Welcome to the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild Newsletter for October 2011 — keeping you posted on what’s brewing in New Jersey.

In this issue:

• Fall is Fresher with JJ Bitting Hop Harvest Ale
• Cape May Brewing Company Now Open for Tours
• Wooden Barrel Tapping from High Point
• Celebrate the Season with Krogh’s Oktoberfest
• Trap Rock to Host Triumph Beer Dinner on Tuesday, 10/11
• Beers for Babes at Harvest Moon
• River Horse Oktoberfest Celebration on Saturday, October 8th
• Iron Hill Brings Home the Goods from GABF
• Flying Fish/DiBrunos/Osteria Beer and Cheese Event Caught on Tape
• Benefit Beer Pairing Dinner to Feature Carton Brewing and Kane Brewing
• Reserve Now for Ship Inn Guy Fawkes Night
• October Events

Fall is Fresher with JJ Bitting Hop Harvest Ale

For the month of October JJ Bitting Brewing Company will be carrying the full complement of Autumnal seasonal beers. From their brewer Chris Sheehan:

Starting with the award winning “Bad Boy Oktoberfest” we now also have our “Hop Harvest Ale”, which is a strong and complex wet-hopped brew made with hops that I grow in upstate NY. I cut down the plants and the cones were hand-picked in Woodbridge while the brew was underway. It doesn’t get much fresher than that! In addition to that our “Nut Brown Ale” is also pouring. Like many breweries which feature the style at this time of year, we felt this would enhance our fall line-up with it’s roasty and toasty medium bodied character. Last but not least is the “Raging Pumpkin Ale” featuring lots of pumpkin flavor and just a little spicy character to enhance that pumpkin pie perception.

JJ Bitting is also hosting a “Halloween Bash” on Saturday, October 29th featuring a band, prizes and specials.

Cape May Brewing Company Now Open for Tours

The tasting room at Cape May Brewing Company is now open for tours, growler fills and merchandise on Saturdays from 12-4.

Wooden Barrel Tapping from High Point

High Point Brewing Company will be doing a wooden barrel tapping ceremony at the Office Beer Bar and Grill in Montclair on Thursday, October 6th. The barrels are full of Ramstein Oktoberfest Lager currently rated #1 in style by Beer Advocate.

High Point Brewing will host an open house and brewery tour on Saturday, October 8th. Free tour and samples for those 21 and older. Beer is available in growlers (new or refill customer owned) to go.

Celebrate the Season with Krogh’s Oktoberfest

It’s Fall at Krogh’s Restaurant & Brew Pub, 23 White Deer Plaza, Sparta, and they kick off the season with their popular and long-awaited Oktoberfest! Krogh’s Oktoberfest is brewed in the style of German Marzenbier. Marzenbier is full-bodied, rich, toasty and typically dark copper in color with a medium to high alcohol content. The Krogh’s variation has a malty flavor with a well-balanced hop bitterness and a clean, dry finish. It is topped with an off-white, foamy head. The grain bill for Krogh’s Oktoberfest: German Pilsner, Munich, Vienna / IBU: 15 / ABV: 5.9 / OG: 15.5 Plato

This is followed by their popular Pumpkin Ale, also on tap in October. November brings an Abbey’s Ale. Give Krogh’s a call for reservations, questions, or directions at 973-729-8428.

Trap Rock to Host Triumph Beer Dinner on Tuesday, 10/11

Reservations are now available for the Trap Rock Beer Dinner on October 11th. The guest brewer will be Triumph Brewery of Princeton, NJ. Chef Andy will prepare a special pairing menu once the beer selection for the evening has been decided. His theme for this dinner will be locally produced food. The price will be $75 per person, including tax and gratuity. Details available online. Call (908) 665-1755 to make your reservation now.

Beers for Babes at Harvest Moon

The Central Jersey Beers for Babes chapter will hold their inaugural event at Harvest Moon Brewery & Cafe. Join them on Tuesday, October 25th from 7-9 PM. Head brewer Kyle McDonald will be leading the ladies through a tutored tasting of his beers. The price is $15 for the sampler. More information available on the Beers for Babes Facebook page.

River Horse Oktoberfest Celebration on Saturday, October 8th

Local beer, live music and food provide all the reason you need to join River Horse Brewing Company for their Oktoberfest. They are going to pack it all in one day this year, Saturday, October 8th from 1pm to 6pm. There is no cover charge, pay as you go. Proceeds to benefit local non-profits. Bring non-perishable food to donate to local food pantries. More details on their website.

Iron Hill Brings Home the Goods from GABF

From the blog of Chris LaPierre, head brewer at Iron Hill Maple Shade:

I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate Bob, Vince and all of our brewers on our recent wins at the Great American Beer Fest. Bob continued his uninterrupted ten-year winning streak with a silver medal for his Russian Imperial Stout. Vince took his first (of many we’re sure) GABF medal in the form of a bronze for The Grand Inquisitor. I flew home with Maple Shade’s first medal, a bronze for Vienna Lager.

Read the full post.

Flying Fish/DiBrunos/Osteria Beer and Cheese Event Caught on Tape

Don’t watch this if you’re hungry (or thirsty). A quick look at Flying Fish’s recent pairing event at Osteria. Check out the video.

Benefit Beer Pairing Dinner to Feature Carton Brewing and Kane Brewing

A benefit beer pairing dinner, celebrating the 10th anniversary of Family Promise of Monmouth County, will be held on Friday October 14th at Maloney’s Pub & Grill in Matawan. The event features Kane Brewing Company and Carton Brewing, two of the newest New Jersey craft brewers, both located in Monmouth County.

