Liquid Hoptimism DIPA Review and Launch Party @ Half Full

When we found out that Half Full had a brand new brewer, Tom Price, back in January, we were pretty psyched. As some of you might remember, we have been following Half Full before they oven opened up shop at 43 Homestead Avenue right in Stamford. So, we were excited and hoptimistic to see the evolution after their first brewer, Jen Muckerman left.

Our first taste from the new brewer back on February 27 (gotta love Untappd) was Liquid Hoptimism, a new DIPA. While it did seem like an improvement, the beer didn’t live up to our expectations, so we didn’t bother trying to find it again. Honestly, we didn’t feel the hoptimism.

Win 2 Tix to Hop Bombs + Farmboys BBQ @ Half Full Rare Beer Night

One of our favorite times of the month is when Half Full Brewery in Stamford puts on its bi-monthly Rare Beer Night. Each event features 4-5 beers that they have never made before by the brewers at Half Full or some of their guests. This Wednesday will be a great one that you won’t want miss, especially if you love IPAs!

It’s the Hop Bombs Rare Beer Night and it starts at 7 pm on 5/20. They’ll be featuring El Dorado IPA, Hull Melon IPA, Polaris IPA, and a surprise beer. Tickets for Hop Bombs cost only $22.09 with tax which is good because the money that you’re gonna save can go towards devouring the awesome BBQ of Farmboys Smokin’ BBQ. How great are these guys? Well, they catered Kristien’s birthday party two years in a row so they’re kind of a big deal. Oh, and if they have their Smoked Mac & Cheese, trust us . . . you need to order it!

Sink Your Teeth into Half Full Brewery’s 3rd Annual Halloween Bash

Jordan and Conor of Half Full at the 2013 Halloween Bash

We a founda da princess! Yes, that’s us and another Mario and Luigi at last year’s party

We’re giving you notice way in advance here, so take advantage of this:  10/25 from 5-10.  Set it aside for an awesome Halloween party that just so happens to include lots of beer.  That’s when Half Full Brewery in Stamford will be throwing their 3rd Annual Halloween Bash which serves dual purpose as their 2nd anniversary celebration! Like last year, Oh Cassius! will be back, and did we mention that there will be beer? Yup, they’ll have at least 8 of their brews on tap open to you all night long including their nummy Pumpkin and their Rum Pumpkin, too! They’ll have their life-size Jenga out for playing and will also have a tent so you can sprawl out and have the best time ever.  In addition to all the games, music, and beer, you’ll also get your own trick-or-treat bag filled to the brim with awesome Half Full goodies such as cozies, pint glasses, key chains, and stickers. 

Win 2 Tix to Half Full’s Hop, Skip + A Run 5K and Beer Fest

Two tickets up for grabs, click the pic.

On June 29 Half Full Brewery will host its first ever 5K and Festival featuring games, food trucks, and…wait, there was something else…oh yeah…BEER!  While you can certainly run or jog (or walk) your way to the finish line, you’ll also be asked to hop or skip at certain points of the race.  So, we were wondering, what would you be willing to do besides hop, skip, or run to get a Half Full beer?  Let us know on Facebook by clicking here and commenting.  You can also tweet @OmNomCT your entry, just be sure to include #HalfFull5K.   The contest begins now and goes until Friday, 6/20, at noon.  The random winner gets two registration tickets to the 5K and beer festival afterwards.

For more on Hop, Skip & A Run, please either check out our original post or check Half Full’s site where you can register.  In the meantime, here’s a breakdown of the day:

Hop, Skip + A Run 5k and Beer Festival from Half Full Brewery Kicks off Summer Right

Two tickets up for grabs, click the pic.

Take all that you know and think about 5k races and toss ’em away because Half Full Brewery in Stamford has a brand new experience for you.  That experience?  The Hop, Skip & A Run 5k Race and Festival that’s coming to Stamford on June 29.  The race starts at 17 Harbor Point Road where Paloma will be, goes along the boardwalk, then into Kosciuszko Park.  Jordan Giles, Chief Beer Organizer, shared more about the race with us:  “Hop Skip & A Run is a truly unique 5K in that participants will literally hop and skip a (small) portion of the route while running the rest. As with nearly everything we do here at the Half Full Brewery, we thought long and hard about how to put our upbeat and positive Half Full spin on the event.”

