Clocktown Brewing, Thomaston CT

14 August 2026

I’ve been to Clocktown once before, in 2020 during Covid. Through total accident on this visit, I sat at the end of the bar where one of the brewers was sitting and was able to talk with him and his partner for a while! They took over Clocktown in 2024 and while they still make some of the old favorites, they specialize in Belgian and German styles.

They have a large space here — this photo is just the loooong bar, but there is a large interior space to the right of this photo plus an equally large outdoor area. There’s also a little clock museum of sorts, reflecting Thomaston’s history of clock-making (Seth Thomas had its factory here):

Here is my flight, described left to right:

Thomaston Lager – German-Style Pilsner, 5.2% – This is an award-winning beer and it’s clear why: it is the perfect entry-level beer for people accustomed to traditional (i.e., “name brand”) American lagers. It’s clean and refreshing with none of the bitterness.

Atomic Amber Ale – Amber Ale, 5.6% – While good, I wasn’t sure if I was drinking an Amber Ale or a Brown Ale or some interesting combination of the two!. There’s a lot of caramel and toasted bread flavors here, but overall, it’s smooth and enjoyable if a bit heavy for me on a hot day.

Sucker for Blondes – Belgian Blonde Ale, 7% – Now this bold and fruity Belgian was hands-down my favorite of the flight! I absolutely loved the flavors in it and was left wanting more.

When Pigs Fly – New England IPA, 6.8% – This is a taproom favorite and it was great, but I have to admit that the Blonde was even better in my mind.

It doesn’t look like it, but that’s supposedly just a 4oz smash burger! Personally, I think it was easily 6oz, and it was excellent. The tater tots were a nice upgrade option; I don’t see those available in very many places. Clocktown also has wood-fired pizzas and I would have loved one but I’m sure it would have been far too much for me to finish.

I ended with their 12:43 Series, a Watermelon Lime Sour at 5.2%. As the description says, this is “a perfect beer for sunny breezy days” and that’s exactly what the day was when I walked out the door. This was just the right amount of sour for me and while I thought the lime overpowered the watermelon, it was very refreshing to drink.

Clocktown is only 90 minutes from my house if I take the scenic route, or just an hour and ten minutes by interstate, so I really must try to visit more often. It’s a great place to be and the new brewers/owners are really taking this place to the next level!