Sarah Mukkuzhi, Contributing Photographer

Dozens of people cheered over pints of beer, booed at disfavored politicians and listened to Yale and New Haven fun facts at the East Rock Brewing Company’s trivia night on Wednesday.

The “Trad Wives,” a team of Yale School of Medicine residents, won the night in an unexpected victory after coming from behind in the final round. 

Kellen Round, one of the “Trad Wives” team members expressed his surprise.

“We had pretty low expectations going in,” Round said. “We’ve struggled around town at the different trivia nights in the past, and so when we came into this one, expectations were at the floor.”

Ross Hogan, a member of team “Pugs,” captured the fun, competitive nature of trivia night. 

“We’re here for blood,” she said before “Trad Wives” were crowned victors. 

Hogan’s team actually corrected the host on the question, “What small storefront in Westville is known for its quirky selection of clothing, art and knick-knacks from small, independent, artists?” Her team realized the store in question, Strange Ways, is no longer in Westville, and, consequently, they did not select it as an answer. 

All the “Pugs” have lived in Connecticut for quite some time and are familiar with the area, they said. Hogan was frustrated at falling behind when the host ended up giving all the teams a point for the mistake in the question. 

“We were enraged. We were incensed,” she said.  

Hogan and the other “Pugs” are often at the East Rock Brewing Co. for Trivia Night, she said, and they relish the chance to compete with Yalies.

The questions at East Rock Brewing are not as difficult as those at other trivia places in the New Haven area, Hogan added.

From facts about Yale’s secret societies to New Haven apizza, the trivia game offered participants many tidbits they may be able to use in the future to impress their friends and family: Nathan Hale was a New Haven native and revolutionary war spy who stated, “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” Walter Camp, considered the father of American football, is buried in Grove Street Cemetery. The New Haven Green was built by Puritans to accommodate enough people for the Second Coming of Christ, which they deemed to be exactly 144,000. Sally’s Apizza was opened by Frank Pepe’s nephew. 

Pat Healy, a teacher at Jonathan Law High School in Milford, hosted the trivia night.

Healy has started bartending at East Rock and even returns on days he is not working just for the community cultivated at the bar.

“People are chill. They’re relaxed,” Healy said. “The crowd is just a vibe. Like I said, it’s older, it’s younger and people are just friendly and nice to be around.” 

On average, roughly 20 teams participate in the weekly trivia night with about two to five people per team, Healy told the News. 

Healy had nothing but praise for East Rock as a venue. 

“This is one of the best neighborhoods in New Haven,” he said.

New Haven resident Gina Picagli is a regular trivia night attendee at the East Rock Brewing Company. She competed on Wednesday with her team “Old New England.” 

“I love this trivia compared to others, because the questions are really thoughtful,” she said.

East Rock Brewery Company is located at 285 Nicoll St.

Correction, Sept. 18: This article has been updated to correct the photo credit.