THC The Hops Company

This place is amazing. Great beer, great staff, great space– indoor and out. A real treasure that if you like beer (or cocktails) — fun with kids, fun with the friends. Great place to hang plus delicious snacks and Zuppardis pizza.
Amazing.
I read all these crybaby complaints on Unilocal and it’s hard to imagine where they come from.
Do yourself a favor and check it out.

First time here and I love it! The atmosphere is so nice. This place used to be a banquet hall/​prom venue so it is very spacey. The beer on tap is absolutely delicious and there is so many to choose from!

This place is awesome! Great big open set-​up. The beer selection is out of this world… so many different choices. The atmosphere is really cool and down to earth. They have huge Jenga games that you can play and behind the bar thry have a bunch of other games you can play. They have two different places serving food. The beef brisket sandwich was so delicious. I can’t wait to go back again

Wow! This is not what I expected AT ALL.
We were celebrating a friend’s birthday yesterday and had two choices: the vineyard if it was nice out, THC if it was overcast. We went with THC because it was rainy in the morning. I was instantly impressed with how many parking spots are available and how big the inside is, with seemingly endless amounts of picnic tables filling up the rooms. We found a table next to the waterfall, which was perfect for our group. It was under cover but exposed on the side, so we were able to enjoy the warmth and the sun that was starting to peek through.
We ordered a few pizzas (delicious, BTW) and grabbed the wooden Connect Four, which kept us entertained for a long time. Later on, we switched to plastic cups and headed outside, where we played cornhole for hours and made lots of new friends.
I wasn’t a fan of the little kids running around — especially with frisbees and bean bags being tossed all over the place, it didn’t seem very kid-​safe. I’ve heard that it gets packed here but it was perfect yesterday. The selection of beers on tap was impressive but I was upset that they don’t do samples, especially with the price markup. I want to know if I’m going to like a drink before I spend $ 10 on it.

THC is a great addition to the nightlife scene in the Derby/​Orange area. They always have a ton of unique beer on tap and usually, the bartenders are really friendly (unless it is packed and they are trying to help as many people as possible, of course)!
This is a good place to go with a small group of friends. The tables are long and they have a ton of games like jenga, darts, bags, etc. You can even rent Scrabble, Apples to Apples and Connect Four from the bar if you are into board games.
If you are planning on coming here with a large group of people, it is important to get here early, especially on the weekends. This place gets packed and it is nearly impossible to sit inside comfortably after a certain time unless you have locked down your seats.
They have now opened another bar/​seating area, though, for the summer which is great and provides a little more wiggle room for people who want to hangout/​talk without it being too loud and crowded.
The food is great. I feel the only thing this place could work on is the parking situation since many times both of the lots that they have for patrons are full.

Great concept but way to expensive!!! I was really looking forward to it! But tap wine!!! Way over priced! Not even a choice or even know what name wine you are drink except the varietal type. House wine should be $ 5.00 all day and maybe $ 4.00 at happy hour. No table service and we have to pay crazy prices!!! Forget about the beer price! You can’t even sample a beer and the flights are more than a 16oz beer and your only getting 12oz. Very disappointed you have to remember you are I the valley!!!

This review is based on The Draft Derby that took place last weekend. 2 stars is pushing it… It could have been much more fun than it was. Sure, it was cool, you get to socialize and try some new drafts. but I am really surprised at the lack of hospitality from this place. That’s the biggest problem. Many others I spoke to agree. For $ 45 a person, I wouldn’t recommend it. First of all, they had a line of port-​o-​potties for bathrooms. They were absolutely disgusting from the beginning and half way through, there was no water to wash your hands. Mud up to your ankles. You couldn’t use their bathrooms unless you purchased something. Really? It’s 2016. Plus, people are paying $ 45 a person just to drink some basic beer. I’ve been to many breweries (especially living in 6 different states), and let me tell you, nothing special. Parking situation was ridiculous. The food trucks were okay, but there were only 2, and I think 1 that no one went to. That was extra. $ 5 for 1 slice of pizza, and Zuppardi’s (one of the best pizza places in all of NE) — What was up with the pizza?! Barely any food samples, only TINY pieces of cheese and ‘pig candy’. For the amount that people drink here, you would think they would offer some type of food, even hotdogs, and regular bathrooms. I would have expected this type of mania from some crappy dive bar, NOT T.H.C! What the hell you guys??? Two stars is for the pig candy… best part of the whole event.

