Better People, Food & Beer

It felt like it was time to design and unveil a new logo for my blog. What does everyone think?! 🍕🍻🚴‍♂️😋 #ctfood #ctfoodie #ctfoodies #ctfoodlovers #ctfoodlover #ctfoodblogger #ctbites #connecticuteats #connecticutfoodie #ctlocal #ctrestaurants #eatinct #feedmect #craftbeerblogger #pizzablogger #cyclist #beercycling #biketobeer #ghostbusterscosplayer

For those of you that only started following me recently, let me introduce myself! I’m Matt. I’m a Connecticut-based Jewish-Italian schoolteacher who loves music, history, traveling and cycling. I also have a huge passion for artisanal food and beverages (especially pizza and beer!) 🍕🍻 I was first exposed to the concept of artisanal cuisine when I was in college. Huge corporations, expensive advertising firms and the media try to tell us what we should be eating and drinking. When I first drank a craft beer that was brewed by Stone Brewing Company, I thought “Wow!!! I didn’t know that beer could taste this good! Why have I never heard of this brewery before? Why does the media tell me that I should be drinking Budweiser?” A similar experience occurred when I ate a cheeseburger at a local craft burger bar. I thought, “This is the best burger I’ve ever eaten! And to think that people argue over McDonalds and Burger King!” Over the years, I acquired a deep appreciation for artisanal chefs, brewers and winemakers. These are people who are very skilled in their craft and prefer to use fresh, local ingredients. We live in a world today where the macrobreweries and huge restaurant chains simply are not good enough. We want something better! We want better cheese, better burgers, better wine, etc. Join me on my journey (both in Connecticut and abroad) to find better food and beverages, but more importantly, the better people that make them. Welcome to “Better People, Food & Beer”. Cheers! Favorite Food: New Haven-Style Pizza Favorite Pizzeria: Modern Apizza Favorite Beer Style: Hazy New England IPA Favorite Brewery: Tree House Brewing Company Favorite Wine Style: Chianti Classico Favorite Winery: Castello del Trebbio Favorite Spirit: Bourbon Whiskey Favorite Distillery: Maker’s Mark Distillery #foodblogger #craftblogger #craftfood #artisanalfood #craftbeer #craftwine #craftcider #craftspirits #artisanalbeer #artisanalwine #newhavenct #ctfoodie #ctfoodies #ctfoodlovers #ctfoodblogger #ctbites #connecticuteats #connecticutfoodie #ctlocal #eatinct #feedmect #pizzaandbeer #pizzablogger #craftbeerblogger #beerblogger

- GHOSTBUSTERS DAY 2025 - I had a blast yesterday at the fifth annual Ghostbusters Day celebration and fundraiser! It took place at NYC’s Hook & Ladder 8 (a.k.a “The Ghostbuster Firehouse”) in Tribeca. Started in 2021 by the Buffalo Ghostbusters chapter, Ghostbusters Day is not only meant to celebrate all things Ghostbusters-related but to also raise funds for the FDNY. I attended with other members of my local franchise: the Central Connecticut Ghostbusters. Not only were there Ghostbusters in attendance that were representing multiple American chapters, but even international chapters. Everyone came with their best uniforms and props. You better believe that there were car replicas as well! On display were replicas of the ECTO-NYC and two replicas of the original ECTO-1. There were plenty of cool raffle prizes and auction items. There were even some celebrity guests, including musicians The Alessi Brothers who performed a live version of their song “Savin’ the Day” from the original film, actor/comedian Adam Murray, director Jason Reitman, and Ghostbusters actresses Carrie Coon and McKenna Grace. The event was PACKED, but all of the attendees were the friendliest people. It was so nice to chat with so many Ghostbusters fans from around the world! Despite the fact that we got rained on a little bit, we all still had a blast. Afterwards, I attended the Ghostbusters Walking Tour where we visited NYC locations that are featured in the films. I already can’t wait until next year’s Ghostbusters Day!

