Today we are brewing up something special and way bigger than us. While we are fortunate to be considered essential and keep providing beer during this trying time, we know there are thousands of hospitality workers in the state that are not so fortunate. It could just as easily been us or anyone else.
Other Half Brewing in Brooklyn, New York is sponsoring a global collaboration to support hospitality workers that have fallen on hard times.
Other Half is an amazing brewery that has Influenced our approach to brewing among others, but this isn’t about that. 450 breweries from 29 countries, and across 40 states here in the US, with more joining every day, are brewing a shared recipe from Other Half with all of our own systems and spins on it. The idea is to keep breweries alive by inspiring support, as well as a portion of the proceeds going to hospitality workers. We are planning to give our portion to the Connecticut Hospitality Employee Relief Fund.
If you want more information on the beer itself, how you can get involved, or if you are an out of work a hospitality worker looking for assistance follow the links below. This should be in cans to-go in a few weeks. Stay tuned and thanks for your continued support to us, other breweries, and local restaurants during the COVID-19 crisis. Thanks again!
Opening Day Details!
Hello there!
We are opening our doors this Saturday, April 6 to the public for the first time. First of all, thank you all so much for your continued patience and support while we worked tirelessly to make this day happen the absolute best way we know how! We cannot wait to host you and share what we have been working on for the past few years. If you are considering visiting us, we ask that you please read this post and keep a few things in mind. We surely will forget something but fear not, we will be sure to keep you beautiful people updated with any other necessary information throughout the week.
Hours. We are going to start by opening just Saturday and Sunday this weekend. Saturday (April 6) will be 12-8 PM and Sunday(April 7) will be 12-6 PM. We are planning to expand to Friday hours starting next week and will assess adding days from there.
Retail. We are excited to open with a full lineup of diverse offerings, ALL of which will be available for onsite samples, full pours, and takeaway via growler fills. We hope to package more beers this week and beyond so please check the always-updated “On Tap” tab for what is currently flowing. A Tox Sampler gets you 4 tokens, each good for a sample pour in a collectible glass that is yours to keep when you leave. We welcome you to bring your own CLEAN growlers of any size, or purchase new glassware from us when you visit. Please make sure they are properly rinsed and clean as we reserve the right to refuse fill service in dirty glassware as to not compromise the quality of the beer you bring out into the wild to enjoy with friends and family. We also have an array of merchandise and gift cards for sale. We accept all major credit cards and cash for purchases made.
Green - Tox Parking
Parking. Please help us be good neighbors to the other businesses in our plaza and obey this parking guide to the best of your ability. We kindly ask that you not occupy the spaces in front of the deli, package store, or immediately in front of the nail salon during their hours out of respect to their customers. The rest of our lot has ample parking wrapping around the back of the building. Additionally, the aptly named Broad Street is okay for parallel parking on the opposite side of the street, as are both sides of 5th Ave. As to not disturb our resting neighbors across the street, we ask that you please not park in the cemetery. Be careful crossing the street!!!
Food. We welcome you to bring in food to enjoy in our taproom or on the patio areas. We have some great food options in the neighborhood and are planning a food truck TBA for this Sunday and will schedule more going forward.
Family Friendly. We welcome children into our taproom with adult supervision, and are happy to offer soft drinks and water. Unfortunately, due to local health code restrictions, we cannot allow non-service dogs in our taproom.
Kickstarter. All of those backers that requested to pick up their swag packages upon visiting, they are here waiting for you! Look for the sign above the double black doors to the left of the bar, someone will be waiting to retrieve it for you.
Thank you so much and please reach out with any questions or suggestions!!! We CANNOT WAIT to share with you what we have been working so passionately on, in the unique space it was created for it.
So for the last time with closed doors…
In love and Poison,
-Dayne, Mike, and Everyone on the Tox Team
Behind the beer: Episode four
A quick update to answer our most commonly asked question for you guys.
We’re getting closer every day!
Behind The Beer: Episode Three
As we chip away at fixing up our production space in time for our system to arrive this summer, we took a trip to Colorado to visit the factory, do some training, and head to Cheyenne Wyoming to shadow at a brewery using our same system. We also got in some great hikes and outdoor stuff. Here is a quick video recap of our trip. Stay tuned for more updates centered around our progress, events, and the launch of our crowdfunding campaign which will feature some really cool prizes, opportunities, and many great ways to be a part of our history. GET INTO IT!