Reserve Now for Ship Inn Guy Fawkes Night

The annual Guy Fawkes Night at The Ship Inn will Wednesday, November 2nd at 6:30 PM! Renaissance dress and bawdy music should guarantee a great time. Reservations and information at (908) 995-0188.

October Events

The Garden State Craft Brewers Guild website is continuously updated with new events. Check out the calendar to see what’s brewing in New Jersey this month.

In this issue:

• Help New Jersey Breweries Grow and Thrive!
• Tickets on Sale for 15th Annual Beer Festival
• Trap Rock Beer Dinners June 7 and 14
• Krogh’s to Host Homebrewing Event
• Woodbridge Lite on Tap, Black Magic Schwarzbier on Deck at JJ Bitting
• High Point Blondes Out for the Summer
• Flying Fish Exits 11 & 16 Make Brief Reappearance
• Guild Breweries Take Part in Philly Beer Week
• June Events

Help New Jersey Breweries Grow and Thrive!

The Guild has introduced legislation to help us continue to create jobs, generate tourism and promote beer in New Jersey. Our state now has the largest number of breweries in almost 100 years. Unfortunately, in some cases, the regulations don’t reflect an industry with many small, local breweries instead of large national ones. We are looking to address some of those issues that are holding back our local businesses while still promoting responsible alcohol consumption.

You as a consumer/voter/constituent have the most powerful voice in helping us make that a reality. We need you to contact your state representatives and ask them to support our bills Senate Bill 2870 (S-2870) and Assembly Bill 3969 (A-3969). We’ve provided tools to help you find you representatives, supplied a template for a letter that you can adapt and given an overview of what the bills would accomplish. You can find it all here.

Tickets on Sale for 15th Annual Beer Festival

The 15th Annual Garden State Craft Brewers Guild Beer Festival will be taking place on Saturday, June 18th from 1-5pm. Tickets are $45 (must be 21 or older). Sample great craft beer, enjoy good food and hang out on the deck of the Battleship New Jersey!

Tickets are available now through TicketWeb!

Trap Rock Beer Dinners June 7 and 14

The last beer dinner at Trap Rock Restaurant & Brewery was so successful they are going to have another one, only bigger! To accommodate even more people than last time, the next beer dinner will be split into two, taking place on two separate Tuesdays. The setting of the dinner will also be returned to the Garden Room to allow more large groups to dine together and to allow everyone to hear the speakers better.

More details are available on their website.

Krogh’s to Host Homebrewing Event

Krogh’s Restaurant & Brew Pub at 23 White Deer Plaza in Sparta has announced a unique homebrewing event that they are hosting on Sunday, June 12 from noon – 3 pm! Join them as they host a live world-wide web “podcast” starting at noon and sponsored by Final Gravity Podcast. The topic of discussion will be “Getting Involved with Homebrewing”. There will be guest speakers, such as Chris McGrath of River Horse Brewing in Lambertville, NJ, along with homebrewing demonstrations and lectures by njhopz.com, Q&A time and a “Meet & Greet” with a brewer from their own brew pub! There will also be live music from 3:00 – 5:00 pm in the Pub area. If you are interested in homebrewing, this is a must-see event for you!

The Krogh’s Seasonal beer for June will be their long-awaited “Best of Show Beer” from the 2010 NJ State Fair Homebrewing Contest. It will be available on June 17th at 5:00 pm. The winner was Peter Kennedy and Peter got to brew his winning beer right at Krogh’s! It’s a Patersbier with a twist! This is a Belgian-style Ale, which represents the height of the brewer’s art with sophisticated brewing techniques, yeast blends and unique flavoring elements.

For questions, directions or reservations, please give Krogh’s a call at 973-729-8428.

Woodbridge Lite on Tap, Black Magic Schwarzbier on Deck at JJ Bitting

JJ Bitting Brewing Co. in Woodbridge has their deck open and in full swing. They just planted a bunch of hops up there as well, so look for some great harvest beers when they start producing. Their Woodbridge Lite is on tap now. It is a very sessionable light lager. Soon to come on tap is the Black Magic Schwarzbier and Biersrtasse Hefe.

See you guys at the Battleship!

High Point Blondes Out for the Summer

High Point Brewing Company, the specialist for wheat beers, is promoting their award winning Blonde Hefe-weizen and Double Platinum Blonde during the warm weather. The Office Beer Bar & Grill is one of the fine beer bars that will have their wheat beers on tap.

Their June Open House tour is on Saturday, June 11th. There will be one tour at 2 pm, as with all of their summer Open House tours.

High Point will be participating in the 15th Annual Garden State Craft Brewers Guild Beer Festival on Saturday, June 18th.

Flying Fish Exits 11 & 16 Make Brief Reappearance

Flying Fish Brewing Company is too busy keeping up with their regular styles this summer to try to sneak out a new Exit beer, but they have done the next best thing. Based on your votes, they have decided to rebrew one batch each of Exit 11 Hoppy Wheat and Exit 16 Wild Rice Double IPA for draft only. The beers will start shipping this week, so look for them on tap when you’re out and about.

Flying Fish is heading to one of the Garden State’s prime growing areas for Hammonton’s first Slow Food dinner. Four courses paired with four Flying Fish. Onion tartlet, grape tomato salad, local pork loin, Cape May Day Boat scallops, strawberry shortcake and more.

Flying Fish will be running tours every other Saturday this summer. For the most up to date information, check their calendar.

Guild Breweries Take Part in Philly Beer Week

Philly Beer Week is the largest beer celebration of its kind in America, featuring hundreds of festivals, dinners, tours, pub crawls, tastings and meet-the-brewer nights to area bars, restaurants and other locations throughout Greater Philadelphia. The event runs June 3-12.