This place is a mixed bag. Let’s start with the good: the beer selection is interesting and diverse and the beer prices are reasonable. There are also two food vendors at permanent vending stations that are businesses within the business who make ordering easy. The pizza vendor is excellent (Zuppardi’s). I ordered the mozzarella and it came out near perfect. Thin crust, slightly burned, layered flavorful cheese, good base of sauce. My wife ordered from the BBQ vendor who is also pretty solid (Ricky D’s). The pulled pork was good as were the sides.
Now for the bad: this place has a smoking section that is literally barely separated from the indoor area with no ventilation system to filter the smoke away from the inside when the garage doors to the outside are open. What makes this even worse is that you have to walk right through it to get to the small outside area that had the gazebo, swing and a cornhole area set up. Because of its proximity, half of the place stunk of cigarette smoke. On a humid summer day, this entire place is going to stink of cigarettes if they do not move the smoking section.
The other huge negative was that there were kids running around and playing like it was a Chucky Cheese. I had one slam into me and ended up spilling part of my beer. If you want to be a bar/​beer garden, boot the kids or do a better job separating the place.
This is a place with a real identity crisis that will not last as it is currently set up. Figure out who you are trying to cater to. If it’s kids, ditch the cornhole and put in a game room. If its 22 year olds who like to pound beer and chain smoke, ditch the good beers and offer cheap crap in pitchers for a few dollars.
I’m not sure what they are using the remaining 3.5 acres for as the place was not using 4.5 acres as it is currently set up. Hopefully there is an additional outdoor area that was not open/​ready yet.
Overall, a decent but divey place, though I can’t say I’ll spend too much time here if the smoking section stays where it currently is. Please, move or get rid of it. If you are trying to be a place that is taken seriously (which I’m guessing you are here given the beer selection), it needs to go.

This is such a pretty place The atmosphere is very friendly and relaxed It’s a lot larger and wide open then I expected which was a pleasant surprise My daughter and I got different beers to taste There were so many to choose from it blew my mind We each chose several to share and taste We liked maybe 3 of them I only gave 4 stars because I wasn’t a huge fan of the beers But would love to go back and try it again because I enjoyed it there

If you’re looking for an American version of a traditional German Beer Hall, this is it. I stopped by with a handful of friends late one Saturday afternoon, about 5pm I believe. We were wowed by this place.
It’s an expansive, large building with plenty of tables and benches with a few sofas and easy chairs sprinkled in. I was a big fan of the set up. Two stations for ordering food are on the left. Not sure if they alternate options, but while I was there they had BBQ on one side, Pizza on the other. A long, full bar is located in back with dozens of taps on display. This is where my only real criticism of THC comes in. There are no paper beer menus and the taps are hard to read. That leaves your only option one of two rotating menu boards. They display 10 – 12 beers at a time, but with somewhere around 30 – 40 beers on tap, it takes a few moments to cycle through. Worse yet the display moved a little too quick for me. Changing maybe every 5 seconds. I felt it took longer than normal for me to choose what I wanted. I would have preferred a paper menu with everything laid out in front of me.
The beers were crisp and fresh, even the nitro had no hint of staleness that can sometimes happen in bars with a lot of taps.
There’s plenty to do too. If you want more than sitting with friends you can play darts, giant Jenga or even corn hole, which is on the patio. I should mention there’s also a nice outdoor with a gazebo.
Over all I had a lot fun. I WILL be back!

