When we were in the Canton area to visit Tidal River Brewing Company, we decided to follow Route 44 a bit further into New Hartford, Conn. to visit one of Connecticut’s newest breweries, Brewery Legitimus. Legitimus had a soft opening on September 23, 2016 and is located in the former Waring factory building. Since the brewery is right on Main Street, it is very easy to find and has tons of parking. Legitimus has a large taproom with the bar located in one corner and several large tables in the opposite corner. It has an overall modern feel with a gray paint palette, dark (almost black) woods, and a large concrete and corrugated metal bar. There is a lime green couch along the front wall that adds a pop of color and serves as a comfy board game station. Committed to supporting local artists, Legitimus decorates their walls with beautiful photos on glass and wood burnings.
On the Saturday we stopped by, Legitimus had three of their own beers on draft as well as three guest taps. Flights of 4 tastings are only $8, so we tried one of everything. Our tasting started out with the offerings from Brewery Legitimus. First, we had the Counter Surfer (6% ABV 32 IBU), which is an American brown ale named after their chocolate lab, Roscoe. You see, he has a tendency to sample food from the kitchen counter. This ale had a great malt, and you immediately tasted the chocolate. We ended up taking home a squealer of Counter Surfer because we enjoyed it so much! Next up, a nod to the famous guitar company that has a factory in New Hartford – Ovation (5% ABV 50 IBU) session IPA. We thought this IPA smelled like orange blossoms with lots of citrus taste. It had a dry, very hoppy finish on the back of your tongue. The last Legitimus beer we tasted was their Chelsea (5.4% ABV 46 IBU). This stout had a dark chocolate color with a roasted, slightly bitter finish. It also had a smoky aftertaste.
Brewery Legitimus had a few guest taps to help them during their soft opening. They had two beers from Kent Falls Brewing Company and one from Black Hog Brewing Company. We started with the Kent Falls Wanna Experiment (with Powder) (6% ABV). Made with Lupulin powder, this IPA tasted very fresh with piney notes. It was juicy and had a slightly oily mouthfeel. It tasted delicate and was very drinkable. Then we moved onto the Kent Falls Waymaker (5.6% ABV), which is an IPA brewed with Brett (or brettanomyces if we’re being specific). This beer was perfumey (is that a word?) with distinct tropical notes. It tasted fresh and, similar to the Wanna Experiment, had a juicy, delicate flavor. Our final beer of our flight was the Rosemary Dunkelweizen from Black Hog. This dunkel was sweet and malty with a great rosemary finish.
In addition to the flights, you can buy pints of Legitimus brews for $5 each. They also sell and fill 32-ounce and 64-ounce growlers. They are also currently accepting mug club memberships. If beer is not exactly your thing, the brewery also sells glasses of wine from Jerram Winery. Also, if been is not exactly your thing, thank you for reading our blog – that’s so nice of you!
She said: “I’ve been excited about Brewery Legitimus since I learned about their Kickstarter last year. They have some great beers, and are sure to continue that trend. I also like that it’s obvious the owners are dog lovers.”
He said: “Legitimus is a promising new brewery with a couple of solid offerings. I look forward to sampling more of their beers soon.”
Brewery Legitimus is exactly that – legit! Their flagship beer – IPA Legitimus – should be available any day now, and they are having their official grand opening on Saturday, November 5th (check out their website for all the details). So plan your trip to New Hartford soon and tell them we sent you!
Brewery Legitimus
283 Main Street
New Hartford, CT
She said "Beer." He said "I love you." 