USA, CT: Cliffside Brewing officially launching in Wallingford on October 7

Local craft beer enthusiast David Durant will open a new microbrewery in Wallingford this weekend in time for Celebrate Wallingford, the Meridien Record-Journal reported on October 5.

Durant is opening Cliffside Brewing at 16B Center St. after brewing beer as a hobby at his home on Cliffside Drive in Wallingford for years. The grand opening on Saturday, October 7 will run from noon to 9 p.m.

The brewery will have eight craft beers on tap, including three beers Durant brewed himself — a brown ale, red ale and sweet ale. The other five beers on tap will come from other local breweries, he said. Customers will be able to buy beer by the pint or in five-ounce glasses.

Durant received approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission to open the brewery in January and then experienced several setbacks. Durant originally hoped to open in the spring.

“It feels good to be at the finish line. It’s been a long road,” Durant said. “I’m excited that we’re finally open and I hope we’re there for a long time.”

The business, near the intersection of Center Street and Route 5, will have a tasting room in the front and keg storage and brewing in the back.

“I think it’s a nice opportunity for this type of business to join a vibrant town center,” Economic Development Specialist Tim Ryan said in January.

Durant, who works as a software engineer, founded Cliffside Brewing in his home. He started by using apples from an apple tree in his yard to make hard apple cider and eventually asked himself, “What else can I make with alcohol?”

Durant plans to keep the brewery open on Friday evenings and Saturdays for now, but said that if business goes well, he could expand his hours.

05 October, 2017