Decent spot. Bringing something new to Derby. Staff are kinda douchey, but the beer is good and the dart board, games, and foosball make it a good hangout spot. But man, that lime green fireplace is ugly.

I was going to upgrade them to a 4 star after an excellent visit on a Saturday afternoon, so excellent that i was dying to go back again.
I went back the following Saturday evening, the parking lot was packed and the parking attendant did nothing to help us find a spot. Inside was jammed. I was surprised not to see a bouncer at the door. We were a party of 6, so i did a once around looking for a table, or an area we could comfortably occupy until a table opened up, but i could not find one. What i did find, was multiple tables with just children seated at them. We hung around for a bit, but no one appeared to be going anywhere, so we left. Sad for them because we would have had dinner and a few hours of drinks.
Tip to the owners: boot the kids out after 6pm, or make them a separate area to sit in so that you don’t lose paying customers. Also, maybe a bouncer or wristbands for adults? I see this being a pretty major liability, and i really like the place and would like to see it succeed.

Definitely a different atmosphere than your regular bar… plenty of great beers to chose from and they provide all kinds of games — including Cards Against Humanity (hilairous)!! Overall a great time with a group of friends. Could be great for a couple too, but maybe on a slower night during the week. The place was PACKED on a Saturday, which made it even more entertaining. Lots of laughs and just an overall chill time.

Big open space with fireplaces and games to keep you occupied too! The beer selection is huge and the staff is very knowledgable too. I wish they offered samples, it’s tough if you want to experience new beers because you need to commit to the whole pint– whether you like it or not. Make sure to order some pizza while you are there, It is amazing!

Place is laid back and comfortable. Great beer selection. Food tasty. Surprised at the number of kids in here… its bar right? We had BBQ and it was good however I saw everyone around me getting these big ass ribs and when mine came they were the size of a toothpick. Would com back.

I love the comfortable «beer garden» atmosphere here. My only complaint is that it gets very crowded and on Saturday nights it gets overrun by kids. No, I don’t mean 21 year olds. Literal children, playing and running around. Not usually what you expect when going out for drinks.

Really impressed. I loved the selection that they had. The bartenders were really knowledgeable. I do understand the no sample part for them, but do think it would be beneficial to them, SOMETIMES, as certain beers are limited enough where samples would quickly kill a keg they may have. Small breweries oftentimes dont produce enough to send out full size kegs, and at a place like here, it would be a loss to the patrons who want to actually enjoy a glass of corialis or sip of sunshine. Just get a flight! the food is great, and the atmosphere is awesome., Absolutely slammed on a friday night, but not uncomfortable. The efficiency at the bar was awesome, and I appreciate the way they keep it clear in order to take care of patrons looking to place new orders. I will absolutely return here, as I think this is an amazing concept that finally came to fruition in CT. Great place to come with friends or family. To a few other reviewers… bud light? really? and also I was carded at the door. If you are that offended and have to state your age, and think youre not being carded somehow offended you? lmao. just review the place for what it is. its new, there are kinks, theyll work them out. But for being as new as THC is, they are doing a damn good job and I cannot wait to go back. My one negative for the place is the acoustics suck. Depending on where you are in the building and the size of the crowd, it can be hard to hear people right next to you. Maybe I’m just getting old, but then again, maybe not. I was carded! ;-)

I am a huge fan of THC. If you are into craft beer this is the place for you! They have taps lined up wall to wall. If your not into beer fear not… THC has you covered as well. They offer a full lineup of special drinks along with some classics. Feeling a little hungry… grab some food from Zuppardi’s pizza and Rick D’s Rib Shack. For those that are not familiar… Zuppardi’s main restaurant is located in West Haven, but can stand with the best of those found in New Haven. Rick D’s is excellent as well. For $ 14 we got 7 ribs. Normally I would say this is a little expensive, except these were not normal ribs. It was like they pulled these things off a dinosaur. They were huuuuuge. Worth every penny. Give THC a try… and make sure to bring your appetite.

