Stark Brewing Company

Stark Brewing CompanyStark Brewing Company
Stark Brewing CompanyStark Brewing Company
Brewery, Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

500 N Commercial St
Manchester, New Hampshire, 03101-1151
United States

(603) 625-4444 | map
starkbrewingcompany.com

Formerly Milly's Tavern
We have great specials most days of the week, including; Mac/Military Monday, Taco Tuesday, Wing Wednesday, Pizza Thursday, and Fish Friday. Also, Sundays are Stock-up Sunday! 25% off of carry out beers, brunch, $5 mimosas and bloody Marys. And kids eat free!!!
BEER STATS
Average:
3.7
Beers:
43
Ratings:
386
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.82
Reviews:
41
Ratings:
69
pDev:
13.61%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of tekstr1der
Reviewed by tekstr1der from New Hampshire

4.28/5  rDev +12%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.25
Fun place. Used to be called Milly's Tavern. Many decent beers available and I really enjoy the oatmeal stout. There were some really good live musicians back in the day, not sure if they're still doing that. Many a good night there.
Mar 01, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by atlbravsrno1 from Maine

Jun 27, 2021
 
Rated: 3.95 by REVZEB from Illinois

Oct 23, 2019
Photo of Hefsbeercaps
Rated by Hefsbeercaps from Ohio

4.34/5  rDev +13.6%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Great food, service and a very large beer selection check it out
Oct 03, 2019
Photo of MRI1292
Reviewed by MRI1292 from New Hampshire

2.58/5  rDev -32.5%
vibe: 2.75 | quality: 2.5 | service: 2 | selection: 3 | food: 3
The location and the space was nice and very cool being downtown Manchester and in an old Mill building. The only good thing about this place was the food. The bartender could not have cared less if we were happy or not. The beer all tasted the same. One thing that drove me nuts is I watched the bartender pour my beer and then help another customer before bringing it over. It sat out. Not that impressed.
Aug 25, 2019
Photo of edward_boumil
Reviewed by edward_boumil from New York

4.2/5  rDev +9.9%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Enjoyed this place. Downstairs, dark but relaxed vibe. Had a huge selection of beees, tried a few and like them all. Especially liked their cream ale.
Got an order of nachos, was good and ingredients seemed fresh. Prices were reasonable.
All in all I’ll probably be back there in the near future. Great place
Mar 05, 2019
 
Rated: 3.7 by Karibourgeois from Texas

Feb 25, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by zotzot from Vermont

May 27, 2018
 
Rated: 3.7 by KMcGrath from Massachusetts

Feb 14, 2018
 
Rated: 4.44 by DM39 from Massachusetts

Feb 27, 2017
 
Rated: 4.34 by Donteatrawhagis from Massachusetts

Feb 22, 2017
Photo of vdamato_25
Reviewed by vdamato_25 from New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Absolutely love Stark Brewing Co. Me and my buddies went their this past week for some great beers, food and football. It is a unique brewpub with the brewery and distillery at the center of attention. I had the rueben sandwich which was one of the best I have ever had. It was quality pastrami coupled with the sauerkraut of course; but what really made it was the creaminess of the melted Swiss and Russian dressing. Because of their very well known home-grown beer selection I chose to go with the 10 beer sampler which gave me 10 tastings of different beers on the menu. I am not a huge stout guy at all but their oatmeal stout was like nothing I have ever tasted. If you are looking for a full bodied, sweet beer to sip on, look no further. The scotch ale was also incredible and had a very smooth finish after a very unique, malty taste. If you are looking for something light to go with your meal, I would go with their Mt. Ucanoonuc or Red Ale. Although this place was a little hard to find, it was well worth it. I would highly recommend it and will be going back!
Sep 14, 2016
 
Rated: 3.64 by Barleycorn from Pennsylvania

Aug 13, 2016
 
Rated: 3.86 by Justin82 from Massachusetts

Mar 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.68 by mrson83 from New Hampshire

Dec 06, 2015
 
Rated: 3.2 by kdivers from New Hampshire

Dec 06, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by paulish from New York

Sep 08, 2015
 
Rated: 4.09 by rjp217 from Massachusetts

Jul 01, 2015
Photo of MacSon1982
Rated by MacSon1982 from Florida

3.53/5  rDev -7.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3
Really cool location and look to this place. They brew their own beer and it's not too bad.
May 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.31 by lambpasty from New Hampshire

May 01, 2015
 
Rated: 3.81 by jco3 from New Hampshire

Mar 15, 2015
Photo of seanzig
Rated by seanzig from New Hampshire

2.28/5  rDev -40.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2.5 | service: 1 | selection: 2.5 | food: 3.5
Beer and food for a college crowd
Feb 21, 2015
 
Rated: 2.96 by jthurbs from New Hampshire

Sep 20, 2014
 
Rated: 4.68 by DSmith234

Aug 31, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by halo3one from Georgia

Aug 26, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by mbonugli from Maine

