When you first visit Windsor’s Dudleytown Brewing Company, you’re bound to raise some eyebrows.
Far from being a hole-in-the-wall dive, Dudley Town greets you with a large outdoor patio and a spacious, industrial feel. A wooden railing covered in lights hangs from the ceiling. The brewing equipment is on display inside a glass enclosure, allowing curious guests to witness the magic in action. There is plenty of seating for parties and additional space in the back for events. Not to mention, the huge deck in the back overlooks the vast baseball field, and if you’re lucky, you can watch the game.
But for owners and brewers Jonathan Levin and Darryl Dunlap, their first beer was made in a much smaller space.
Owners and brewers Jonathan Levin (left) and Darryl Dunlap (right) and brewmaster Robert Lawrence stand at the back entrance of Dudleytown.Brewing begins in the barn
“So I have a barn that I built behind my house,” Dunlap said. “We redid the entire interior of the barn and created a special place for us, a room of inspiration.”
Their first brew was in 2017 on a half-barrel pilot system. Before long, they too were given the name “Dudleytown.”
“I had no idea what Dudleytown was,” Dunlap said. “It’s actually a ghost town in the western part of the state, like the Cornwall area.”
“The things that represent the state of Connecticut that people in the state know will be remembered,” Levine said.
Their beer names reflect their fun choices in branding, whether it’s a classic IPA called Ghost or other delicious options like Crypto, Passion of the Geist, and Dark Entry.
Blaine Callahan
High ceilings and an industrial feel are part of Dudley Town’s complete package.
Eventually, they began attending beer festivals and planning a more permanent location. Windsor was my first choice and I found a place that seemed to work.
The only thing that will bring everything to a halt is the coronavirus.
“In 2020, the new coronavirus struck, [put the] The project has been put on the back burner,” Dunlap said. “We didn’t even know if this project was going to get off the ground.”
move and grow
Thankfully, things got back on track in 2021.
Both Dunlap and Levine had been working with the same property owner before the pandemic, planning the design of what the space would look like and looking for investors. They worked with architects to meticulously customize every inch of the space, drawing on past travels and inspiration.
The next challenge was to scale the beer.
“Scaling up a recipe from a half-barrel system to the current 15-barrel system is completely different,” Levine said. “We’ve got a brewmaster here to help us with that.”
Dunlap and Levine’s success in scaling up the recipe while maintaining its unique mouthfeel and taste is largely due to Robert Lawrence, Dudleytown’s current brewmaster.
Sit on the front patio and enjoy a warm summer afternoon with a refreshing lager.
Levine said: “When we first opened, we said if we had three things: great beer, great atmosphere, and great service, we would knock this place out of the park. Robert brings the great side of beer. I did.”
A delicious journey through Dudley Town
Even if you don’t know much about beer, Dudleytown has something for everyone.
“We didn’t want to just offer your IPA,” Levine says. “We didn’t just want to drink lager. We didn’t just want to drink sour. We wanted everyone to be able to come here and find what they like.”
Classic hop lovers can now enjoy a mix of hazy IPAs including Ghost, Son of Ruckus, and Easy. For sour fans, there’s a cherry-lime sour called Crypt and a passion fruit, orange, tangerine, and apricot medley called Passion of the Geist.
Feeling darker? Try a sugar cookie milk stout called Krampus or Dark Entry, a heavy 12% imperial stout. On a warm summer afternoon, try one of our lagers: Sunrise Spirit, Gideon’s Gambit, or The Scarlet Lager. There is also an apple carbonated drink called “Enter the Wormhole”.
The effort behind every beer is no joke either.
Blaine Callahan
Dudley Town’s brewing equipment is top-notch, with glass panels allowing guests to watch the magic happen.
“For example, in “The Upside Down,” [our brewers are] We’re adding real pineapple to the sour base,” Dunlap said. “They basically peel every pineapple and remove the core of every pineapple.”
Dunlap said all of the company’s sours are typically made this way, adding, “We’re just trying to make the best beer we can, and to make the best beer we need the best products.” I had to put it in.”
However, you will have to try it yourself and find your favorite. Catch a baseball game on the back patio or enjoy trivia night on Tuesdays. Dudley Down is planning a live performance combining Vendor His Market on Sunday, April 28th, and various banks on Saturday, May 4th. An in-house restaurant is also in the works for later this year. A wrestling night with the Dear Norma Tour is also scheduled for Wednesday, May 22nd.
With great breweries, great beer, and a lively atmosphere, you’re sure to find something you’ll love at Dudleytown Brewing Company.