Burgers and Half Priced Drafts @ City Limits Diner – Stamford, CT

Look what’s on tap…

One of our go-to destinations when we’re looking for a quick bite or want to stop at a diner when we’re in Stamford is City Limits.  It’s the fanciest diner that we can think of, but they also throw down some great food, much made from scratch.  Depending on his mood, Dan might order one of their tried-and-true breakfast items, or he just might go for the Italian Burger:  piled with pancetta, onions, housemade smoked mozzarella, and with a nice portion of crispy french fries.  Don’t judge, he can have breakfast any way that he wants.  

Half Full and SBC to release a collabo beer and hold a tap takeover event – Stamford, CT

Stamford’s own Half Full Brewery has collaborated with Southport Brewing Company Stamford to create Stamford Ale.  This beer is a Rye Ale that clocks in at an impressive 7% ABV and was created for a few reasons.  First of all, beer is just damn awesome.  Secondly, Stamford Ale was created as a celebration for American Craft Beer Week and CT Beer Week #1, going on from May 12-18.  And, lastly, both Half Full and SBC wanted to help shift people’s focus onto Stamford as a craft beer city.  Conor Horrigan, owner and Chief Beer Philosopher at Half Full told us recently,  “Hartford and New Haven are known as being very crafty because of the brewery presence in and around those cities and so we wanted to highlight the fact that right here in our city, we have two breweries and a burgeoning craft beer scene when you consider the beer bars that we have or will have  including Cask Republic, Coalhouse, and World of Beer.

So, want a taste of this collabo brew from Jen Muckerman of Half Full and Frank DelGreco of SBC ?  Come on down to SBC Stamford on May 15th from 6-9 pm to find out!  At that time you can taste Stamford Ale and you’ll also be greeted to a Stamford tap takeover featuring SBC and Half Full beer.  Adding some more excitement into the mix will be live  music from 9style Acoustic Duo with a crazy session of karaoke afterwards.

This will be a great event, bringing together two brewers and two breweries…and uniting a city in a common purpose.  If you’re keeping track, this marks SBC’s second collobaration during CT Beer Week, the first being White Willi with Dave Wollner of Willimantic Brewing and Mark DaSilva of SBC.

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Stamford Ale Release Party and Stamford Tap Takeover

May 15, 6-9 pm

SBC Stamford

131 Summer Street

Stamford, CT 06901

 

Can It: Half Full Brewery Begins Canning, Soon to Hit Stores

Introducing….cans! Pic from Half Full’s FB page

Congrats go out to Conor and crew of Half Full Brewery in Stamford.  Look at that beaut!  It’s their flagship beer that helped to put them on the map:  their Bright Ale.  And, as you can see it’s in a can.  Yes, the moment has finally arrived and production is happening.  According to Half Full, the Bright Ale will hit shelves in the middle of May with their Toasted Amber to follow in June or July.  They also have plans to release another brew in cans by mid-Summer, making three brews available…and year ’round at that.

What else do they have planned?

All we can say is, “Look forward to more”!

 

Half Full Tap Takeover Tonight at Coals in Port Chester!

Just a quick nudge from your food blogger friends, there’s a tap takeover tonight at one of our favorite restaurants ever:  Coals in Port Chester, NY.  The takeover is going on tonight (11/12) from 5-7 pm, right before the Elvis Costello concert.  Not only will the brews of Half Full be featured, but the man himself, Conor Horrigan, will be on hand to talk about his brews.  We kinda want to go just to see what his Half Full beard looks like.  <Chuckles>

Movember Grows on Half Your Face @ Half Full Brewery

Mario e Princess Peach find another Mario e Luigi at Half Full’s Halloween Bash 2013

A Half Full Beerd: half shaved, half scruffy. So Conor-licious.

Has Half Full Brewery in Stamford lost half their minds?  They just might have gone over the edge, but it’s all for good this November.  This all started for us back this past Saturday at Half Full during the Halloween Bash.  After imbibing in many brews, a man must visit the facilities.  And there for gentle reading on the bathroom wall was the half lush, half scruffy face of Half Full owner Conor Horrigan.  He was describing the birth of the Half Full Beerds.  There was a QR code, so (as awkward as it was), I took a scan and got to the Half Full site describing Conor and crew’s plans for November.

Last year they all grew mustaches (and fine mustaches they were) and raised a ton of money for men’s health and awareness.  But, it’s hard to pull off a mustache without being super creepy.  I had shaved my beard down to a mustache just for my Mario costume and it seriously creeped out Kristien so much.  I even kept it for yesterday’s use of my Mario costume at school.