View special event pages from Flying Fish and River Horse. Keep an eye out for other Guild members as well.

June Events

The Garden State Craft Brewers Guild website is continuously updated with new events. Check out the calendar to see what’s brewing in New Jersey this month.

Welcome to the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild Newsletter for May 2011 — keeping you posted on what’s brewing in New Jersey…

Tickets on Sale for 15th Annual Beer Festival

The 15th Annual Garden State Craft Brewers Guild Beer Festival will be taking place on Saturday, June 18th from 1-5pm. Tickets are $45 (must be 21 or older). Sample great craft beer, enjoy good food and hang out on the deck of the Battleship New Jersey!

Tickets are available now through TicketWeb!

High Point Wins Best of Show at TAP NY

High Point Brewing Company won the gold medal best of show at Tap NY 2011 for their Ramstein Double Platinum Blonde Hefe-Weizen.

Ramstein Double Platinum Blonde is available on draft at fine establishments in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania (including Biggies in Carlstadt, NJ, Stirling Hotel in Stirling NJ, Iron Monkey in Jersey City, Office Beer Bar and Grill in multiple NJ locations and Brauhaus Schmitz in Philadelphia). Growlers can be filled at High Point’s gift shop and tap room from 9:30am – 6:30pm Monday through Friday and Saturday afternoons till 4pm.

High Point open house and tour on Saturday May 14, 2011. 2 sessions (2-3:30PM & 3:45-5PM). Look for Ramstein Imperial Pilsner on draft throughout May.

Harvest Moon Tapping Maibock, Readying Summer Saion Series

The first week of May will see the release of Harvest Moon Brewery/Cafe Maibock lager. May will also kickoff their “Summer Saison Series” with the release of their Belgian Saison. Also keep an eye out for the Harvest Moon Chinook Double IPA!

Woodbridge Lite to Debut at JJ Bitting

JJ Bitting Brewing Co. in Woodbridge will debut Woodbridge Lite in May. They will also offer a dry hopped version of The Whales Brew. Currently on tap is Victorias Golden Ale, JJ’s Raspberry Wheat, Rat Pack Pilsner, Garden State IPA, and Black Jack Oatmeal Stout. And the JJ’s deck is open for business!

Krogh’s Features Gruney’s Belgian Dubble

Krogh’s Restaurant & Brew Pub in Sparta will be featuring a Gruney’s Belgian Dubble as their handcrafted beer for May. Stay tuned for June as they unveil “The New Jersey State Fair Best of Show 2010 Home Brew!” More details on this to come next month. For reservations or questions, call them at 973-729-8428.

Philadelphia Daily News Profiles Ship Inn

The Ship Inn in Milford was featured recently with an article in the Philadelphia Daily News. An article heading that includes “good food, good brews” is always promising!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Iron Hill Maple Shade

Head to Iron Hill Maple Shade this Thursday 5/5 and sample Oscura – a dark Mexican lager with a pronounced roasted malt aroma and flavor, and a crisp, clean finish.

River Horse Packs ‘Em in for ShadFest 2011

River Horse Brewing Company has posted pictures from ShadFest 2011 on their Facebook page. The images prove once again there ain’t no party like a shad party.

The Reviews Are In for Basil T’s

Basil T’s in Red Bank has recently been featured with positive reviews from the Jersey Shore Restaurant Review and Monmouth Health & Life!

NJ Beer Co. Garden State Stout in Jersey City Festival Saturday, May 7

The Jersey City Festival & Adopt A Lot Kickoff Party takes place Saturday May 7th from 9am to 10pm. New Jersey Beer Co. will be there featuring their Garden State Stout.

The Garden State Stout was also recently reviewed by The BewThusiast.

The Gaslight Brewery Eliminator is Back in Town

With a reputation that precedes it, The Eliminator from Gaslight Brewery & Restaurant has swaggered back into town. At 8.6% it will kick you in the head. A little sweetness and the cold fermentation gives it a smoothness that has the potential to pack a punch like a 2×4 wrapped in velvet and bubble wrap.

Cricket Hill Releases Summer Breakfast Ale – Summer is Officially Here

The summer has come again to the Jersey Shore and with it comes Jersey Summer Breakfast Ale from Cricket Hill Brewing Company. This unfiltered Breakfast Ale is as fresh and full of flavor as a day down the Shore! Fermented with Belgian Yeast, this beer has a slightly tangy, fruity taste that pairs as well with bacon and eggs as it does with a back yard barbeque. Summer Breakfast Ale is always a summer favorite!

Exit 4 Reigns Supreme in Washington Post’s 2011 Beer Madness

Exit 4 from Flying Fish Brewing Company has trumped the competition in the Washington Post’s 2011 Beer Madness. There were 64 beers blind-tasted by a pretty discerning panel and Jersey kicked butt, winning the final round against Lagunitas Maximus. Get the story from The Washington Post and also from NBC10 News.

May Events

The Garden State Craft Brewers Guild website is continuously updated with new events. Check out the calendar to see what’s brewing in New Jersey this month.

Welcome to the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild Newsletter for March 2011 — keeping you posted on what’s brewing in New Jersey.

Tickets on Sale for 15th Annual Beer Festival

The 15th Annual Garden State Craft brewers Guild Beer Festival will be taking place on Saturday, June 18th from 1-5pm. Tickets are $45 (must be 21 or older). Sample great craft beer, enjoy good food and hang out on the deck of the Battleship New Jersey!

Tickets are available now through TicketWeb!.