Jun 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by BierBliss from New Hampshire

Apr 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by coombski from Maine

Mar 29, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Kelp from New Hampshire

Mar 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Kimball-NH from New Hampshire

Nov 25, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by hockeypuck from Maine

Nov 02, 2013
 
Rated: 2.75 by ajcormier from New Hampshire

Oct 31, 2013
Photo of jamespeissner
Reviewed by jamespeissner from New Hampshire

4.7/5  rDev +23%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Great selction of beerfrom a pumpkin (still) it was awesome! to a lambic (great for style) the Scotch Ale was right on and the Double IPA was really really good. the service was good and the food was great. Had the Ribs. Probably the best ribs I have ever had. the sweet potatoe fries were awesome also. I highly recommend this place if you like micro beers. Another thing I liked they don't sell bottled beer.
Apr 16, 2013
Photo of FrankLloydMike
Reviewed by FrankLloydMike from Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Update 06/05/2012:

Milly's became my local haunt when I was home for about a year, maybe a bit more, after the flood that necessitated Milly's much needed and deserved renovation, in March 2010.

The food, service and selection have all remained solid. And I still love the atmosphere here on an early evening when it's more the after-work crowd and less the heavy metal/hip-hop night crowd.

But the beer quality and offerings have been a bit all over the place as of late. I've heard, though I'm not sure that it's true, that they've been through a few different brewers lately. The IPA and the porter especially have remained solid, safe choices, and some of the rotating/seasonal offerings have been quite good. Others, though, have been a letdown.

I'll continue going here for a locally brewed pint, a round of pool and a sandwich in a nice space (assuming there's no band), but I wish Milly's would put more of the focus on the beer and less on the music. I've had great beer here before, and I wish it was a guarantee that I would whenever I'm in.

Old review from March 2010:

Overall: 4.28 | A: 4.0 | Q: 4.5 | S: 4.0 | S: 4.5 | F: 4.0 | $$

What an improvement! Because of a recent flood, Milly's has undergone a much needed and deserved renovation. The space now respects its location in the surprisingly sunny basement of an old mill and the quality of beers brewed behind the bar. Just a few small changes (and a lot of cleaning) have transformed this place from one I avoided despite the good beer to my preferred beer spot when I go home. This, of course, presumes I make it before the bands, which I could still do without, but I'm very happy to say that the tavern is now as nice as the beer it serves.

The beer selection is wonderful with eight (I believe) year-round beers and as many seasonal and rotating taps. At my last visit, I was able to have the very nice Manch Vegas IPA (I'd love to try this on cask), a maibock and an alt. All were excellent, as was the very reasonably priced food. I'd love it if Milly's dropped the music all together (and I could do with a few less TVs), but I'm just so happy to be able to have a solid meal with a great beer in a fine brewpub in Manchester.

Old review from 12-30-2008:

Milly's breaks my heart. The beer brewed on site is consistently excellent, available in a variety of styles and always pretty cheap--not crazy cheap, just pleasantly surprisingly slightly less than one might expect. Yet, it somehow falls short.

The place is in the basement of this gorgeous old mill right by the river, but also a bit far away from any other action downtown and right under an overpass. I think that sums it up pretty well. It could be a grotto to beer, a place where one descends beneath the old streets of the millyard and away from the sounds of the rushing water in the river and the cars overhead to the solace and solitude of fine beer. There's even a hint of this inside, with the brewery tanks faintly visible in an unlit area behind the bar in the middle of the vast, but meandering space. Instead of embracing this setting the way Novares Res in Portland does, however, Milly's feels more like a a sad, old sports bar with lots of shitty music. I guess it comes down to a matter of personal taste in the atmosphere, then, but I just want one good beer bar in Manchester that doesn't need a sign on the door asking you not to show your colors. In a city of over 100k, can't there be one nice place to experience the timelessness of beer without metal music and sticky floors? I wish this was the place.
Jun 05, 2012
Photo of GarthDanielson
Reviewed by GarthDanielson from Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +9.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
This is my kind of bar. Nice, wide open, with a ton of bar space. I was here on a Thursday night, so I don't know how crowded it gets on the weekends, but the atmosphere was great. You can see all the brewing equipment when you approach the bar. When I went in they had at least 15 beers on tap, so selection is definitely a plus. The staff was friendly enough, but they seemed more tuned up as normal city bar staff versus beer aficianados. I could be wrong, as I didn't probe too deep, but that was how it seemed. I didn't inquire about any food, so I can't comment on any of that. The beer was good, and the atmosphere was good, so I will be returning. Good spot in Manchester.
Apr 01, 2012
Photo of jamescain
Reviewed by jamescain from Texas