Behind The Beer: Episode Two
Hey! Mike here checking in with a post to share our next video blog. We were snagged on the what/how to finished the floors but pushed through the obstacle using the force. We are also continuing to share our home-brews and get out beers out there for people to try. GET INTO IT!
Behind The Beer: Episode One
Hello!
Mike here, we are starting to make video blogs to track our progress and provide updates as we grow towards opening and beyond. Here is the first episode. We are a short ways into construction and will be releasing these as we go. We will also give some updates about the beer we have been home brewing, and any other relevant things we have been working on. GET INTO IT!
Staying Focused and "Trenching" On.
Hello! Mike here checking in with an update. While people have been fairly laughing at our projected timeline for opening, we still haven't had any major setbacks... yet. I am sure there will be some. We recently got approval from Planning and Zoning as well as a thumbs up from the Health Inspector for our site plan. Everyone from the health district and city of New London has been extremely helpful, reasonable, and diligent.
Trenches for the strip drain and plumbing, and Brian manhandling that pickaxe.
We are in the thick of construction and our American-made tanks are already in the production plans with our supplier out in Colorado. We spent the weekend digging up the floors where plumbing and our strip drain will be. When we set out on this venture, we had no idea what challenges would lie ahead, and what skills we would develop in the process. These now include jack-hammering and cutting concrete with a wet saw. We are trying to do everything we can ourselves. With the help of VERY generous family and friends, this has been become a reality and is keeping us on track. We have an appointment to finalize our funding this week and are getting ready to jump into the full swing of the federal and state permitting processes. This will be a big hurdle and a clearer indicator of when we can start brewing and open our doors.
2nd Annual SEF Brewfest.
While a struggle at times, we have been staying focused on the most important part of it all... products and our long term vision for them. We have never been producing as much beer as we have been recently. On top of that, we have never been more inspired to design new recipes and improve existing ones as we have been lately. Dayne, Jon, and I chat and text all day every day, bouncing ideas off each other, asking each other questions, sharing best practices, and planning two or three steps ahead. The three of us, along with Lily and Corey, spent Saturday night pouring at a fundraiser Brewfest in Somers, CT to benefit the Somers Education Foundation. We were met with overwhelming support and a lot of positive feedback. We enjoyed meeting and sharing our products with everyone in attendance, including the folks from Back East, Powder Hollow, Cold Creek, and Stafford Cidery. We look forward to our next event on April 28, which will benefit Integrated Day Charter School in Norwich, CT.
Pat's Redesign of our Skull/Gas Mask logo.
We are excited to make another announcement. We have teamed up a with a few local artists to really hone in our long-overdue plan for logos, imagery, tap room decor, and themes. We went to High School with Charlie Cunningham (@charliecunninghamart and charliecunninghamart.com), Dayne even played in a band with him for a while. He is an extremely talented sculptor and instructor at Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts. Charlie has agreed to work with us on some decor, themes, and design some bad-ass tap handles! Also, when Erica Moser at the New London Day wrote an article about our plans, local Illustrator, Motion Graphic Designer, and lifelong New London resident Pat Regan (@pat123xyz and pat123xyz.com) reached out to us with a piqued curiosity and an interest in getting involved. His theme and style fit really well with our vision and we are happy to be working with him on some logos and digital artwork. While probably not our main logo going forward, we will definitely keep the skull and gas mask theme around in some capacity, check out his revamp!
We have a home and a path to funding!
Hello!
After a long negotiation with our patient, supportive, and accommodating Landlords, Tox Brewing Company finally has a home as of last night - January 31, 2018. We will be located at 635 Broad Street in New London, CT, right up the hill from the Colman Street intersection and across from the Cedar Grove Cemetery, (Formerly Jacque's Fruit Store).
Scott (Landlord), Dayne, and Mike Celebrating over some fresh Placebo Effect.
We also have been approved for funding and hope to start getting into construction and equipment ordering within the month. We are planning a 5 BBL brewing system with enough fermentation space to bring a few new batches a week. Just in front of that area will be a small tap room and retail space to support a few dozen people for on site pours, good vibes, growler/crowler fills, light entertainment, as well as merchandise sales. We have ample parking and friendly neighboring businesses that we hope to develop a mutually supportive relationship with. We even have room to accommodate some outdoor seating and food trucks!
Please join us on the journey through social media and this page as we continue to share our progress in outfitting our space, as well as continuing to brew and share our products. You can also look forward to some more ways to get involved including a crowdfunding campaign with some insider perks.
We're planning a brewery.
We're working on our future brewery's location and a business plan. Follow us through the process by checking for updates here or on any of our social media profiles.