Trap Rock Mardi Gras Beer Dinner on Tuesday, March 8th

Only a few seats remain for the Trap Rock Mardi Gras Beer Dinner. This dinner will take place on Fat Tuesday (March 8, 2011) starting at 6:30PM. The dinner will, naturally, have a Mardi Gras theme. The guest brewery will be Ommegang from Cooperstown, NY, specializing in Belgian-style ales, described as “functional art, crafted to make your dining and drinking experience something to behold.”

The price is $75 per person, including tax and gratuity. They will need a credit card number to hold your spot. Call the Trap Rock at (908) 665-1755, or come in to the bar so that they can add you to the list.

Annual Chili Cook-off March 20th at JJ Bitting

On Sunday, March 20th JJ Bitting Brewing Co. in Woodbridge will hold their Annual Chilli Cook-off. The event benefits local charities and features entertainment and door prizes.

Currently at JJ’s they have the Baltic Ported WHALES collabortaion, Barley Legal and a real nice Bitter on tap. Soon to come is the O’hallerins Irish Red and Rat Pack Pilsner.

Flying Fish Releases Exit 9

Flying Fish Brewing Company has releases Exit 9 – Hoppy Scarlet Ale, the latest in their Exit Series of beer. Exit 9 is best known as the Rutgers University exit. The state’s university, Rutgers, began in 1771 with classes held at a local tavern though by 1810, students were banned from frequenting “beer and oyster houses.” To celebrate Exit 9, Flying Fish brewed a richly flavored red beer crafted with a variety of domestic and imported malts and a classic American yeast strain.

Also, If you happen to be heading to Hawaii next week, catch a taste of Jersey at the Kona Brewers Festival on Saturday, March 12th. Flying Fish will be serving Exit 4 and HopFish IPA at this festival on the beach.

Krogh’s Will Bring Out the Stout for St. Patrick’s Day

This March, Krogh’s Restaurant & Brew Pub in Sparta will be finishing up an Augie’s Alt and then unveiling a Sullivan’s Irish Stout for St. Patrick’s Day! When they complete the Stout Krogh’s will be bringing out a Maibok! Please call ahead to make sure they have what you want on tap…973-729-8428. Happy Spring from Krogh’s Restaurant & Brew Pub!

Harvest Moon Hosting St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

Harvest Moon Brewery/Cafe will be hosting a beer dinner on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17 at 6:45pm. The dinner will be five courses each specially paired with one of their beers. Harvest Moon is selling tickets in advance for $60. Space is limited so people are encouraged to call or stop in soon to purchase their tickets. The number is (732)249-6666. The menu is available online.

Harvest Moon is currently pouring Paddy’s Irish Stout and will be through St. Patrick’s Day. And just in time for the beer dinner, they will be tapping their Barley Wine on March 16th.

Spring Cask Festival at Uno Chicago Grill in Metuchen

On March 26th Uno Chicago Grill | Metuchen hosts their annual spring cask festival. They will have 8 to 10 casks tapped. Come down and try one of UNOS Ales and also sample Ales from other breweries in the area. Casks are confirmed from Flying Fish, Yards, Weyerbacher,and High Point. Doors open at 11:30 for this all day event!

High Point to Debut Ramstein Maibock Lager

High Point Brewing Company will debut its award winning Ramstein Maibock Lager at their first open house of 2011. The date is Saturday March 12th. Two sessions (2-3:30 and 3:45-5pm). Ramstein Maibock is currently rated 100 points by RateBeer.

Ramstein Maibock will be available only on draft at fine establishments in NJ, NY and PA.

High Point Brewing will be serving its beers at the Philly Craft Beer Festival on Saturday March 5th. Please visit them on Facebook for more info.

Gaslight Celebrations in March

Gaslight Brewery & Restaurant in South Orange is running their Mardi Gras Celebration through March 8th. Their St. Patrick’s Day Celebration takes place March 17 to March 21. And join the fun for the Gaslight annual Bus trip to Tap New York Craft Beer & Fine Food Festival on May 1st. Tickets on sale!

River Horse Meet the Brewer Night this Friday, March 4th at Blue Dog

This Friday night at 6PM c’mon out to the Blue Dog Tavern in Lansdale, PA for River Horse Meet the Brewer Night. They will be pouring Oatmeal Milk Stout, Hop-A-Lot-Amus Double IPA, Double Wit, and a specialty Tripel Horse cask aged with Bourbon Soaked Oak Chips (wow, that’s a better lineup than the 1927 Yankees).

New Jersey Beer Co. featured in TimeOut NY

New Jersey Beer Co. Be is featured in the TimeOut New York story on The Rise of the Nanobrewery. Makes a good read!

March Events

The Garden State Craft Brewers Guild website is continuously updated with new events. Check out the calendar to see what’s brewing in New Jersey this month.

Welcome to the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild Newsletter for January 2011 — keeping you posted on what’s brewing in New Jersey.

New Jersey Breweries on Facebook and Twitter
You can find them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. The Brewers Guild and its members were doing social media before social media was cool. Here are some links:

Facebook

• Garden State Craft Brewers Guild
• Basil T’s
• Cricket Hill
• Flying Fish
• Gaslight
• High Point
• Iron Hill
• JJ Bittings
• Krogh’s
• New Jersey Beer Co
• River Horse
• Triumph of Princeton
• Tun Tavern
• Uno Chicago Grill – Metuchen

Twitter

• Garden State Craft Brewers Guild
• Basil T’s
• Flying Fish
• Gaslight
• Iron Hill
• JJ Bittings
• Krogh’s
• New Jersey Brewing Co
• Triumph of Princeton

Harvest Moon Hosting Jimmy D Charity Event on Sunday, 1/16

The Harvest Moon Brewery/Cafe will be hosting their annual Jimmy D’s charity event on Sunday, January 16th to honor the late former New Brunswick deputy fire chief James D’Heron and help support the Connecticut Burns Foundation Children’s Burn Camp, a charity that was very dear to his heart. There will be a live DJ all day, a 50/50 raffle and other fun events. For more information call 732.249.6666 or visit harvestmoonbrewery.com.

