Brewery / taproom
Unclaimed profileBack East Brewery & Kitchen
Bloomfield, CT · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Back East gives its Bloomfield taproom a useful stylistic hinge: Kölsch is pitched as bright and crisp, while Suzy Greenberg NEIPA moves toward mango-saturated hop character. That contrast says more about the beer program than sheer tap count. It lets a group begin with two recognizably different house ideas before exploring the changing board, and the on-site kitchen makes those differences practical at the table. Beer is plainly the serious category. Ready-to-drink cocktails on tap broaden access but are not documented with the names, builds or prices needed to treat them as equal creative work. Connecticut-made cider, wine and soda perform a similar hospitality function for non-beer guests. The program deserves credit for keeping a mixed party in one taproom; it should also publish the producers and current selections behind those alternatives. Order the Kölsch and Suzy Greenberg side by side: one tests crispness, the other hop aroma, and together they provide the clearest reading of Back East's range.
- What should I order?
- Compare the bright Kölsch with Suzy Greenberg NEIPA, then use the current board to choose a third house beer that moves away from both profiles.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Connecticut beer drinkers bringing friends who prefer canned cocktails, cider, wine or soda will find the taproom unusually accommodating.
- When should I go?
- Visit when the kitchen is serving so contrasting house beers can be tested against food rather than sampled in isolation.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Current pour sizes and prices for beer, tap cocktails and Connecticut-made alternatives are not fully published on the accessible pages.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- Back East makes a crisp German-inspired beer and a mango-forward New England IPA useful bookends for a broader, mixed-group taproom.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Beer
Clearly described house releases provide real stylistic contrast, with the crisp Kölsch and mango-forward Suzy Greenberg NEIPA functioning as useful entry points.
Menu strengths
- — Distinct light and hop-forward poles
- — Beer made for on-site taproom service
- — Kitchen expands pairing usefulness
Standout selections
- — Kölsch
- — Suzy Greenberg NEIPA
- — Current rotating house release
Pricing: Current taproom pour sizes and prices are not fully published on the accessible official pages
Cocktails
Cocktails on tap give non-beer guests a convenient route, but the public information does not reveal enough selection or composition to establish a strong standalone identity.
Menu strengths
- — Alternative to beer within the taproom
- — Fast draft service format
- — Useful mixed-group accommodation
Standout selections
- — Current ready-to-drink cocktail on tap
Pricing: Current ready-to-drink cocktail names, formats and prices are unpublished
Nonalcoholic
Connecticut-made soda keeps the local sourcing idea intact for nondrinkers, though a named and more varied zero-proof list would give the category greater purpose.
Menu strengths
- — Connecticut-made option
- — Clear non-beer accommodation
- — Compatible with the kitchen
Standout selections
- — Current Connecticut-made soda
Pricing: Current Connecticut-made soda brands and prices are unpublished
How it sits with the food
Kölsch belongs with fried or salty food; Suzy Greenberg's mango-like hop aroma is better with spice, char and richer sandwiches.
Inebrious does not score kitchens, food or the restaurant overall. We review the beverage program only.
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