🍻 - 𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝟏𝟎 𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐔𝐓 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 - 🍻 I’ve you’ve been following my blog for a little while, you probably remember when I posted about my Top 25 Favorite Breweries. Some areas around the United States that are known for their excellent craft beer scenes include Vermont, Brooklyn (NY), Asheville (NC), Portland (ME & OR), Chicago (IL), Denver (CO), Boston (MA), and San Diego (CA). My home state of Connecticut is no slouch either when it comes to good craft beer. Sandwiched right between the amazing craft beer scenes in Brooklyn and the Greater Boston area, Connecticut has grown quite an impressive scene over the last decade. Here is a list of my Top 10 Favorite Connecticut Breweries: 10. 𝐂𝐚𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐲 (Branford) 9. 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 (Milford) 8. 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐫’𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 (Stonington + Groton) 7. 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 (Cheshire) 6. 𝐓𝐨𝐱 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 (New London) 5. 𝐅𝐨𝐱 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐲 (Salem) 4. 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 (North Haven) 3. 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 (West Hartford) 2. 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 (Plainville) 1. 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 (Branford + Woodbridge)

Here’s a new beer that I found in my recent travels: Lawson’s Finest Liquids’ “𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐭”. This offering is an American IPA that the Vermont-based brewery whipped up after being inspired by a dreamy combination of music, hops and beer. It’s brewed with 8 different hop varieties that come from around the world. The intricate flavor profile is hoppy, juicy and very refreshing! It clocks in at 7% ABV. 🍻

Here’s a beer that I recently had again for the first time in nearly a decade: Stone Brewing Company’s “𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐈𝐏𝐀”. This offering is a West Coast IPA. Stone first brewed and released it in 1997 to celebrate their first anniversary. It quickly became a hit among craft beer fans. Stone soon made it their flagship beer and a whole generation of hopheads was born. “Stone IPA” became one of the most well-respected and best-selling IPAs in the country. There’s a reason why “Stone IPA” helped to set the standard for the West Coast IPA style for nearly 30 years. Although Stone has retired many of their brews over the years in order to consolidate their portfolio, “Stone IPA” remain’s one of the brewery’s core year-round releases. It’s brewed with a plethora of hop varieties, including Magnum, Chinook, Centennial, Azalea, Calypso, Ella & Vic Secret. It has great notes of citrus, pine, and tropical fruit, yet they are perfectly balanced with its subtle maltiness. It clocks in at 6.9% ABV. 🍻

📍𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 - 9 Pearl St - Northampton, MA Progression Brewing Company is a craft brewery that opened in Northampton, Massachusetts in November 2018. It was founded by business partners Drew Starkweather and head brewer Todd Sullivan. Starkweather is a businessman who created Drew’s Organics: a renowned salad dressing and salsa company that he sold in 2010. Sullivan has over 30 years of brewing experience and previously worked at Mill City Brewing and Highland Orchard. The two met and decided to open their own brewery. When a space that was previously home to Don Gleeson’s Camping Supplies opened in downtown Northampton, the partners made the move to acquire it. The brewery produces a variety of styles, but a large percentage of their repertoire are New England-style IPAs. Progression also has an in-house kitchen with a menu that features burgers, sammies, wraps, pizza, and various bar bites. My sons and I recently visited Progression Brewing Company while we were visiting Northampton. The brewery is conveniently located right alongside the Manhan Rail Trail in downtown Northampton. I had previously visited the brewery with my older son when we were both cycling on the trail. On this visit, we arrived at dinner time and decided to order a variety of plates to share including “Nachos” (corn tortilla chips topped w/ black beans, jalapeños, cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, green onion), “Loaded Tater Tots” (crispy tots smothered in homemade cheese sauce, bacon & chives), and “Mac N’ Cheese” (homestyle baked mac n’ cheese). To wash it all down, I ordered a sampler flight that consisted of “Noon Juice” (Session NEIPA), “The California” (West Coast IPA), “The Adults Are Talking” (NEIPA), and “3X Omen” (Imperial Espresso Stout). All of them were excellent brews, but I liked the last one the best! This was my first time sampling food from Progression’s kitchen and I must say that I was impressed. I would be interested to try their pizza on a return visit. 🍻

