Nod Hill Brewery Beer Review: Five Beers, One New BrauKon Brewhouse, and Plenty to Celebrate

Nod Hill Brewery beer review: five impressive releases from Ridgefield, Connecticut

Nod Hill Brewery celebrates nine years and its new German-engineered BrauKon brewhouse with five impressive beers. We review Double Geobunny Double IPA, Beam German-style Pilsner, Old Homeplace Oktoberfest, Eynsham English-style Dark Mild and 9 Year Anniversary IPA, with Double Geobunny taking our top spot.

Introduction: Five beers and a new brewing chapter

Nod Hill Brewery in Ridgefield, Connecticut, recently sent over a seriously cool beer gift box featuring five beers that represent different sides of the brewery’s personality, from hop-forward IPAs and traditional German lagers to a beautifully understated English-style dark mild ale. Better still, these releases represent the first beers produced on Nod Hill’s new BrauKon brewhouse, making this tasting an opportunity to check out an important new chapter for the Connecticut craft brewery.

And what a lineup.

The box included Double Geobunny Double IPA, Beam German-style Pilsner, Old Homeplace Oktoberfest, Eynsham English-style Dark Mild Ale and the special 9 Year Anniversary IPA. Double Geobunny was my favorite of the five, with the anniversary IPA coming in a close second, although each beer brought something different to the tasting.

A huge thank you to everyone at Nod Hill Brewery for sending the thoughtful beer gift box and some seriously cool Nod Hill swag. It’s always fun receiving brewery merchandise alongside new releases, especially when the beers represent a major investment in the brewery’s future.

Nod Hill Brewery beer review: quick facts

Double Geobunny Double IPA: my favorite of the five

Double Geobunny Double IPA

My favorite beer in the entire Nod Hill gift box was Double Geobunny, a Double IPA that immediately stood out in a lineup containing some very respectable competition.

Double Geobunny represents the bigger, hop-focused side of Nod Hill Brewery, delivering the kind of IPA experience that makes reaching for another pour an easy decision.

There’s something satisfying about a Double IPA that can establish itself as the standout without making the other beers feel like an afterthought.

Double Geobunny gets my top spot, and it also makes a strong introduction to what Nod Hill is producing with its new brewing equipment.

Beam German-style Pilsner: keeping things classic

Beam German-style Pilsner

Beam moves the tasting in a completely different direction, offering a German-style Pilsner alongside the bigger, hop-forward beers in this collection.

I appreciate seeing breweries put serious attention into traditional lager styles, particularly when they’re also producing popular IPAs.

A good German-style Pilsner doesn’t have a mountain of specialty ingredients to hide behind. Balance, clean fermentation and careful brewing matter.

Beam earns its place in this five-beer collection by representing the more traditional side of Nod Hill Brewery and providing a welcome change of pace between the stronger hop-focused selections.

Old Homeplace Oktoberfest: a seasonal favorite

Old Homeplace Oktoberfest

Old Homeplace brings a traditional German-inspired seasonal beer into the Nod Hill Brewery lineup, and Oktoberfest is always a style I enjoy revisiting when the weather starts changing.

An Oktoberfest beer should also provide a satisfying alternative to heavily hopped ales, with malt character taking a more prominent role.

Old Homeplace also demonstrates why having a varied brewery portfolio matters. Not everyone wants another IPA, and a thoughtfully produced Oktoberfest gives lager drinkers something worth exploring.

It’s a welcome addition to this particular tasting collection, and a beer I think you’ll enjoy.

Eynsham English-style Dark Mild Ale: an underrated style

Eynsham English-style Dark Mild Ale

Eynsham might be the most interesting stylistic choice in the entire gift box, simply because English-style dark mild ales don’t receive nearly enough attention from American craft beer drinkers.

This is a beer style built around subtlety rather than intensity, traditionally emphasizing malt character and drinkability.

No unnecessary fireworks here.

Including Eynsham alongside two IPAs, a Pilsner and an Oktoberfest demonstrates Nod Hill’s interest in brewing styles that extend beyond the most commercially obvious choices.

For anyone who appreciates traditional English brewing, Eynsham is an especially welcome addition.

9 Year Anniversary IPA: my second favorite

9 Year Anniversary IPA

Anniversary beers deserve a little extra attention, and Nod Hill’s 9 Year Anniversary IPA certainly received mine.

This special release celebrates nine years of Nod Hill Brewery while helping introduce beers produced on the new BrauKon brewing system.

It finished as my second favorite beer in the box, sitting just behind Double Geobunny.

The anniversary release feels particularly appropriate for this tasting because it connects the brewery’s history with its next stage of production.

Nine years of brewing, a new brewhouse, five releases and another reason to celebrate a Connecticut brewery that continues investing in its beer.

