“Time spent with cats is never wasted."
–Sigmund Freud
Dr. Freud and I usually see eye-to-eye, except when it comes to cats.
The excellent brewery you're about to read about has a cat theme. But thanks to a traumatic childhood scratching incident, I've never been much of a cat person. (Though an AI review of the incident might conclude the husky 8-year-old antagonized the cat first…)
It was time to face my feline fears.
Spacecat sits less than an hour from Katonah in South Norwalk's historic Whistleville neighborhood, named for the steam locomotives whose whistles echoed through the area as they approached the nearby train station.
Long before a great lineup of delish craft brews flowed from the taps at Spacecat Brewing, the brick buildings on Chestnut Street hummed with a different craft. Beginning in 1906, the J. & J. Cash textile mill produced woven labels and embroidered name tapes that found their way onto garments around the world. More than a century later, this historic Whistleville mill has been reborn, preserving South Norwalk's industrial heritage while giving a new generation of artisans — including brewers — a place to create.
James Bloom opened Spacecat in 2021 at just 28 years old. Prior to the brewery biz, he worked in healthcare analytics.
“That's where I learned to think strategically and analytically, and where I got a front-row seat to how high-performing executives actually grow a company,” he said. “I'll be honest — craft beer wasn't some lifelong dream of mine. I came to it the same way most people do: checking out breweries with friends and trying a bunch of fun beers. But what I fell in love with wasn't really the liquid, it was the experience — that casual, easygoing atmosphere and the way it made me feel. There's something about a brewery you don't get anywhere else. And I felt like that was something I could build.”
KBM highly values vibe!
"The name came from a print hanging in my living room," Bloom said. "It's called The Catstronaut — a cat in a NASA-style space suit. One night I kept looking at it while brainstorming names. That was it. Spacecat. The print still hangs in the taproom today.”
Has the warehouse brewery model been overdone? It’s ubiquitous — but I'm still a fan of these rescued industrial buildings that preserve local history while giving communities a place to gather.
Of course, the building alone isn't enough. Great breweries need friendly staff, excellent beer, good food, an atmosphere that encourages lingering, and in some cases cat art on the wall. Spacecat checks every box. Families, couples, friends and dogs all filled the taproom that afternoon, and there's even a terrific private event space.
Head brewer Roger Krackow, formerly of Two Roads, keeps about 10 beers on tap with something for every palate.
“Our philosophy is KISS — Keep It Simple, Stupid," Bloom said. "To us, great beer isn't loaded with adjuncts and hard to drink. When we do add something, we really interrogate it: is this making the beer better, or are we just chasing hype? And we let our customers steer where we go next.”
The KBM crew dutifully got to work tasting each Spacecat brew and here are our highlights:
Helles Style Light Lager, 4.8%: enjoyably crisp and not overly light.
Dos Gatos Amber Mexican Lager, 5%: This style is typically crisp, highly refreshing, featuring a light to medium-gold color, subtle malt sweetness, and a dry, clean finish. We liked Spacecat’s lightly sweet finish.
Schwarzbier Dark Lager, 5.6%: They nailed it. This is in my top 3 fave styles because of its toasty notes and surprisingly not heavy body.
Whistleville Pils German Style Pilsner, 5%: Floral hops, light body, dry finish, smooth all around.
Bees Knees Honey Blonde Spring Ale, 5.3%: The prominent honey notes pleased all of us.
Orion New England IPA (NEIPA), 6.6%: Orion delivered classic NEIPA character — juicy haze, citrus aromatics, strawberry notes, and a restrained finish that kept everyone reaching for another sip.
Regulus American Style IPA (AIPA), 6.2%: Named after one of the brightest stars in the sky. Notes of citrus, white peach, and subtle pine — we found it was even better with food.
Tree Cat West Coast IPA, 7.3%: West Coast styles bring “pine” notes and team member GT literally applauded the deep golden color, tangerine–lemon–lime aromatics. and balanced bitterness + malt profile.
On these brewery visits, it is a testament to their brewing acumen when we bring home cans of their brews, as we all did that day at Spacecat.
“About a year ago we opened our own house food truck, Whistleville Grill, where we make what I believe is the best burger in Connecticut," Bloom said. "Bold claim, I know — time will tell.”
Consider me officially converted to the smashburger movement. Chef John Canale's version was perfectly charred outside, juicy inside. When the waiter asked whether I wanted a single or double patty, my "friends" erupted in predictable laughter.
The rest of our fare followed suit: crispy Buffalo wings (with blue cheese as ranch has no place on wings), grilled chicken sandwiches, funky hot dogs, a braised short rib melt, waffle fries, and outstanding onion rings rounded out our feast.
I survived an afternoon surrounded by cats, albeit artistic ones.
Bloom told me he fell in love with the brewery experience more than the beer itself. After spending an afternoon at Spacecat, I completely understand.
Outstanding beer, terrific food, welcoming people and a fascinating slice of Norwalk history make Spacecat a great visit.
Contact John Bart at TheKatonahBeerMan@gmail.com or visit thekatonahbeerman.wordpress.com. Spacecat Brewing Company is located at 7 Chestnut St., in Norwalk. For more information, visit spacecatbrewing.com or call 203-857-1074
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