📍𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞 - 150 Main St, Suite 40, Lower Level 1 (inside Thornes Marketplace) - Northampton, MA Hometown Arcade is a small franchise of classic video arcades that opened in Norwood, Massachusetts in May 2023. It was founded by Matt Snow, his wife Shelly Bansal-Snow, and longtime friend Chris “Crit” Crone. Matt is a huge fan of pinball and retro arcade games and had a longtime dream of opening his very own classic arcade. He and his partners set up their arcade at the Norwood Commerce Center: a 165-year-old historic mill complex that now operates as a multipurpose campus with multiple tenants. The arcade was a success and opened the door for franchising possibilities. A second location (owned and operated by Shelly’s brother Aash Bansal) opened in Bloomfield (NJ) in November 2024, a third opened at Thornes Marketplace in Northampton the same month, and a fourth is scheduled to open soon in Suffield (CT). My sons and I recently visited Hometown’s Northampton location while we were in town for the day. It is located in the lower level of the historic Thornes Marketplace. For $20, each customer can have unlimited play. The arcade has an excellent selection of classic arcade cabinets, pinball machines, and much more! I thought that it was pretty cool that they also have modern gaming consoles hooked up to TV sets: something that you don’t see too often at arcades. Hometown also carries a small selection of snacks, bags of chips, cans of soda, and bottled water. While I wouldn’t exactly call Hometown an “arcade bar” (something that owner Matt Snow hopes to change in the future), they do offer cans of “Hometown Arcade Ale” (American Pale Ale) which is brewed exclusively for the Northampton location by Progression Brewing Company who are right down the street. I enjoyed a can while playing some games; it was a nice, easy-drinking pale ale. We ended up staying at the arcade for two hours and had a blast the whole time. It’s fun for the whole family. We look forward to returning to Hometown Arcade in Northampton (or perhaps one of their other locations) in the future! 🍻🕹🎮

📍𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐫’𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 (𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐨 𝐓𝐚𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦) - 225 Leonard Dr - Groton, CT Beer’d Brewing Company is a craft brewery that opened in Stonington, Connecticut in November 2012. It was founded by husband and wife Aaron Simoncini and Precious Putnam. After enrolling in a class entitled “Beers of the World” in college, Simoncini became very interested in craft beer and soon began homebrewing. It was during this time that he gained the nickname “Beer’d”. Eventually with his now-wife Putnam, Simoncini set out to open his own brewery. The couple set up shop at the historic Velvet Mill in Stonington: a multipurpose building that is home to a thriving community of small businesses and artist studios. When Beer’d originally opened in the mill, they had just a 100-barrel system. The brewery quickly became notable for their small-batch high quality IPAs. In 2018, Beer’d opened a secondary facility at the Airport Business Park in Groton. This new 12,000-sq-ft space expanded their production capacity to 6,000 barrels. An adjoining 60-seat taproom (dubbed “Beer’d Brewing @ The Silo”) opened at the Groton facility in January 2020. To differentiate the two taprooms, the original location in Stonington is now often referred to as “Beer’d Brewing @ The Mill”. I recently visited Beer’d @ The Silo. Although they are one of my favorite Connecticut breweries and I’ve visited their Mill Taproom multiple times, this was my first visit to the Silo Taproom. Unlike the OG taproom which is more family-friendly, the Silo Taproom is intended to be exclusively for the 21+ crowd. It’s a pretty nice space too. I pulled up a seat at the bar and looked over the draught menu. Throughout my visit, I enjoyed short pours of two New England IPAs, a Russian Imperial Stout, and a Triple IPA. They were all excellent, but the last one was my favorite! I’m honestly not sure which taproom I prefer. If you’ve got little ones or furry friends with you, then head to the Mill. If you prefer a more adult exclusive experience, then head to the Silo. Either way, I plan on enjoying Beer’d beers for years to come! 🍻

📍𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐫’𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 - 22 Bayview Ave (inside the Velvet Mill) - Stonington, CT Beer’d Brewing Company is a craft brewery that opened in Stonington, Connecticut in November 2012. It was founded by husband and wife Aaron Simoncini and Precious Putnam. After enrolling in a class entitled “Beers of the World” in college, Simoncini became very interested in craft beer and soon began homebrewing. It was during this time that he gained the nickname “Beer’d”. Eventually with his now-wife Putnam, Simoncini set out to open his own brewery. The couple set up shop at the Velvet Mill in Stonington. The historic building was originally home to the American Velvet Company, which operated from 1892 to 1996. Today it is a multipurpose building that is home to a thriving community of small businesses and artist studios. When Beer’d originally opened in the mill, they had just a 100-barrel system. The brewery quickly became notable for their small-batch high quality IPAs. In 2018, Beer’d opened a secondary facility at the Airport Business Park in Groton. This new 12,000-sq-ft space expanded their production capacity to 6,000 barrels. An adjoining 60-seat taproom (dubbed “Beer’d Brewing @ The Silo”) opened at the Groton facility in January 2020. To differentiate the two taprooms, the original location in Stonington is now often referred to as “Beer’d Brewing @ The Mill”. I first visited Beer’d in 2013, and I’ve been a huge fan of their beer ever since. They are one of my favorite Connecticut breweries and I have visited them multiple times. I recently stopped there while I was in the area. It had been a while since my last visit and there were a few changes. In addition to the original taproom, Beer’d has set up an indoor beer garden in the center of the Velvet Mill. Patrons can enjoy some beer paired with food from one of the mill’s many food vendors. Beer’d also set up a designated “Dog Den” for patrons to enjoy a beer if they have furry friends. During this visit, I enjoyed a taster flight that featured a Pale Ale, a New England IPA, a Double IPA, and a Triple IPA. They were all excellent! I plan to continue enjoying Beer’d beers for years to come! 🍻

