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Guvnor’s Brewery, which opens to customers Friday evening, brews its own batches of beer on-site, in a set of copper tanks directly behind the bar that serves them.
“It’s straight from the tanks to the tap. There’s no kegs, there’s no middleman,” Sullivan says. “It’s the freshest, coldest beer you can get.”
All of Guvnor’s brews were crafted by Tony Aukulah, (nicknamed “The Guvnor”) who got his start making home brews in his basement before getting confident enough in his skills to open the brewery and restaurant. The brewery will start with six varieties, and will cycle in seasonal brews throughout the year.
Peter Crawford, Guvnor’s executive chef, has also filled the dinner menu with a handful of beer-infused recipes. The options include beer-battered onion rings, chicken fingers and seafood for appetizers, a chili made with the brewery’s Black Magic Stout and a pork shank braised in pale ale.
Other items on the menu range from takes on standard pub fare such as burgers and chicken wings to more trendy dishes, including a beet and goat cheese salad with quinoa and a sea bass served over artichoke puree, broccoli rabe and snow peas. A sample of the menu is now available on the Guvnor’s Facebook page. “The guy knows what he’s doing back there,” Sullivan says of his chef, who has previously worked as executive chef at Westport’s 323 Main. “[The menu is] a little new-school American with some Mediterranean thrown in.”
The beer might be the main attraction, but the restaurant looks to appeal to families as well. The restaurant’s décor has a classic pub feel, with plenty of seating and sports running on overhead televisions.
“We’re trying to provide a blue-collar feel with white-collar service,” Sullivan says. “Everybody’s welcome.”
Guvnor’s Brewery is at 136 Washington St., South Norwalk. The restaurant will open for dinner at 4 p.m. Friday, and will be open for lunch and dinner starting next week.
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