Restaurant
Unclaimed profileThe Brownstone
Hartford, CT · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
The Brownstone pours a serious beer list—local IPAs, a house lager, and rotating taps—alongside a straightforward cocktail menu with a few signature twists. Happy hour and late-night specials make the bar approachable any time. The cocktail program is competent but not revelatory; the beer selection is the real draw. Wines are basic but fairly priced, and non-alcoholic options are thoughtful.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Brownstone Lager or a local IPA like Sea Hag or Fiddlehead to see the draft program's strength. For a cocktail, the Brownstone Old Fashioned—Bulleit Bourbon with muddled cherries and bitters—is the most distinctive option. Happy hour drafts from $3 make it easy to sample.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Beer drinkers will find the most to like, with a range from light lagers to rotating IPAs and sours. Cocktail fans seeking familiar classics at fair prices will be satisfied. The non-alcoholic options also make it a viable stop for designated drivers.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails run $11-$13; house wines are $8 a glass or $27 a bottle; drafts range $5-$11. Happy hour drops drafts to $3-$5 and mixed drinks to $6. Non-alcoholic beers are $8 and mocktails $4-$10.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The draft list leans into local and regional craft with a house lager and rotating taps, while the cocktail menu offers a few originals like the Whiskey in A Jar. Two daily special periods—happy hour and late night—keep prices notably low.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
A seven-item specialty list covers classics and a few signatures, from the Appletini to the Brownstone Old Fashioned. Pricing is moderate, and the happy hour and late-night specials drop mixed drinks to $6.
Menu strengths
- — Menu balances familiar classics like the Margarita and Aperol Spritz with house signatures such as the Whiskey in A Jar.
- — Value-driven pricing: $6 mixed drinks during happy hour and late-night hours.
Standout selections
- — The Brownstone Old Fashioned: Bulleit Bourbon, muddled cherries, and bitters at $13.
- — Whiskey in A Jar: blackberry, bourbon, and lemonade at $11.
Pricing: $11-$13 for specialty cocktails; $6 during happy hour and late-night specials
Wine
A compact list of house reds and whites plus a premium Cabernet and Prosecco. House pours are inexpensive, and the happy hour discount makes them even more accessible.
Menu strengths
- — Both house and premium options are available, including Josh Cabernet.
- — House bottle at $27 offers a low-cost way to share.
Standout selections
- — Josh Cabernet, a step up from house reds at $15 a glass.
- — House Sauvignon Blanc, a crisp white option at $8.
Pricing: $8 house wines by the glass, $27 house bottle, $9 Prosecco, $15 Josh Cabernet; $6 house wine during happy hour
Beer
A broad draft list spans light lagers to double IPAs and sours, with a house lager and several local craft names. Bottles and cans cover familiar macros and imports. A customer called the beer selection 'elite.'
Menu strengths
- — Extensive draft selection with local craft options like Fiddlehead IPA and Counter Weight Headway IPA.
- — Rotating double IPA and sour taps keep the list evolving.
- — Happy hour pricing from $3 for Bud Light and Narragansett Light makes it a value play.
Standout selections
- — Brownstone Lager, the house lager at $8.; Sea Hag IPA, a regional favorite at $8.
- — Counter Weight Headway IPA, a local hazy at $8.
Pricing: Drafts $5-$11; bottles and cans $3-$10; happy hour drafts $3-$5
Nonalcoholic
Two non-alcoholic beers and three mocktails give sober drinkers real choices. The mocktails range from a simple Cherry Shirley to a more composed Strawberry Mule Mocktail with ginger beer and lime.
Menu strengths
- — Both non-alcoholic beer and mocktail categories are represented.
- — Strawberry Mule Mocktail layers ginger beer and lime for a more complex option.
Standout selections
- — Strawberry Mule Mocktail: strawberry, ginger beer, lime, over ice at $10.
- — Basil Cherry Lemonade: muddled basil, lemonade, grenadine at $10.
Pricing: Non-alcoholic beers $8; mocktails $4-$10
Spirits
No standalone spirits list, but Tito's Vodka, Captain Morgan, and Bulleit Bourbon appear in drinks, and late-night shots include Green Tea and Tequila Sunrise. The range is limited to what shows up in cocktails and specials.
Menu strengths
- — Spirits are integral to the cocktail menu, including Bulleit Bourbon in the house Old Fashioned.
- — Happy hour and late-night specials make well drinks and shots affordable at $6.
Standout selections
- — Tito's Vodka, available as a $6 happy hour mixed drink.
- — Captain Morgan, also a $6 happy hour option.
Pricing: Spirits appear in cocktails and specials; happy hour mixed drinks with Tito's or Captain Morgan are $6; late-night shots $6
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