Ok first the good:
The atmosphere is fun and laid back. I liked the fireplace and the free games that you can play (we played Jenga) and their beer selection is great. The BBQ that’s served thrre was fantastic. We had the wings, pulled pork, and brisket. Wonderful flavor that was made by smoking and not by drowning them in sauce.
Now the bad:
We got there around 7pm and the lower lot was full. We asked the attendant what to do and he said we should drive around the parking lot until someone left. I knew the place before it was THC so l knew that there was a back parking lot. I inquired about its use and was told it’s just for staff but we could park up the road. We drove to the other lot and took an unlit pathway down to the pub. I’m interested to know how long it will be before someone falls and sues the place into bankruptcy.
Once we arrived inside I was shocked to see how many children were inside. This is NOT a restaurant that serves drinks it’s a BAR that serves food. Kids are not appropriate here.
We got to the bar and looked at the very confusing menu display. I asked the bartender if I could have a sample of one of the beers because although I like the type of beer I haven’t tried this particular brand. I was told that they didn’t give samples so I asked what would happen if I ordered a full glass and hated it? Her response was that «it would be too bad» and walked away.
To the management of this :
If this is how you plan on treating your customers you won’t be there long enough to celebrate your 1 year anniversary. I sincerely hope this doesn’t happen and that you do well. I’m going to give you 1 more chance to change and earn my business.

Way back in the day when I was 18 I got drunk on beer at a friends keg party and then for 10 years I could not drink beer. Made me sick every time I thought about it. Then in 1991 I went to Ireland with my grandparents and my grandmother ordered a Guinness Stout and I asked her for a taste and that’s what it took to get my beer taste back. I am not a big beer drinker but enjoy one once in awhile and it has to be great beer like this place serves. We both had winter ales, mine was a BBC Cabin Fever and it was good! We ordered a 12″ sausage and mushroom pizza from the vendor they had inside, Zuppardi’s from West Haven and it had to be the thinnest and most crispy crust I have ever had in my life. It was damn delicious! The place was hopping, a mixture of young and old, I fall in between there. It was a good crowd, people go there to drink good beer and have a good time. We WILL be going back soon!

Best place in town to drink beer. 30 taps, plenty of local brews speaks for it itself. Charming fireplaces, Zuppardi’s Pizza, BBQ on site at all times… not sure why this place isn’t busier.

I rarely write negative reviews but I am so offended at how my husband and I were treated by the staff at thc tonight that I cannot resist. I have never experienced such rudeness and disrespect. We were excited to hear about a beer garden opening in Derby. When we arrived and saw a big crowd, we figured this place must be good. However, we were repeatedly harassed by the staff who kept telling us to move, despite there being no available spots for us to relocate. We are in our 30s and had ordered one beer at the time, so we are not a young, drunk or rowdy crowd. We politely told the staff that we could not find another place to stand and were continually harassed by a specific staff member. What was really aggravating, was that they did not bother to hassle any of the other 40 or so people standing close to the bar area who had already been served their drinks as well. We asked to speak to owner/​management, and, conveniently for our rude bouncer, no one was available. We were polite, paying customers who were offered no alternative places to relocate. I don’t expect this place to last if they continue to treat paying customers with such rudeness and disrespect. We do not plan on returning to this poorly run establishment and will tell all of our friends of this negative experience.
Tip to management– hire bouncers who will keep your place safe without embarking on pathetic power trips with sober people who are not causing any trouble.

I wish I could give this place more stars!!! I wasn’t really a huge beer person till I started going here. They have such a large quality selection of tasty and different beers on tap. The bartenders are always so nice and knowledgable when I ask about each beer and help you figure out what one you’d like. Whenever I can’t make up my mind I just get a flight and get to try a few. I understand that people might be annoyed they don’t give samples but when’s the last time you went to a restaurant and got samples of the food before you ordered it? Never, right? So I really see no difference. Besides the beer it’s fun to hangout there. They have darts, giant Jenga, and tons of board games. Also there’s fantastic pizza and BBQ. All in all a wonderful place you can chill and have quality beer and food. I can’t wait till it’s warm out and can enjoy the outdoor areas!

