Really not sure of the low reviews that some have posted...ive been to many breweries all over the east coast / west coast and this is my fav. Great service, Tony and Chloe that work the bar are a breath of fresh air. They make amazing cocktails, highly knowledgable, and make for great conversations. There are regulars like myself now that are always here, and dog friendly. The beers they brew are top notch quality. Their sours as well as cocktails are simply the best i have had. They are also well stocked on imported alcohol being that they are a distributor as well. Plus they play great music, metalStop into any trader joes in the New England metro and you will find their stuff...but you need to make it a point to come here and experience the true joy of fine local brewing and hospitality...

Holy hell, this might be Connecticut's most unique and diverse brewery. What Tree House is to Massachusetts and IPA's, "The Order of the Eccentric Brewers" is to Connecticut and beer's time-honored Germanic roots. As you walk in past the equipment and the coolships, you'll instantly see shelves full of imported beer, sake, and mead harkening you back across centuries and an ocean, to where and when modern alcohol began to turn into what we all know and love today. You'll have some product to peruse after you take a left turn and reach the bar. The menu advertises classic lagers with or without modern twists, but OEC is unafraid to show off sour and tart beers, which is fortunate because they excel at those styles. The only beers they offer are great beers and beers that other people would tell you are great. I've been here so many times that I really can't call out anything specific. The menu seems to have changed every time I come in, and nothing I've picked has let me down. From lagers to sours, and adjuncts including dry hops, fruit, spices, wood particles from the barrel aging, or none at all to let whatever wild yeasts floated by that day really shine through -- all it does is ensure that I can't review this place very well. It needs to be tasted to be believed. They have wooden tables, metal chairs, and you'll enjoy your drinks surrounded my foreign alcohol for sale, brewery equipment, and a bag or two of grain. There's an outdoor space, and a back room with pool tables and chairs offering a more "modern" brewery experience. I see there's also pizza somewhere, but with them being somewhat close to home, I've always come in on a full stomach. Enough rambling. You can't really put this place into words. Get off Exit 16. Let the laypeople get a NEIPA across town at Black Hog; you're going to be fancy today. Chat up the beertenders who seem to know more about beer than you ever will, despite your impressive number of unique check-ins on Untappd. Take home a bottle of Danish mead, and an Italian pink peppercorn ale that will pair so beautifully with the pretty-good attempt at homemade steak au poivre you'll call dinner. Lie awake, full of steak, and think about today's beers. Welcome to the Order.

The place was inviting. We enjoyed chatting with the owner and some of the patrons. The house dog welcomed us warmly. Very sweet. My husband had a 16 oz. Octoberfest, and I had a 4 oz. of a black larger which was delicious. I tasted the Octoberfest and liked that, too. We split a pretzel - very tasty. They were selling Danish meads, and I brought one home. There was even a patio, but we sat inside. My husband wants to go back.

Recently got to try OEC Brewing. OEC is an abbreviation for Ordinem Ecentrici Coctores. That is quite a mouthful and I can see why the abbreviation is often reverted to by other customers and possibly staff alike. Steve and I had one particular beer from this brewery and we enjoyed it pretty well. It was their Maibock beer and it was very pleasing to us. It kind of brought in some Old World flavors with it's rustic, grainy and malty flavors which often brought in a nice but subtle sweetness to the flavor bouquet as well. Definitely a crushable type of beer so you could easily have more than one. It was very refreshing and I'd love to investigate more of their beer options as I do like the Old World type beers as they are a nice change of pace from so many beers in the beer industry that take on cookie cutter characteristics.

I visited OEC Brewing to pick up some cookies from the Cookie Maven of West Hartford. I had been introduced to Rachel's cookies during a Yelp holiday celebration that had been hosted by another brewing company, and jumped at opportunity to try out some I had missed during OEC's special holiday market event. I understand that OEC specializes in sour and generally unusual beers. (They do identity themselves as being eccentric!) The location is a strange combination of remote and industrial, with two large rooms to gather -- one quiet with games, and another loud with heavy metal music blasting. Parking is limited, requiring street parking the day I visited. Conventional beer food is available -- pizza, pretzels, chips -- but the company invites folks to bring their own, which is generous. Flyers posted on the main tap room door brought to mind that OEC periodically hosts a variety of events. I booked a ticket to tour their coffee fermenting process, as well as try their coffee... rumored to be good. From what I've read, OEC strives to surface fruity aspects of coffee. One of the brewers, Tony Pellino, gave a one hour long small group tour of the coffee fermentation, roasting, and brewing process. As anticipated, tremendous amount of curiosity, detail, and creativity contributes to the OEC line of products. Passion for innovation is the primary driver, largely led by founder, Matthias Neidhart, as an offshoot of his beer distribution company, B. United International (Matthias was referenced several times). The tour was capped by a cup of their unique coffee. Fellow tourists appeared very familiar with coffee brewing process, and OEC products, reinforcing the notion that this site draws in customers who appreciate the founder's passion. Several purchased small bags of rarely available coffee (and pricey at around $30), which had been thoughtfully reserved for this group. Before I left I tried the white ale with strawberry syrup after seeing someone who appeared to be a regular customer walk off with one from that bar. Not something I would normally have tried, but it enticed and did not disappoint. It also brought to mind that conventional beer types, such as white ale, are in fact available. A large, warm pretzel and roasted peanuts were purchased to accompany. Will be back ... this is a special place to meet friends.

