Former Bull and Barrel Owners Looking to Bring Brewhouse to Danbury

Who remembers the former Bull and Barrel Brewery and Restaurant in Brewster? I certainly do, and I also remember their mechanical bull that roughed me up a time or two.

After seven years, the owner, Rick Cipriani, decided to close down the Bull and Barrel in December of 2020 because of the pandemic. His business relied on 200 to 400 customers on Friday and Saturday nights. However, when I talked with Rick recently, he told me he didn't see that same scenario happening in the months to come.

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I interviewed Rick about his new business plan called "Quirk Works Brewery and Blendery" that currently awaits zoning approval in Danbury. The new brewery would be located in a 3,600 square-foot space on Triangle Street across Lee Mac Avenue. All he needs to begin construction is zoning approval from the City of Danbury. If everything goes as planned, Danbury could have their second brewery by around September 1, 2021.

There was a time during the seven years that Rick owned the Bull and Barrel when he crafted a beer for Lou and myself based on our specific preferences. So for my brew, I asked him if his brewmaster could concoct an ale with the slight hint of mango, which turned out to be one of the more popular beers on tap at the Bull and Barrel. The following video is Rick Cipriani describing the "Ethan Brew".

Cipriani's vision for his new brewery would be a wholesale operation with a brewery warehouse using cutting-edge technology that included a 34-seat tasting room where you could see the tanks and sample the brews.

He's also planning on incorporating new and different ingredients into the brewing process with the hope of creating two new unique brews every two weeks to find out which styles and flavors customers enjoy the most.