𝐒𝐈𝐏 & 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐍: “Spookies” [Music from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] by James Calabrese & Ken Higgins The vinyl I will be discussing today is the original soundtrack from the horror film “Spookies” (1986). The independent film had a very troubled production. Originally intended to be titled “Twisted Souls”, the filmmakers (led by co-directors Thomas Doran and Brendan Faulkner) frequently clashed with producer and financial backer Michael Lee (founder of UK-based home video distributor VIPCO). During post-production, tensions came to a peak and the filmmakers found themselves unable to complete their vision. Lee brought in a new director to film new footage (with a new cast and crew) that would be edited together with the “Twisted Souls” footage. It was during this time that Calabrese and Higgins were hired to compose the musical score. The final product was dubbed “Spookies” and given a limited theatrical release. The film received scathing reviews for its incoherent story, atrocious editing and lackluster effects. The original “Twisted Souls” cast and crew were heartbroken when they saw this unrecognizable version of their artistic vision. In the following decades, “Spookies” slowly gained a large cult following. By no means is “Spookies” a good movie, but it’s definitely a guilty pleasure for fans of cheesy horror movies. I recently acquired a fairly new re-release of the score on vinyl. Produced by Terror Vision Records, this new release is pressed on translucent pink vinyl with blue wisps. Even though the film isn’t great, the score is still pretty creepy. Calabrese and Higgins recorded everything on a Yamaha DX and an emulator. The prehistoric equipment helps to add to the overall eerie ambience of the score. In addition to the vinyl record, I also picked up Vinegar Syndrome’s recent Bu-ray release of “Spookies”. The film is newly restored in 4K and has never looked better. It’s also loaded with some great special features. The real gem is a feature length making-of documentary entitled “Twisted Tale: The Unmaking of Spookies”. I enjoyed spinning this while sipping on New England Brewing’s “Sea Hag”! 🍻

- 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 - The last major battle fought on Connecticut soil was the Battle of Groton Heights on September 6, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War. British forces, led by patriot-turned-traitor Benedict Arnold, attacked and burned New London and assaulted Fort Griswold in Groton. While skirmishes continued, this was the last major engagement in the state. During the war, the Groton–New London port was a major center of American naval operations, including highly successful privateering operations against British shipping, yet it was poorly protected. New London Harbor was protected by Fort Trumbull on the New London side of the Thames River and Fort Griswold on the Groton side. The Connecticut Militia forces were commanded by Lieutenant Colonel William Ledyard. A British force of 1,700 soldiers, commanded by Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, landed on both sides of the river at sunrise on the 6th. At the time, Fort Trumbull was unfinished; Fort Griswold’s infrastructure was complete, but it lacked sufficient gunpowder, cannonballs, food, and troops to conduct an effective stand against the British. The casualties and losses at both forts marked one of the greatest in the history of Groton and Connecticut, and was one of the last British victories in North America before the end of the war. The battle left about 150 Americans dead, nearly 100 families homeless and destroyed nine public buildings and much of the town’s waterfront. What was once the Groton Heights Battlefield can still be visited today. The grounds of Fort Griswold are now a state park which also includes a relocated historic home, a small museum, and the 135-foot-tall Groton Monument. Visitors can climb the 166 steps of the monument and see amazing views of New London Harbor. Fort Trumbull’s grounds are also a state park which includes a visitor center, a museum, and the current fort structure which was completed in 1852. 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 - Park Ave & Monument St - Groton, CT 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 - 90 Walbach St - New London, CT