3.03/5  rDev -20.7%
vibe: 1 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5
So the reason my score for the atmosphere is low is because of the band that played there the night we went. I'm sure on a night that they are not there it has a nice environment. Apparently when we were the the original band canceled and they had to find a replacement act. Instead of just not having a bad they chose (I would hope with out prior knowledge) some screamo band. Well lets just say that is not the best music to drink to. In typical screamo fashion their music was too loud to hear the conversations of others next to you. The waiter was nice and she understood that we were not into the show and joked with us about them. Their beer was good from what I had, they had a lot of stuff that was out so it was a little disappointing. Their selection was relatively diverse. I believe the only food that I had was french fries, which were good, but it is hard to mess them up. If it wasn't for the band I would probably go back, but I didn't appreciate having to pay a $10 cover without any knowledge of who was going to be playing. If they had told me I would have come back another time.
Jul 26, 2011
Photo of WoodBrew
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +16%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Milly's is located under the Notre Dame bridge in Manchester, New Hampshire. The stairs leading down give it a "Cheers" sort of feel. The tavern is pretty large in a nice L shape. There is a dance floor at one end for the "L" and billards at the other end. In the midde is the nectar of the Gods!!! The beer on tap is decent and there are plenty of options....I was dissappointed that the IPA was out...but they did have a tasty Imperial IPA...as well as a seasonal Hopalicious. They have a cask condition beer available at all times...so I have been told. The service was great....Shout out to my girl....Autumn Rose....HEY!!!! She did not let me keave until I tried them all! The food....at least what I had was great! The chili with homemade nachos is excellent.
Apr 03, 2011
Photo of akorsak
Reviewed by akorsak from Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +6.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
En route to The Wedding.

Atmosphere: Milly's is in the basement of an office complex, hidden alongside a cheesecake shop. If you're coming from the lower lot, you'd be inclined to miss the entrance and be forced to double back. Once inside and down a short flight of stairs, the dining area and bar await. Tables first followed by the bar and more tables. The layout is rather large, plenty of space. A stage, immediately on entrance, hosts music at night. The bar covers at least 90 degrees and has taps in multiple areas.

Quality: The whole package was nice. Food and drinks were good; Dan the brewer and I had a chance to chat (he learned the ropes at Market Cross in Carlisle, PA). The late lunch resulted in an empty restaurant, perfect for our monsters.

Service: Service was prompt, aided by the low population. As more people trickled in, things slowed down but not considerably.

Selection: Eight to ten beers on tap, including a few cask offerings. The oatmeal stout is a winner, as is the foreign extra stout. The Scotch ale, I was not so keen on. I left with a growler of a mild porter. An excellect selection.

Food: Sandwiches and entrees, including grub for kiddies. I had the buffalo chicken wrap, serviceable. There are enough options to keep most people happy.
Jan 02, 2011
Photo of NEhophead
Reviewed by NEhophead from Massachusetts

3.1/5  rDev -18.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 2.5
Located in the basement of an old mill, Milly's a bit tough to find if you're not familiar with the area.

Once inside, the establishment itself is quite spacious: small stage immediately on your right, a dining area in front of you that gives way to a wrap around bar with additional seating and a lounge area in the back. I'm told that the scene usually hosts metal bands and local DJ's; not quite my scene, but luckily there was no act the evening I visited.

The beer list boasted approximately 8 regular offerings, and 4 seasonals; however, a total of 5 brews were kicked. Taps that were pouring during my visit included: Pumpkin, Manchester Mild, Lil' Ivan's Foreign Extra Stout, Mybock Yourbock, Bo's Scotch Ale, Oatmeal Stout, and Fisher Cat.

The Foreign Stout and Oatmeal Stout were tasty; however, the Scotch Ale was ridiculously over-sweetened (as our waitress warned) and the Pumpkin was standard for the style.

Although Milly's was 'unusually' crowded for a Tuesday night, there was really no excuse for the ridiculously slow service, not to mention how spacey the waitress was.

As for the food, there's really not much to say besides the fact that the black & blue burger was basically frozen and re-heated in the microwave.

Don't get me wrong, fresh beer is fresh beer and I wouldn't complain if I lived in the Manchester area considering how limited the options are; however, this is not a place to go out of your way to check out.
Nov 07, 2010
Photo of albern
Reviewed by albern from Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
I can't decide whether Milly's Tavern is a decent pub that is respectable, or is this a drinking place where lots of beer gets spilled on the floor on a Friday night. It's hard to tell and it can go either way for me. I've been in here a couple of times, usually on my way back from business trips to Vermont. It's convenient if you are heading down 293 and want a quick stop. The beer is decent, and I've had all of what they offer with their sampler. I've had this a few times now and I think no beer is particularly outstanding. The lighter lagers were particularly underwhelming. The stout and the Scotch Ale were decent. They have very fancy growlers and there is a mailing list to keep you in the know. I think this is the only brew pub in Manchester. There are some breweries nearby. Milly's Tavern is okay, nothing to rave about. The owner is a very friendly guy if you get the chance to meet him.
Oct 31, 2010
Stark Brewing Company in Manchester, NH
Brewery rating: 3.7 out of 5 with 386 ratings