Delaneys Tap Room

8/24/2008 6:38:30 PM, sunday, august 24, 2008 [ Updated sunday, august 24, 2008 ]
They had a decent lineup up of bar food that was well made but the beers are where it is. They have about 50 beers on tap and at least another 50 to 100 in bottles. A great selection that rotates on a pretty good time schedule. They also offer beer dinners. Probably the best place between Bridgeport and Hartford - quite a stretch. They had this on tap when I was there: Lagers Germany Spaten Bitburger Pils Radeberger Pils Ireland Harp Italy Peroni Belgium Stella Artois Denmark Carlsberg United States Elm City Lager Genesee Beer Amber Ales Great Britain Belhaven Scottish Ale United States Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Magic Hat #9 Pale Ales Great Britain Bass Old Speckled Hen Boddington’s Pub Ale United States Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA Captain Lawrence Pale Ale Captain Lawrence Double IPA Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA Bluepoint Hoptical Illusion Southern Tier IPA New England Sea Hag IPA Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Belgium Palm Wheat Beers Belgium Hoegaarden Germany Schneider Weisse Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse United States Ithaca Apricot Wheat Saranac Pomegranate Wheat Sea Dog Blue Paw Blueberry Wheat Ale Abita Purple Haze Brown Ales Great Britain Newcastle Canada Maudite United States Tommyknocker Maple Brown Ale Stout & Porter Ireland Guinness United States Sierra Nevada Porter Great Britain Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Specialty Belgium Wittekerke Rose Petrus Blonde United States Victory Golden Monkey Tripel Brooklyn Doppelbock Smuttynose Maibock Captain Lawrence Liquid Gold Southern Tier Cherry Saison Allagash White Ale Dogfish Head Immort Ale Canada Ephemere Apple

5/9/2008 8:32:16 PM, friday, may 09, 2008 [ Updated sunday, july 06, 2008 ]
I could go on about how great this place is on so many different levels. The atmosphere is great. There are two separate bar areas, each with an adjacent seating area, and then there is a third, separate area. The one bar area has loud music and is very lively, and has drink specials on the cheaper beers. The other bar area is quieter but still very friendly. The tables come with blank sheets of paper and crayons with which to draw on. Overall, there’s just a fun atmosphere to this place. There is something very wholesome about it too...I get a very wholesome vibe from the staff who works here too. Most bars in New Haven are either too sleazy, too upscale, or both, and this place is neither. The service is excellent and the people are very nice! In terms of the beer selection, it could hardly be better: there are a lot of different beers on tap, including stuff that can be very rare to find on tap. It is served in the proper glassware. The food is also pretty darned good too. The menu looks typical, but when the food arrives, it is very high quality. And it is very reasonably priced! I cannot complain about this place. I only wish I discovered it earlier...I went for the first time shortly before moving from Connecticut...so sad! Others...take the opportunity to come here while you can!

1/8/2008 1:45:41 PM, tuesday, january 08, 2008 [ Updated tuesday, january 08, 2008 ]
I’ve been coming here for many years now and I would say that the attention to the beer has gone up a lot in the last few years. This place gets crowded on the usual nights but I you are able to go on a less crowded night the bar tenders will answer any questions you have. I always can find something new here.

7/9/2006 1:20:18 AM, sunday, july 09, 2006
Didn’t have the food, but they had a nice selection of about 30 beers on tap including cask beer. The two nice things were that the staff was really helpful and nice, and they poured every beer in proper glassware. They have a small fridge next to the bar that sells a nice array of beers, especially belgians. Best place for a beer in new haven.

12/4/2005 9:00:55 PM, sunday, december 04, 2005
Several different beers on tap, cast ale almost always avail. Food very good and bartender knew her beers. A regular stop from now on!!

7/22/2005 7:19:55 PM, friday, july 22, 2005
A good selection of taps for CT, but nowhere near what I was hoping for considering how much this place was hyped. I didn’t see much of anything I couldn’t pick up from one of CT’s better beer stores. The staff was friendly enough, and the food was decent. I would go there more if I lived closer, but for the one hour drive from my home, I don’t think the place is worth it.

7/21/2005 9:01:01 PM, thursday, july 21, 2005
When you walk in, it looks like a typical pub. Dart boards on the wall, pool table in the back, juke box on the side. It’s not until you look at the taplist until you realized that you’ve stumbled upon perhaps the best beer bar in CT. They have about 20 taps, and although they didn’t have any the night I was there, they also offer cask beer. The bartenders are knowledgeable and friendly and they’ll let you sample any of the beer before deciding on one. They’re also very proud of their proper glassware (as they should!) Great place to relax, chat and sip a fine beer.

6/14/2005 4:11:16 PM, tuesday, june 14, 2005 [ Updated wednesday, september 27, 2006 ]
Delaney’s is part bar, part restaurant. The restaurant area serves some decent food, but it is the bar that is really special. Delaney’s always stocks rare beers on tap. They are also one of the only places in CT to offer true cask beer. The last time I was there, some of the offerings on tap were Duchesse de Bourgone, Stille Nacht, Maudite, Raftman, Thomas Hooker Imperial Porter, Chimay Grand Reserve and many others too numerous to mention. Their prices are average and they offer up beer served in it’s proper glassware when possible.

Update 9/27/06: I went to Delaneys this past weekend expecting to see some nice seasonals and Belgian rarities. I was disappointed to see that about half their beers were basics. The cask was okay. There were three local IPAs on. Otherwise, the selection was pretty disappointing. My wife had an Ephemere Apple while there and it was infected and well past its prime.