Dudleytown Brewing Co. launched in Windsor last week, following years of effort and about $3 million in investment.
The perseverance and faith of Dudleytown founder and manager Daryle Dunlap paid off, with crowds of hundreds attending several ticketed soft openings in each of the days running up to a general opening last Saturday. The grand opening drew about 1,500 to the 16,500-square-foot brewpub in the heart of the Day Hill Park.
“I would say staff did a wonderful job out of the gate,” Dunlap said. “I would say I was very happy and pleased.”
Between full- and part-time staff, the brewery employs about 20 to 25 people, Dunlap said.
The brewery features a relaxed atmosphere in an architecturally interesting setting, with an expansive deck overlooking the neighboring fields of Fastpitch Nation’s softball park. About $3 million and a lot of sweat equity has gone into its development, and there is a lot more to come. Dunlap said the brewery will eventually feature a restaurant and covered outdoor area for live music performances.
Dunlap said Dudleytown incorporates elements from breweries he has visited across the country.
“I wanted it to be something unique and special and comfortable as well,” Dunlap said.
The bar opened with 12 beers on draft, and food trucks available to patrons.
“It’s a great, new addition to our corporate area,” Windsor Economic Development Director Patrick McMahon said. “The space is fantastic. It has an attractive fit-out and a big deck overlooking Fastpitch Nation. … The beer is good. And, you know, that is kind of the most important ingredient.”
Dunlap, who began with a passion for home brewing, said planning for Dudleytown started before the COVID-19 pandemic. Friends and family have provided support, including financing. Dunlap is one of eight principals for the venture.
Dunlap stressed the project would not have been possible without the staunch backing of his landlord, well-known Connecticut real estate investor and developer Mark Greenberg.