Nod Hill Brewery’s new BrauKon brewhouse

One of the biggest pieces of news surrounding these five releases is the arrival of Nod Hill Brewery’s new BrauKon brewhouse.

BrauKon is a German brewing equipment manufacturer known for producing professional brewing systems, and bringing a new brewhouse online represents a substantial investment in a brewery’s production capabilities.

For Nod Hill, these first five releases offer an introduction to the new equipment across several distinct beer styles.

The collection includes traditional lagers, English-inspired brewing and modern American IPAs, giving drinkers an opportunity to experience the variety Nod Hill intends to continue producing.

The brewery has plenty to celebrate, and the new BrauKon system provides another reason to follow its upcoming releases.

Related news from mybeerbuzz.com:
We’ve been following Nod Hill Brewery’s latest developments here at MyBeerBuzz, including our August 2026 report, Nod Hill Brewery Installs New BrauKon Brewhouse, Marking Next Chapter for Connecticut Brewery. That article explores the brewery’s major equipment investment, its growing Connecticut wholesale business, the arrival of Head of Brewing Operations Rob Bollard and the production improvements behind these latest releases. It’s a worthwhile companion to our new five-beer tasting, particularly for readers interested in how Nod Hill is combining modern German brewing equipment with traditional European beer styles and hop-forward American ales.

About Nod Hill Brewery – Ridgefield, Connecticut

Nod Hill Brewery is an independent, family-founded craft brewery located in Ridgefield, Connecticut, known for producing hop-forward American ales, traditional European lagers, English-style cask ales and specialty beers inspired by historic brewing methods.

Founded in 2017 by David Kaye, Robert Kaye, Kyle Acenowr and Sarah Zitnay, Nod Hill Brewery developed its identity around producing expressive, balanced beers while creating a welcoming gathering place for the surrounding Connecticut community.

The brewery’s origins stretch back to 2008, when father and son David and Robert Kaye began discussing their vision for opening a brewery during a trip to Austria. Their appreciation for traditional European beer culture, combined with David’s experiences living in London and his interest in English cask ale, helped establish the foundation for what would eventually become Nod Hill.

That European influence remains evident throughout the brewery’s portfolio.

Rather than concentrating exclusively on modern American IPAs, Nod Hill produces German-style lagers, traditional English ales, Belgian-inspired beers and specialty oak-aged releases alongside its popular hop-forward offerings.

Beers such as Geobunny IPA, Double Geobunny, Beam German-style Pilsner, Old Homeplace Oktoberfest and Eynsham English-style Dark Mild demonstrate the range of styles that define the brewery.

Sustainability and the Ridgefield brewery

Sustainability is another defining part of Nod Hill Brewery’s identity.

Since 2019, the brewery has operated using 100% solar power, supported by a 287-kilowatt rooftop solar array. Its Ridgefield property also includes a one-acre native pollinator meadow, reflecting the brewery’s interest in environmental responsibility and thoughtful land management.

Visitors to Nod Hill can experience more than its rotating craft beer selection.

The brewery features a comfortable taproom, seasonal outdoor Biergarten and dedicated event space, with regular programming that includes live music, food, trivia, special beer releases and community celebrations.

Its popular Biergarten has become an important part of the brewery’s identity, offering visitors an outdoor gathering space inspired by traditional European beer culture.

The brewery also maintains a strong connection to cask beer, preserving an important part of English brewing tradition that receives less attention at many modern American breweries.

Nod Hill Brewery’s future

With its new BrauKon brewing system, expanded production capabilities and continued commitment to traditional brewing techniques, Nod Hill Brewery is entering its next chapter with a clear direction.

The brewery continues distributing its beers in cans and on draft throughout Connecticut while maintaining its connection to the Ridgefield community.

Its combination of American IPAs, German lagers, English ales and specialty releases provides an appealing selection for drinkers interested in exploring different brewing traditions.

For additional information about Nod Hill Brewery, upcoming beer releases, tasting room availability and special events, visit the official website at www.nodhillbrewery.com.

Final thoughts: five beers worth celebrating

This Nod Hill Brewery tasting was a welcome introduction to the beers coming from its new BrauKon brewhouse.

Double Geobunny Double IPA takes my top spot, with the 9 Year Anniversary IPA finishing a very respectable second. Beam, Old Homeplace and Eynsham round out a varied collection that shows how much attention Nod Hill gives to different brewing traditions.

Thanks again to the entire Nod Hill Brewery team for the fantastic beer gift box and cool brewery swag. Congratulations on nine years and the new brewhouse!

Join the discussion: Have you tried Double Geobunny, Beam, Old Homeplace, Eynsham or Nod Hill’s anniversary IPA? Which Nod Hill beer is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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