The beer scene in this beautiful state is alive and thriving, and even though there are many amazing breweries, there are plenty of really good ones. OEC would be one of these cases. The brewery is far off in a space dedicated to offices but towards the back where the woods meet civilization. There is a nice walking area and lots of trees, this brewery is tucked away in a very green area. Actually, the perfect scenario would be walking around, going for a mini hike, and then sipping on these beers. The beers here are pretty good, they have a large list plus guess taps and, I can't remember well, but I think there is also wine. They also have some food items, although very basic stuff like cold cuts, popcorn, etc.

Sometime ago, I came across an article from Food and Wine Magazine called "19 Craft Breweries Worth Going Out of Your Way For". I clicked on the link to see if there was a brewery within driving distance. That's when I first learned about OEC in Oxford. I asked some friends who are knowledgeable about New England craft beer if they had been to OEC. Most people hadn't heard of it. A person or two knew it by reputation, but hadn't been because they don't like OEC's specialty - sours. One person had been to OEC. He had a strange and enthusiastic tale about sours, baked goods, beer importing and experimental coffee. I stored this info away to ferment. By March 2021, I had cabin fever and was ready for a short drive and a solo socially-distanced adventure. I arrived at OEC. I felt like I was at the Willy Wonka beer compound. There were multiple buildings (including one that looked octagonal), what looked like fenced-off vineyard grape trees, beer nerds, nearby walking trails, and a crazy number of canned and/or bottled European beers that I had no frame of reference for. They were literally, foreign to me. #dadjoke Indeed, OEC was selling coffee beans that they roasted in connection with a "complex fermentation and aging method" described as the "next frontier" of "outrageous coffee". I ordered a few small cups of beer to sample. I didn't try to remember the names, but they included their house Pilsner, an ale, and some recommended sours. I asked the knowledgeable and outstandingly friendly OEC expert about their famous sourdough bread. I was told that they didn't have any at the moment, but that I could get a Zuppardi's pizza. "You mean the famous Zuppardi's Apizza in West Haven?" Yeah, that one. I didn't ask how a beer maker in Oxford had Zuppardi's pizza, but I did order a small. It was good. Now is the time I have to admit that I respect sours, but they are not really my thing. I'm more of a New England IPA guy that loves a cool new experience. I don't normally order pilsners either, but this one was really good. The sours were in fact sour and fruity in a complex way, but they didn't convert me. I enjoyed sitting outside on the large deck trying them, and I think fans of sours would be in beer heaven. Alchemists. That word comes to mind for the OEC creative team. Although I did not love the sours, I feel unqualified to pass judgment on them, and alchemists on the next frontier of outrageous coffee always get 5 Stars in my book. It's kind of my slogan. If this information sounds compelling, pick a small group of companions and a nice day to sit outside and drive to OEC. To be safe, maybe make the person you like least get there early to grab a table.

This is a really awesome brewery if you're into sours - or like having a good time. There's a lot of different places for seating (side patio, in the front outside, in the back room). So for anyone nervous about social distancing with COVID, you're covered! I went Friday with my friend who is has celiacs (can't have gluten) so I was nervous she would be limited with what she could have... She wasn't.. They had sake, wine, mead, cider.. SOOO many options. As mentioned, they seem to be primarily sour-happy. For example, they had a sour porter (never heard of that!!!). They also had other interesting beers like one aged in absinthe barrels with sake in it. How rad is that?? Also, Tony, who took our orders, is honestly such a peach. He's so nice and friendly and literally a pleasure to be around. Tony is so awesome and made our visit way more enjoyable!

We were able to share a bunch of 4oz pours. The beers at this place are interesting and different because they are wild ales. While most beers were not our style, we definitely enjoyed the Nepenthes and Antioch and would definitely be back to try others. They also will start making bread again in May. The staff there was super friendly and even made sure to walk us through the beers and keep them in the order on the board so we can taste them in the right order. Arrive early so you can beat the crowd. Since it's so close to another brewery, it tends to fill up with those who don't want to wait.