Late January will see several new beer styles grace Harvest Moon taps, including a black IPA and a weizenbock.

Krogh’s Kicks Off 2011 with Vanilla Porter

Krogh’s Restaurant & Brew Pub at 23 White Deer Plaza in Sparta has a Fallon’s Vanilla Porter as its current seasonal. Coming up in February, their next handcrafted beer will be an Augie’s Alt and then a Sullivan’s Irish Stout in March. Call ahead at 973-729-8428 to make sure they have what you want on tap or to make a reservation.

Cricket Hill Releases Winter Seasonal – The Paymaster’s Porter

As the new year enters so does Cricket Hill’s winter seasonal : The Paymaster’s Porter! The Paymaster Porter is a dark brown Ale with major coffee flavors but no burnt aftertaste. The background is slightly chocolate with wonderful candied undertones. It finishes with a marvelous mixture of chocolate and coffee. It is truly an Ale that lives up to the gentle session beer reputation that Cricket Hill has become well known for! So take that same Porter and age it in Bourbon barrels. What you get is their current reserve series beer: A bourbon barrel aged Porter that defies imagination with its flavor!

Cricket Hill held its first annual home brew contest with the all around winner becoming one of this year’s Reserve Series Beers and the runners up to become small batch beers. Each will be brewed by the home brewer under the watchful eye of our Head Brewer David Manka. There were 33 entries, all of which were well made and very difficult to pick one over another.

The runner’s up were:
Doug Petkoski – Imperial Ipa
Bill Kovach – American Pale Ale
Keith Koval – Belgian Dubbel

The Grand Prize:
Bill Kovach – Russian Imperial Stout

Each of these brewers received a pint glass and a Bourbon barrel and get their beer brewed by a production Brewery!

Stayed tuned for the next Cricket Hill release in February…an American Brown Ale.

River Horse to Host Lambertville-New Hope Winter Festival Chili Cook-off

2011 will be the 15th annual chili cook-off at the Lambertville-New Hope Winter Festival. Come in from the cold for their spicy hot competition, featuring some of the tastiest, tangiest and most original chili created by the finest local restaurants and accompanied by Lambertville’s award winning River Horse Brewery beers. The event takes place Sunday, January 30th. Admission includes commemorative pint glass. More information available on the Lambertville-New Hope Winter Festival website.

Jersey’s Finest — a collaboration between Iron Hill Maple Shade and Flying Fish

Join the fun on January 15th from noon to 4 PM. Iron Hill Maple Shade welcomes guest brewer Casey Hughes of Flying Fish Brewing Company.

ON TAP FROM FLYING FISH
Exit 13 Chocolate Stout
Grand Cru Winter Reserve

ON TAP FROM IRON HILL
Luca Brasi
Cask-Conditioned Half Caff
Jersey’s Finest – a blend of Flying Fish Exit 13 and Iron Hill’s Luca Brasi aged on whole vanilla beans and cocoa nibs

Flying Fish Exit 13 Chocolate Stout Draft Released

After getting all the bottles shipped in time for the holidays, Flying Fish released a limited amount of Exit 13 draft throughout New Jersey. Catch it while you can. Also, all bottles have been shipped, so if you still want some, grab it when you see it.

Flying Fish Brewing Company gives you behind the scenes access to the labeling of Exit 13–the sixth stop in their Exit Series of big bottle beers. See the video on the Flying Fish website.

High Point Preparing to Unleash ICE Storm Eisbock

Ramstein ICE Storm Eisbock is scheduled for release during the week of January 17th. Samples and Growler fills available at the brewery. Check out ramsteinbeer on Facebook for exact date and more info.

High Point Brewing Company was selected to participate in a very special beer dinner at Blue Hill at Stone Barns on January 30th. The event features locally brewed beers with local ingredients. High Point will brew a batch of beer with locally grown and malted spelt as well as local honey.

High Point Brewing Company’s gift shop and tasting room will be opened normal business hours M-Sat. during January and February (weather permitting). There will be no formal guided tours till March 12th.

January Events

The Garden State Craft Brewers Guild website is continuously updated with new events. Check out the calendar to see what’s brewing in New Jersey this month.

Welcome to the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild Newsletter for April 2010.

The New Jersey Beer Co. Now Brewing

Bringing craft beer production back to Hudson County for the first time in more than a decade, The New Jersey Beer Co. brewed its first batch in early April. The 20 barrel brewery will launch with three beers – Hudson Pale Ale, Garden State Stout and 1787 Abbey Single, a Belgian-style session beer. Founder and President Matt Steinberg says the beers will be on tap and in bottles by April 26.

Located in North Bergen, the brewery is a fulfilled dream for Steinberg, who embraced his love for homebrewing and the American entrepreneurial spirit. Matt Westfall, of New England Brewing will oversee the inaugural batches. In the coming months Steinberg says the brewery will add new styles to the lineup and will add to the already proud tradition of brewing beer in the Garden State. More information about the brewery may be found at www.njbeerco.com.

Brewers Guild Hits Sweet 16

With the addition of the soon-to-open New Jersey Beer Co. and the return of Trap Rock Brewing, the Guild now stands at 16 breweries strong which will make this June’s festival maybe the best yet.

Speaking of the June festival, tickets are now on sale through the Battleship NJ. This year’s festival takes place Saturday, June 26th from 1-5 PM.

