show off Tony’s skill (and with the IPA, unconventional skill) as a brewmaster.

As we waited for Chorizo Wings, we talked a little more with Mike.  He told us that in a week or so, they’ll be adding their Red Hot Dominatrix Red/Amber Ale as well as their Iron Curtain Pils.  Plus, you can look forward to some seasonal brews, too, so come back often.  But, if you want to switch things up, they also have some signature cocktails and some wine to sip on.  Then, it happened. Our order of Chorizo Wings came to the bar.  The wings came out piled high with crumbled chorizo on top, adding an extra layer of saltiness and savoriness to the wings.  The sauce was a bit spicy and had nice hints of sriracha in it if we’re not mistaken.  The wings were nice and juicy, yet also crispy on the outside, with a big salty kick.

We couldn’t stay for a full meal, but we did have a chance to talk with Tony.  He told us about his moment of beer awakening.  He was in England and had just purchased a homebrewers kit.  While the results weren’t amazing, he was amazed that he had created beer.  So, from that moment on, he would continue homebrewing and perfecting the art.  And, the opportunity to take over the Sweet Rexie’s spot in Norwalk came up so he knew this would be the perfect opportunity to finally go big.

Wrapping things up, you can always order lots of pints at the bar, but if you want to take some of Guvnor’s home with you then you can also get a growler fill.  Including the Guvnor’s Brewery growler, you’ll pay just $19 for the Summer Chill, or $21 for the IPA and Black Magic.  Then, when you come back for refills, they’ll most likely have a cheaper price, but they haven’t run into that yet because they’ve only been open for three days.  Unable to eat anymore because of a late brunch, we decided to order some food to go for our Monday lunches.  Dan got the Black Magic Stout brisket chili that just cried out his name and Kristien got the beet and goat cheese salad with Brussels sprouts leaves, quinoa, and a walnut vinaigrette.   We can’t wait to dig in!

Well, we’re excited to come back and try out more of the dishes like the Osso Bucco and the burger.  Whether you go for lunch, dinner, for some drinks, or to just chill, Guvnor’s Brewery will be a nice choice.  It’s especially suited very well to be your brand new sports stop when you want to have some drinks and watch the game.

Cheers, Guvnor!

Noms: TBD

Cost:  $$-$$$

Guvnor’s Brewery

136 Washington Street

Norwalk, CT