E-Malt.com News article: USA, CT: Berlinetta Brewing Company hoping to launch in Bridgeport later this year

A new brewery is slated for Bridgeport, as developers say they want to bring a watering hole to the Downtown North area, the CT Post reported on July 16.

“It’s a way of giving the community a place to hang out and also getting some outside people and outside dollars into the area,” said Richard Ruggiero, who is preparing to open Berlinetta Brewing Company with his brother Chris at 1184-1188 Main Street later this year.

The duo got the green light from Bridgeport’s Planning and Zoning Commission in June and are looking to open a 2,100-square-foot brewery as developers finish construction of the Jayson-Newfield buildings.

“It’s a wonderful building, we are so excited to be opening in that spot,” Richard Ruggiero said. “There is going to be a lot of people living there and everything else happening downtown … it’s got a lot of really positive attributes.”

The microbrewery will feature a five-barrel brewhouse with a nearby bar area that will offer a view of Middle Street for customers. Berlinetta will also house a retail component offering merchandise including vinyl records.

In a craft beer scene filled with an array of New England IPA selections, Ruggiero said he and his brother want to do things different at their space by focusing heavily on “Czech-style Pilsner beer.”

“I see a little market for us because it’s not that big — producing these kinds of beers.” He said, adding that his wife is from the Czech Republic, which influenced his brewing style.

Bridgeport already has two breweries with Aspetuck Brew Labs in Black Rock and Brewport near Interstate 95.

Berlinetta will be in the heart of the Downtown North area, which has been targeted for development in recent years. While large-scale projects like a refurbished Majestic and Poli Palace theaters and a nearby premiere hockey rink remain in limbo, smaller businesses have laid down roots in 2019.

The microbrewery would be joining Blvd Karaoke, Kidzkandi Vintage, and the Collab Exchange, which all opened in the less than a year.

“Breweries are unique businesses in that they are community gathering spots,” Ruggiero said, and they also have a way of attracting people from outside towns because they become a destination — especially if your beer is good.”

Ruggiero plans to have five beers on tap when Berlinetta opens — a Pilsner, seasonal beer and a couple other styles. He is hopeful that the business will supply kegs to local bars and restaurants within the first two years of operations.


17 July, 2019