High Point Declares Maibock Season

Ramstein Maibock is in season. This beer has a 99 rating from Ratebeer and an A- from Beer Advocate. Ramstein Maibock is available on draft in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Growler fills are available at the brewery.

Upcoming events at High Point Brewery: April 10, 2010 – Brewery Open house, two sessions 2-3:30 and 3:30-5PM. April 24-25, 2010 – Tap NY at Hunter Mountain, NY.

Flying Fish Releases 14th Edition Of The Perfect Summer Beer-Farmhouse Summer Ale

Hard to believe this tasty stuff is now entering its 14th summer. That’s good for all of us! Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale is on its way out to your favorite retailer and tavern as you read this. The perfect summer beer, Farmhouse Ale is brewed with pale malt, a small percentage of wheat and single-hopped with imported Styrian Golding hops. It’s a tribute to the “everyday” Farmhouse beers of Belgium (but it’s not a Saison – no fruit, herbs or spices). A sour mash gives this beer its signature dryness and great drinkability.

Krogh’s Celebrating Spring with Maibock

Krogh’s Restaurant and Brew Pub, 23 White Deer Plaza in Sparta, will be celebrating spring with a Maibock in April. Call 973-729-8428 for directions or reservations.

Celebrate Shad Fest with River Horse and Triumph

It’s that time of year again…Shad Fest at River Horse Brewing Company and Triumph Brewing Company. The event takes place Saturday April 24th and Sunday April 25th. Each year the festival highlights the region’s arts community, the City of Lambertville, the Delaware River, and of course, the Shad! The Shad Festival has evolved from a local art show into a nationally recognized award-winning event.

For more info visit lambertville.org.

April Events

The Garden State Craft Brewers Guild website is continuously updated with new events. Check out the calendar to see what’s brewing in New Jersey this month.

Welcome to the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild Newsletter for March 2010 — keeping you posted on what’s brewing in New Jersey.

Cricket Hill Reserve Series Continues with #2 and #3

This March & April Dave Manka and Joe Esser, brewers at Cricket Hill Brewing Company in Fairfield, NJ will be releasing specialty beers #2 and #3 as part of the Cricket Hill Reserve Series!

Reserve #2 is a very limited release of a Bourbon barrel aged Porter! This year we will be treated to the flavors drawn from barrels of Four Roses Bourbon, just in time to chase away the winter blues! This release is available in 22oz. bottles only and is being limited to 100 cases. It is THE beer to seek out, find and enjoy! Look for it in finer liquor stores in late March.

#3 Reserve is also Cricket Hill’s 500th brew! True to form, #3 is a Barleywine created in the usual easy to drink style that has become Cricket Hill’s trademark. Holding the Barleywine at 8% ABV allows the non-traditional Barleywine drinker an opportunity to taste a full flavored BW without the usual overwhelming alcohol kick! Once again Cricket Hill has stayed true to its mission and has brewed us beer drinkers a wonderful treat. Look for it in April. This release will be made available in 22oz bottles and in a small quantities of sixes.

Flying Fish to Introduce Exit 16 Wild Rice Double IPA on March 15

Although usually identified with landfills and pipelines, the Hackensack Meadowlands is an amazingly diverse ecosystem providing vital animal and plant habitat. In a nod to a once common food plant here, Flying Fish has brewed this beer with wild rice. Flying Fish also added organic brown and white rice, as well as pils and pale malts.

Rice helps the beer ferment dry to better showcase the five different hops added. Lots and lots of them. Flying Fish then dry-hopped this Double IPA with even more–generous additions of Chinook and Citra hops to create a nose that hints at tangerine, mango, papaya and pine. This beer pairs extremely well with spicy foods and all kinds of seafood. And of course, it’s quite enjoyable all by itself.

If you want to learn more about the restoration of the Meadowlands, visit www.HackensackRiverkeeper.org.

You are invited to “Exit 16 Release Party… Jersey Style”. The event takes place on Monday, March 8 at 6:00pm. The event takes place at Coppermine Pub in North Arlington, NJ. More details are available on Facebook.

Sixth Annual Brewer’s Plate to Feature Guild Brewers

The Sixth Annual Brewer’s Plate takes place Sunday, March 14th at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia. The event features local restaurants and breweries. Flying Fish, River Horse, Cricket Hill and Triumph are among the participants. Tickets are $65, purchase one soon as this event sells out every year.

Krogh’s Offering St. Patrick’s Day Stout

Krogh’s Restaurant and Brew Pub, 23 White Deer Plaza in Sparta, will be featuring an Irish Stout for St. Patrick’s Day and a Maddie’s Mai Bock seasonal this April/May. Call them with any questions or for reservations at 973-729-8428.

March Events

The Garden State Craft Brewers Guild website is continuously updated with new events. Check out the calendar to see what’s brewing in New Jersey this month.

For more information, visit http://www.njbeer.org/.

Welcome to the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild Newsletter for November 2009 — keeping you posted on what’s brewing in New Jersey.

Flying Fish Releases Exit 1

For the third stop on their multi-year trip to explore the state of New Jersey through its beer and culture, Flying Fish journeys to Exit 1 for Bayshore Oyster Stout.

Oysters have had a long association with stout in the United Kingdom. This tradition was gradually lost to the rise of pale ales and overharvesting. Exit 1 celebrates this tasty combination and New Jersey’s history as one-time oyster supplier to the nation. Their version is an “export style” stout brewed with oysters. The creamy chocolate flavor harmonizes with the minerals from the oyster shells. An Irish ale yeast contributes a bit of fruitiness and a dry crispness. This richer, fuller stout is perfect for cold weather and to share with friends over great food. Not to mention with a few oysters on the half shell.

