Do you like candy? Do you like castles? If you answered yes to both of these, you’re going to want to head to Derby, Connecticut on Tomorrow (November 30) at 5pm. BAD SONS Beer Co. is getting ready to launch its latest canned brew–the Candy Castle Double IPA.
Beacon Falls, Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, Oxford, Naugatuck, and Shelton. Separated, these are just a series of towns and cities that make up a part of Connecticut known as “The Valley.” Together, they make the acronym BAD SONS, and BAD SONS Beer Co. has been making good beer in its taproom since the doors opened in August of this year.
The fledgeling brewery might be brand new, but its owners certainly aren’t new to the brew game. BAD SONS was founded by Shelton-born brothers Mark and Bill DaSilva, who previously founded Southport Brewing Co.—a small chain of restaurant brew pubs that, in its prime, had four locations in CT. Along with their partners John Walsh, Dan DiSorbo and owner Mike Student, who are all also from the area, the DaSilvas are eager to make BAD SONS a good name when it comes to Connecticut craft beer.
While I haven’t had a chance to get any BAD SONS beer on the Window Sill yet—an oversight I’m eager to correct as soon as possible—I’m hoping that the Candy Castle becomes the first. It’s actually a collaboration brew between BAD SONS and Armada Brewing, which is a gypsy brewery founded by CT native, and winner of last year’s Startup Brewery Challenge, John Kraszewski. Armada’s brewing mostly happens at another Connecticut brewery, Overshores Brewing Company in East Haven, and I’m excited to see what fruits (or candies) this new collaboration bears.
According to Dan DiSorbo, who graciously provided me with some extra information about this brew and the lovely photos you see up top (on very short notice, I might add), Candy Castle is brewed with five varieties of hops: Amarillo, Mosaic, Simcoe, CTZ and Hallertau Blanc. Sounds like the pretty straightforward—and potentially delicious—DIPA, but Dan wasn’t done there.
“We brewed with an addition of candies that include Twizzlers, Gumballs, Sour Warheads, Candy Corn and Gummies.”
Excuse me? Delicious candies are involved in this beer? OK, so Candy Corn is nobody’s favorite, but the rest of this is right up my alley, and makes me super curious to see what this beer tastes like. I was the Sour Warheads king in elementary school. Y’all don’t even know! Will this brew really satisfy my sweet tooth, as their promo email promises? I’m hoping to find out!
Due to day job concerns, I won’t be able to make it for the release on Thursday, but for those of you who do, you’ll also be receiving your very own Candy Castle label to play with, in the form of a coloring book page. You can color while you drink! Everyone loves activities!
If you get your hands on one, remember: Drink Local, and save one for the Window Sill!
Check out BAD SONS on Instagram. The cans are ready to be filled, and the pages are ready to be colored!
All images courtesy of BAD SONS Beer Co.