Triple Raven Brewing

Once Upon a Midnight Dreary, While I Pondered, Weak and Weary
Triple Raven Brewing, Thompson
November 2024

In the few years before the COVID-19 pandemic, breweries were popping up everywhere. It became a bit of a joke to say that every town in Connecticut was getting a brewery. For a while there, that seemed to be the case.

Then pandemic. Then post-pandemic. Then a contraction and no one was saying those things anymore. However, no one told the folks behind Triple Raven Brewing in Thompson.

Thompson?! Yes, Thompson has a brewery.

And good for Thompson.

Triple Raven Brewing opened in May of 2024 – a year when brewery closings outpaced openings for the first time in my lifetime in Connecticut. I have no idea why they’re called Triple Raven. I’ve tried to find out online but all I know is that Shelly and Jason Boisvert are the owners and Jason was homebrewing one day and…”

That was from a Facebook post from an organization that deleted their Facebook account and I can only see that preview. Frustrating…

… or is it?

I mean, we can play “Fill in the blank,” right? Sure, I could contact them directly and ask, but what’s the fun in that? It’s not like I’m a real journalist. “Jason was homebrewing one day and…

Three friends raved about his beer, as in “triple raven.” Nah. Too stupid.

He’s a huge anagram fan and thought “Entrap Liver” and “Triple Raven” was just funny. Nah. Too weird.

Three crows that we mistook for ravens were perched outside staring. Jason is an Edgar Allan Poe fan and immediately thought of his poem “The Raven” and how there’s a stanza about nepenthe, which is a mythical substance which can change the mood, causing sorrow and anger to be forgotten:

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
“Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

Yeah. Something like that. (The little Poe painting helped inform my guess, as did their flagship milk stout named “Lost Lenore.”) Cool. I like Edgar Allan Poe too! Let’s check this place out.

I was coming from a visit to Tree House Brewing in Woodstock, which had recently started brewing beer after starting life as a cidery. It’s no secret that Tree House is generally regarded as one of the best breweries in the northeast, if not the country. As unfair as it is, it’s tough not to compare the two, even though that’s completely unfair.

When I visited, Triple Raven was a six month old 2BBL system brewery with six beers on tap. Tree House has six locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut, lord knows their combined capacity, and they brew over 100 beers. Tree House’s profits are in the multi millions. I’ll leave it at that.

The building is cool. It looks like something from an Edward Gorey comic. It does not look remotely like a brewery. Prior to Triple Raven, the space was inhabited by a bistro that lasted like 9 months. Oof.

It’s a cool little spot. The artwork on the walls is nice – and the artwork in the restrooms is even better. That was created by Jason Boucher who has a rather impressive portfolio if you care to Google him. There are high top tables, a bar, some comfier chairs, and a small outdoor seating area. Before we get to the beer, I should note that Triple Raven has wine, cider, and a bunch of non-alcoholic drinks available. Always smart.

I tried three beers here: Helles (My Kinda Day), Scrutiny #4 (NEIPA), and Fall Sweater (Spiced latte stout). The lager was okay, certainly my favorite of the three – but to be fair, I’ve been “done” with NEIPAs for half a dozen years or more and I’ve never been one for “spiced” beers of any sort. I just wanted a wide range of their efforts.

The NEIPA was probably just what they meant for it to be; viscous, opaque, syrupy pineapple yet with a bitter twang. It hurt my teeth. The Fall Sweater, which I was told was the bartender’s favorite, was again, exactly what they want it to be. It was like chai beer – way too sweet for me, but I’m sure people drink it up. The lager was the only traditional-ish beer I had. No, it wasn’t like a Helles you’re going to get in Germany, but it was a good effort from a tiny newbie brewery in the Quiet Corner of Connecticut.

But here’s the thing, man. I mentioned earlier that I’d been to Tree House for a reason. Tree House is not cheap, but Tree House is Tree House. Triple Raven, at least six months in, is not Tree House. But check this out:

No, no, I’m not making fun of their slap-dash style of decor, look at those prices:

No, no, not the fact that the single can price is just the 4-pack price divided by four, but that the 4-pack price is 18 bucks. Lagering takes time! Support local! Margins are tight! Totally agree with all of that. But… Tree House is 15 minutes west, and…

So… I dunno, man. I hope Triple Raven succeeds and becomes a huge success. It’s unfair to compare them (or anyone, really) to Tree House who can price things cheaper simply because of their size. I’m sorry to harp on this, but this is the reality of the situation. It’s really, really hard to run a successful brewery now in the mid-2020’s, and I’m more of an observer of the industry than of particular beer styles or whatever.

Heck, if I was a Thompsonite I’d patronize this place… if for one thing. Their Spotify playlist during my visit was “Horrible nu-metal.” Aside from my scant beer notes, I wrote, “suffered through the worst song ever.”

Which is this. I challenge you to listen to the whole thing.

Regarding that song, quoth the CTMQ… Nevermore.

Triple Raven Brewing
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