This limited edition beer is available in 750 ml bottles.

Triumph Barrel Tappings Continue

Join Triumph Brewing Company every month when the brewer drags up a barrel out of his secret stash. The supply is very limited (about ten gallons), so make sure to be on hand when the tap is hammered home.

This month’s tappings:
Princeton – Honeymoon Braggot Wednesday, November 4 at 6pm
Philadelphia – Baby Boy Bock Beer Thursday, November 5 at 6pm
New Hope – Winter Bock Friday, November 6 at 6pm

Gaslight Holiday Events

Gaslight Brewery will hold their annual Thanksgiving Gathering on November 25th-29th. Start planning now for the annual Victorian Christmas Dinner on December 9th (tickets required).

Enjoy their new beers:
Prince of Darkness (P.O.D.) English Dark mild
Warrior E.S.B. (Extra Special Bitter brewed & wet hopped with Warrior Hops)
Dog River Organic Pumpkin Ale
Pinhead Pilsner
India Pale Ale

First Annual Krogh’s Restaurant and Brew Pub Turkey Trot

Krogh’s Restaurant and Brew Pub proudly announces their sponsorship of the First Annual Turkey Trot to benefit the Sparta Education Foundation (SEF). What better way to spend a beautiful Thanksgiving morning than with other members from the community who share a common goal…educational excellence for our children attending Sparta Public Schools. Before your guests arrive, before football starts and before the feast, come walk, run, jog, skip or trot and have fun while making a difference! A 1-mile fun run will be a part of the festivities for those at least 6 years old.

Runner’s benefits include: Pre-race pasta dinner (night before) and packet pick up, dinner sponsored by The Dining Room at The Pizza Place with door prizes, music and a live broadcast from WSUS 102.3 and Clear Channel Communications DJ, T-Shirt, breakfast day of event AND fantastic goody bags that will include among other things, a $10.00 gift card from Krogh’s Restaurant and Brew Pub.

The SEF is seeking volunteers to serve on the Turkey Trot committee, and/or to work at the event. If interested, please call 877-472-1731 ext 4 or by email at: TurkeyTrot@SpartaEducationFoundation.org.

Complete information, including registration forms, can be found at runningintheusa.com.

Iron Hill Maple Shade Hosting Brewmaster’s Fall Dinner

Iron Hill Brewery in Maple Shade will host five courses featuring fresh autumn flavors on Wednesday, November 18th at 6 PM. The event will cost $60 per person including gratuity. Reservations are required.

first course
Fall Pumpkin Bisque
“maple shade” spiced creme fraiche
Paired with Pumpkin Ale

second course
Fall Salad
red oak leaf, grilled pears, crumbled gorgonzola,
pumpernickle croutons and butternut squash vinaigrette
Paired with American Brown Ale

third course
King Ludwig Beer Cheese
brown sugar-apple wood smoked bacon crisps and grilled vegetable chutney
Paired with Munich Dunkel

fourth course
Carved Grilled Tenderloin of Beef
red bliss potato lyonnaise, golden raisen,
spinach and pinenut saute and sweet blackberry jus
Paired with Quadrupel

fifth course
Caramel-Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream
Paired with Vienna Lager

Join Tun Tavern for 12th Annual Marine Corps Birthday Celebration

Join Tun Tavern for their 12th annual Marine Corps celebration — the 234th birthday for the Marines! The event takes place Tuesday, November 10th from 7 PM to 10 PM. The event features sumptuous all-you-can-eat buffet with marine favorites like “S.O.S.” and “Iwogema chili”. The ceremonial cake cutting ceremony takes place at 9 PM! There will be an authentic pipe band and a belly dancer! $12.95 per person with $2.00 pints beer.

Be a part of the continuing tradition of the Tun Tavern whose counterpart was among the first brew houses in the country and the birthplace of the US Marine Corps. Call (609) 425-0958 for more information.

Cricket Hill’s Nocturne Now Available

Cricket Hill has done it again! They have brewed the magnificent dark lager that was a favorite of their tour goers in last year’s trial experiment. Cricket’s Nocturne combines a mild crispness with subtle toasty, chocolate notes to make it the perfect thirst quencher on days when there’s a chill in the air. It’s a great accompaniment to hearty Autumn or Winter meals, or dessert by the fireside. This American dark lager’s unique balance of easy drinkability and richness of flavor make it a classic Cricket Hill delight!

River Horse “Meet the Brewer Night” @ LITM

Come by to LITM to meet River Horse reps and sample great beers. The event takes place Wednesday, November 18th from 6 to 9 PM. Featuring all year round beers plus two special releases.

November Events

The Garden State Craft Brewers Guild website is continuously updated with new events. Check out the calendar to see what’s brewing in New Jersey this month.

Welcome to the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild Newsletter for August 2009 — keeping you posted on what’s brewing in New Jersey.

Iron Hill Opens in Maple Shade

In July Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant opened their eighth location in Maple Shade, New Jersey (124 East Kings Highway, 856-273-0300). The new outpost marks the group’s first foray into New Jersey.

“We hope that beer and food lovers in New Jersey will enjoy our house-brewed beers and delicious cuisine as much as our fans in Pennsylvania and Delaware,” says Iron Hill founding partner Kevin Finn. Along with co-owners Kevin Davies and Mark Edelson, Finn has continuously sought out thriving suburban locations for their award-winning concept, beginning in Newark, DE in 1996. The Maple Shade location is made even more special by the fact that all three owners hail from New Jersey.

