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Father/Son Duo Get 'Hopping' With Redding Beer Company

REDDING, Conn. -- A new brewery is coming to town, complete with a lot of community heart and backing.

Jim Baulsir and his son, David, of Redding Beer Company.

Jim Baulsir and his son, David, of Redding Beer Company.

Photo Credit: Submitted

Redding residents Jim Baulsir and his son, David, are three to four weeks away from opening The Redding Beer Company in the space formerly occupied by Aranci 67.

Jim said to expect five beers on tap, as well as snacks from local vendors -- think pretzels from Uncle Leo’s Not Just Coffee & Donuts in Georgetown and food from area restaurants that folks can bring in.

Everything at the moment is -- pardon the pun -- fluid, according to Jim who is still working out the kinks. 

"We’re retro fitting a brewery into an existing restaurant blueprint and that has been a challenge," he said. "It's worked out and we have a system in place. 

"Everything fits and we have room for a little expansion so we’ll see where it takes us."

It's a vision he never thought would come to be. After all, he's a full-time IT manager and his son is a student at Norwalk Community College (he's since taken off the last two semesters). The two got into beer-making in 2014 when Jim's wife got him a beer-making kit.

They had so much fun creating different styles of beer -- and getting accolades from friends and family -- that they started entering various competitions -- and winning.

In summer 2016, Jim took a 23-week program at the American Brewers Guild in Vermont and received his certificate in brewing. That's when talk -- and thoughts -- became serious.

The goal, said Jim, is to create the kind of tavern-like spot they always wish they had in town with the kind of beer they like to drink -- and often can't find elsewhere.

That means classic styles of beers such as Wheat Ales, English Bitters, Porters, Irish Red Ales and traditional less bitter IPA's that he refers to as East Coast Pale Ales. 

"We're looking to produce a more subtle, easier to drink beer along the lines of New England IPA," he explained.

He's also willing to work with local restaurants to create their own distinct beer and get on restaurant's various tap rotations.

The Redding Beer Company will be open from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.Wednesdays and Thursdays, to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and from 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. It is, after all, the start of football season and though they're not a sports bar, they will have the game on TV.

The Redding Beer Company, LLC is at 7 Main St.,  203-587-9000, www.reddingbeer.com/.

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