Located just off of the Merritt Parkway in Hamden, Southport Brewing Company offers the three B's that you would expect from a brewery-restaurant combination: barbecue, burgers, and beer, which is brewed in house. Though these standards are available, the amount of choices present on SBC's dinner menu are surprisingly varied, which only adds to the restaurant's uniqueness.

I started my meal off with an appetizer, Bruschetta Pomodoro, which was brilliantly plated. The garlic bread, grilled perfectly, was topped with heaping amounts of tomatoes, red onions, garlic, basil, and olive oil. Though slightly difficult to eat with your hands, it was a perfect starter. The flavors of the plum tomatoes and red onions blended nicely with the other ingredients to provide a great opening to the meal.

Just as the appetizer was finished, the waitress brought over the great part of visiting any brewery - the sampler. At SBC, you are served six miniature mugs, ranging from light to dark, of their house brews. My family enjoyed sipping on each of the different samples, and making comments, and generally having a great time thanks to the social aspect of the whole thing. (Side Note: If you're on a date (and over 21 or have a great fake ID), this would be a great way to bond with a date over a meal.) My favorites from the set of six we sampled included the pilsner and the stout. The pilsner, which SBC's website states should be similar to Harp or Michelob, had a very nutty taste to it, similar to roasted cashews. The stout was heavy, thick, and dark...exactly how a stout should be.

My meal arrived during the sampling. I ordered a Brew Burger, described on the menu as "½ pound fire grilled angus burger topped with bacon, caramelized onion, and fontina cheese," and served with the restaurant's famous Brew Fries. The burger was cooked perfectly, exactly as I had ordered, and the combination of the caramelized onion and fontina cheese made for a truly delicious flavor. The famous Brew Fries are certainly famous for a reason, being slightly peppery. With the potato skin still left on while being fried, they were a great addition to an already stellar meal.

Desert, for me, was the Chocolate Lover's Dream. The name speaks for itself, as the dish was truly delectable, albeit slightly on the small side. A true chocolate lover would have dreamed big.

Website: Southport Brewing Company