The new location will accommodate 280 guests and serve Iron Hill’s menu of new American favorites. Iron Hill will be open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week. Iron Hill Maple Shade will also offer an impressive selection of their house-brewed beers, including: Vienna Red Lager, an Austrian lager with bread-y malt aroma and a clean, crisp finish; Pig Iron Porter, dark, flavorful and chocolate-y with good balance and a slight bitterness; Raspberry Wheat, a filtered American wheat beer with a touch of natural raspberry flavor; and Ironbound Ale, a celebration of American ales made from the nation’s finest hops varieties such as Cascade, Crystal, Centennial and Chinook.

Gaslight Brewery & Restaurant August Tappings

Gaslight Brewery & Restaurant, a family owned and operated Brew-Pub in Essex County, is tapping their Stone Cali-Belgique I.P.A on Thursday August 6 and on Thursday August 13 they will be tapping their Stone 13th Anniversary Ale.

Also, plan now for the trip to the Newark Bears & Pig Roast on Sunday September 6. More information on their website or call (973) 762-7077.

River Horse Brings Out the Hop-alot-amus

Hop-alot-amus, a new year-round offering from River Horse Brewing Company, is now available. This double IPA is brewed from Pilsen and caramel malts and clocks in at around 8.5% ABV, with an estimated 92 IBUs. First shipments are out to distributors in New Jersey and Pennsylvania or stop by the brewery and pick some up!

Brewer’s Reserve Barrel Tappings at Triumph

Join Triumph Brewing Company every month when the brewer drags up a barrel out of his secret stash. The supply is very limited (about ten gallons), so make sure to be on hand when the tap is hammered home.

This month’s tappings:
Princeton – Honeymoon Braggot Wednesday, August 5 at 6pm
Philadelphia – Snakebite Thursday, August 6 at 6pm
New Hope – Apfelweizen Friday, August 7 at 6pm

August Events

The Garden State Craft Brewers Guild website is continuously updated with new events. Check out the calendar to see what’s brewing in New Jersey this month.

Welcome to the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild Newsletter for July 2009 — keeping you posted on what’s brewing in New Jersey.

Cricket Hill Leads the Rebellion

Cricket Hill Brewery has become the official beer of the Rebellion! Beginning last month, Rick Reed has begun the campaign for New Jersey Beers. As he says he is sick and tired of going into New Jersey bars and finding beers from all over the world but none from New Jersey!

“New Jersey Breweries make some of the finest beers on earth and if you are a New Jersey bar then you should serve at least 1 New Jersey beer. Have some pride in our state, it doesn’t matter which brewery from NJ but have at least one!!!”
Rick began passing out the Rebellion cards for beer lovers to hand out to local bars and restaurants that are not serving local NJ brews. He has given out over 1000 cards to his “foot soldiers” to let bar owners know that NJ breweries make better beers than what they carry and if they want a NJ crowd, then serve a NJ beer.

It is a good fight!


Flying Fish Brewing Announces Exit 11, The Second Beer In Their Limited-Edition, Big Bottle Series Honoring The Garden State

Flying Fish Brewing Company is proud to announce the release of Exit 11 Hoppy American Wheat Ale, the second in their wildly popular Exit Series of Big Bottle Beers. Exit 11 is a confluence of styles and ingredients, just as Exit 11 is the point in New Jersey where the Garden State Parkway, the New Jersey Turnpike and several other highways come together.

“Exit 11 is the point on the Turnpike where the Garden State Parkway branches off and takes hundreds of thousands of travelers to the renowned Jersey Shore,” says Flying Fish Founder Gene Muller. “Our Exit 11 Wheat Ale is a fresh, citrus-y summer beer perfect for beachgoers and those who only wish they were headed ‘downa shore’.”

Exit 11 is an American-style wheat beer brewed with English ale yeast and three Pacific Northwest hops, Columbus, Palisade and Amarillo. It is brewed with 50% Belgian pale malt and 50% white wheat, and is an ideal summer thirst quencher, with its bouquet of tangerines and apricots. Future Exit Series Big Bottles will be named for other exits, chosen based on videos, photos and testimonials submitted to Flying Fish by fans at www.exitseries.com. This series will continue, with three or four beers a year, to eventually encompass all turnpike exits.


For all the latest on Flying Fish you can now follow them on Twitter.

Krogh’s Has Summer Beers On Tap

Krogh’s Restaurant and Brew Pub, Sussex County’s first and only brew pub, is featuring Corbett’s IPA, Blum’s Belgian Witt and Lindfors Lager for the summer months! Late September brings our Octoberfest beer! Call ahead at 973-729-8428 to make sure it is on tap!

New Jersey Brewers Head to the Zoo


The Philadelphia Zoo has partnered with Rolling Barrel Events to craft The Summer Ale Festival, a unique summer event featuring delicious, sustainable food and regional craft beers. The event takes place Saturday, July 25 from 6:30 PM – 10:00 PM. Tickets are only available in advance through the zoo website.


Celebrate the summer season with this exciting outdoor beer and food tasting extravaganza featuring delicious local summer ales and restaurants throughout the Zoo’s lush gardens. Sample, compare and discuss beers directly with the brewers. The event will also feature an impressive lineup of educational seminars prepared by Rolling Barrel and beers from Triumph Brewing Company, River Horse and Flying Fish.

Brewers Fest Survives Rain, Jimmy Buffet

636 people attended the 13th annual garden State Brewers Guild Festival despite heavy rain and Jimmy Buffet fans swarming the area. New member Iron Hill sampled a lot of beers from their upcoming brewery. Cabin Dogs again donated their time and played several great sets. Go out and see them when they’re in your area: cabindogs.com.

July Events

The Garden State Craft Brewers Guild website is continuously updated with new events. Check out the calendar to see what’s brewing in New Jersey this month.