liberty rock tavern whiskey dinner

I love fried chicken. That's what brought me to Liberty Rock Tavern. They made a couple of appearances in CT Magazine's Best Of edition and one was for their fried chicken. My wife and I went with some friends of ours to give it a try. This was not your average bar food. The fried chicken lived up to its billing and the crab / avocado dish was a winner as well. I even have to say the Brussels sprouts were so good  I ate more that night than I have in my whole life.  When I saw they were doing a dinner I reserved a spot right away.


Liberty Rock Tavern opened up late last year in Milford's Devon section. The site was once the King's Court and way before that a restaurant I liked called Brickers. Liberty Rock Tavern is a collaborative effort of  Chef Dan Kardos, who has run the kitchens of some impressive CT restaurants, along with Brian Kearney, Dan Rizzo and Chris Hey.  

We started the dinner with the Coppersea Raw Rye and charcuterie. The rye was unaged so it was colorless. I was surprised how aromatic it was. Spices, pepper, and floral notes on the nose and palate made it a good match with the first course.

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Next up was the Troy and Sons Blonde Whiskey. Oaky and nutty, the whiskey was nice and smooth. The shrimp and grits were delicious, and when the lobster gravy came my way it was even better. The thick cut smoked bacon really complemented the whiskey. 

All the whiskeys were introduced by Chris Murk, Craft Portfolio Manager of Eder Brothers. Chris provided background for each of the whiskeys and explained the differences between them.

The third course featured the Copper Fox Rye with duck. The whiskey had a smoky quality and was aged with apple and cherry wood in barrel.  Steak knives were passed out for the duck but it was so tender the plastic knives would have been sufficient. A great combination of flavors with the cherries, mustard greens and parsnip puree, this was definitely not pub grub.

The 1995 Chateau Latour was brought in by my friend who had cleared it before the dinner. The wine was still peaking, lots of black fruits with some tannins still evident, overall a silky wine. Nice with that duck! 

The Wasmund's Single Malt is also made by Copper Fox. This is produced in a single batch copper pot still one barrel at a time. Think American Scotch. The final savory course of prime rib was rich enough to stand up to the Wasmund's. 

Dessert was served with the Waypoint Spirits Honey Habanero Whiskey. This is a unique, small batch flavored whiskey that is made in Bloomfield CT. The heat from the peppers was not at all over the top. Very enjoyable with the honey taking the edge off and smoothing it out. Add in the spicy butterscotch pudding and you have a perfect match.  

Our table mates

The meal was served family style which made for a nice casual vibe. The crowd was lively and we all enjoyed the evening. The Liberty Rock Tavern is blazing new trails here. They have elevated bar food to a higher level with their regular menu.  With what I'm sure will be more dinners they are showcasing the talents of Dan Kardos as well as turning people on to some distinctive whiskey producers. Did I mention they also have shuffle board?