It was officially Manufacturing Day — an annual celebration of modern manufacturing meant to inspire the next generation of makers and innovators. Nationwide, manufacturers open their doors and host events to help students, educators and parents learn about careers in manufacturing.

MFG Day occurs on the first Friday of October, which this year coincided with my birthday.

To be honest, I wouldn’t have known it was Manufacturing Day, except the Connecticut Business and Industry Association publicized “the world’s biggest manufacturing happy hour,” encouraging folks to head to their local brewery after work. The happy hour was intended to showcase local brewers’ role as manufacturers and active participants in Connecticut’s economy.

Okay. Birthday + Friday night + brewery happy hour … it added up for me!

Three breweries happen to be in our town of Manchester: 2nd Bridge Brewing Co., Parable Brewing Co. and Labyrinth Brewing Co. My husband and I checked out Labyrinth, which recently opened in a 135-year-old industrial building in the historic district, which houses its production facility, tap room and art gallery featuring works by local artists.

Labyrinth serves its beers in pints or 4-ounce glasses and, like most craft breweries, will fill a growler to go (750mL, 32 ounces or 64 ounces). It was a beautiful, crisp autumn evening, so I chose to try the Erebus Oatmeal Stout. In Greek mythology, Erebus was a primordial deity born of Chaos and said to be the personification of darkness — a fitting name for this dark, silky stout with smooth chocolate and coffee undertones. Delicious — so good, in fact, I decided not to try any of the others on tap.

My husband went to the lighter side with The Maize Cream Ale, a refreshing choice, with flaked corn added to grain bill. Also on tap that night were Siren’s Song Lime Gose Sour and Double Cyclops IPA.

We loved the brews, but the best beer in the world is nothing without a sense of camaraderie, and Labyrinth serves plenty. We sat at the end of a long bar, and small tables were available. But communal tables occupied the middle of the large room, where I noticed customers of all ages sharing the space. The service was wonderful and friendly, that night provided by four young women “Bar Wizards” — Alisha, Meghan, Amanda and Holly — who happily refilled glasses and kept us laughing.

The space was rustic, with whitewashed brick walls and exposed pipes and ducts, but the wooden accents and furnishings provided warmth. Guests can get a peek at the brew works through glass windows in the entry hallway.

Why do we love breweries and brewpubs? They offer a taste of the local flavor, a place to relax in an intimate and friendly atmosphere, and pride in product. There’s nothing like enjoying a local product at its source, whether it’s food, wine or beer. But breweries also celebrate independence, creativity, individuality and — here in New England — Yankee ingenuity.

As late as 2012, craft brewing was a fledgling industry in Connecticut, with only about 15 breweries operational. That changed when the state legislature amended the liquor laws in 2012 to allow breweries to serve beer on their premises. Prior to that, breweries could only give tastings and were required to obtain a liquor license in order to have a taproom.

According to the Connecticut Brewers Guild, the Connecticut beer scene now boasts more than 80 operational breweries, with many more in planning.

So, this year, we’ll trek the Connecticut Beer Trail. One down, 79 to go.

— Jan Hecht, senior editor