Amazing beer selection, delicious pizza, giant jenga and the best staff in the state. What more could you ask for?! If you don’t love this place you’re living your life completely wrong.

New favorite spot! Great changing selection of quality CRAFT beers. If I wanted a bud light I could just sit at home. If that’s your taste then one of the super friendly bartenders can make a recommendation on a similar taste and maybe open your mind to something new and of better quality! I’ve never been let down by one of their suggestions. The Moscow mule on tap is super tasty too!
Pizza and BBQ are both great, and there’s tons of game and giant jenga for fun too!
Overall a really cool new hangout spot for friends, and a super relax atmosphere!

Nice open layout inside, good atmosphere two fireplaces with couches. Feels like a place you could hang out with friends and try some new beers.
My wife asked to sample a beer and the bartender said no we don’t do samples but you can buy a flight for $ 12. When I questioned this policy since their whole business is beer and they are a beer garden with 35 taps he told me no samples «We are trying to run a business here»
If your plan is to run a business long term based on people getting excited about new and different beer styles you may want to allow samples.

Okay, enough with all the snobby reviews people. This is Connecticut where cool businesses are far and few. It’s a beer garden, it’s conveniently right off route 34 and they have tons of parking… and again it’s in Connecticut.
As of right now, they have around 38 beers on tap, as well as wine and cocktail options for the non-​beer drinkers. You can leisurely check what beers they currently have on tap at any time of the day, during any day of the week with the BeerMenu app.
They have ample space for dining and socializing. A fireplace. Several flat screens. Tons of boards games, dart boards and a fooseball table. They have an excellent outdoor area (I’m looking forward to it when it’s nice out).
For the people complaining about sampling a beer, just order a flight? Or know what you want?
The food is great. The pizza is from Zuppardis, a West Haven home favorite and in the same discussion of excellence as New Haven’s Pepes or Modern. The BBQ place called Ricky D’s Rib Shack is rocking, their local and their sauce is phenomenal.
Bottom line: This place is wayyyyyyy, way, way more desirable than going to any other generic chain restaurant/​bar in the New Haven county area. They have tons of options for drinks, great food choices, and a unique environment that’s blended nicely for socializing with friends.

This place «specializes» in a huge tap list, yet doesn’t let you taste things you have never heard? HUGE FAIL.
The pizza is good though. Oh and they have board games.
Why is it, in life, that unbelievably great ideas (like this beer garden) are plagued by such unnecessary issues. Let your paying customer taste a beer for goodness sake. Geez.
UPDATE:
Go on a Friday and it’s filled with kids. At a bar! This place is falling down hill FAST. I’m done with it!

Loved the pizza and quite a nice beer selection. We liked the chill atmosphere and «self service» feel. I did think it was pricey… the drinks were — but the pizza was reasonable. Didn’t ask to sample any beers but that is disappointing to read that the don’t let you sample. Hopefully they will get with the program there. Also they need a better cider… the two they had were meh.
A nice addition to the area that is lacking in my opinion.

Very expensive place! Let me repeat, VERY EXPENSIVE PLACE. I’m 35 but always get I look younger and never once got carded. I know it’s new but first time impressions are lasting. Girls bathroom was destroyed by 8:30 and out of toilet paper in all stalls but 1. Parking lot is a nightmare. It’s new, and will have slight faults, but the no carding and dirty bathrooms is a priority. The beer selections is ok, but I’m not a beer junkie and when buying a beer I should be able to taste it. You can’t taste here. I don’t want a flight of beers when I like just a handful of crafts. Good luck!

Awesome place. Like a candy store for beer lovers. Plus wine and spirits
Pizza was excellent and robs awesome!
TVs board games!
Just a real fun place

Fun! Pizza, boba, 35 draft beers, draft wine and draft cocktails, Jenga, sports video and darts in a beer garden format. Good prices, friendly service.