I was at my local watering hole one random Thursday night with a few friends of mine when the plans for a New Jersey beer weekend began. I don’t remember exactly what prompted the conversation, but it went a little something like this. . .
Me: “Anyone going to Cricket Hill tomorrow?”
One of my friends: “I am, I have to get my passport stamped.”
Curious patron: “What do you mean passport? Cricket Hill is in NJ, right? And wait, Cricket Hill isn't a bar! Is it?”
And so it began. For those of you not from the area, and/or who are a little confused let me give you a brief rundown of what I’m talking about. Sixteen of the finest microbreweries and brewpubs in New Jersey are part of the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild. The guild has put together a passport, encouraging you to go to at least twelve of these establishments and get the booklet stamped. Do this and send it in and you get a t-shirt and bragging rights to all of your friends who haven’t done it yet.
I completed my first NJ Beer passport casually over the course of 4 months or so. But I thought what a great weekend adventure to cram it all into 2 (and a half) days! My friends looked at me as if I had one too many imperial pints, making me even more determined to show them that it could be done.
This two part article (I did say a dozen stamps here) is going to work a little differently. I want to encourage people to take this journey themselves so I’m not going to offer my typical beer critiques; this article is more about the journey to great beer with fantastic friends. So open a cold one and enjoy!
The first stop on my passport adventure, and the one that started all this talk in the first place, was the Cricket Hill brewery in Fairfield. They host a weekly tour on Fridays between 5:00 and 7:00, which is truly one of the ‘best on the Planet Earth’. You'll meet regulars, first timers and all kinds of Cricket Hill fans in between. When you get there, you'll get four tickets redeemable for four FREE! samples. And wouldn’t you know it; there are typically four beers to choose from. How cool is that?! Year round classics include the East Coast Lager, the Hopnotic IPA and the American Ale. At various times of the year, they also serve Colonel Blides, Jersey Summer, and their newest addition the Paymaster’s Porter. Expect the unexpected, except fruity beers, I can guarantee that it's just not that kind of establishment! If you’re coming for the beer, you’re staying for the tour. Rick Reed (pictured with yours truly) puts on a great speech on topics ranging from the advertising efforts of the big macros (boooo) to the plight of the local brewery, to the hopocolypse affecting beer drinkers everywhere. When (and only when) you’re done fully enjoying this article and the rest of BeerNexus’ offerings, look him up YouTube! What a great way to start the passport weekend!
The next Friday night stop was dinner at Krogh’s in Sparta. I do warn you that parking in the area can be pretty scarce. (This may be a good point to bring up when convincing your friend with the minivan to be your designated driver.) As a remedy they offer free valet parking on Fridays and Saturdays. I’ve always been a big fan of Krogh’s food and ski lodge atmosphere. I love drinking microbrew next to the crackling of a fireplace! Who am I kidding, I love drinking microbrew everywhere, but the fire does give the place a great touch. I also really enjoy the variety of beers Krogh’s offers. They have a Gold, a Red, a Nut Brown, a Pale, an Oatmeal Stout and a Wheat pretty much on tap at all times. They also have a rotating seasonal, so there’s always something new as well. (I know I said this article is about friends and the journey, but look at that sampler!) If you’re local, they’ve got some great frequent diner and drinker programs that I highly recommend. And as an added incentive, if you’re there between now and June 4 proceeds from your meal will go to Wantage Dog Park which is a great way to make a ginormous plate of nachos feel virtually guilt free. (Please see their website for more details after you’re done reading.)
It just so happens that the weekend I chose was the second one of the month. So? So. . . I was able to go to the High Point Brewery Tour in Butler! They only offer this tour ten times a year, the second Saturday of the month between March and December, so plan accordingly. It’s a similar deal to Cricket Hill, show up and you’ll receive four free tickets redeemable for four free samples from the first exclusive wheat beer brewery in America. That’s a deal that’s hard to beat! They offer three mainstays throughout the year, the Ramstein Blonde, Classic and Golden Lager varieties as well as some rolling seasonals like the Maibock, the Winter Wheat and the Oktoberfest. Brian, the lovely gentleman next to me, is from my beer club, Draught Board 15 (more on that later). If you can’t make the tour, don’t despair, they do a lot of local shows and beer events. Before I started getting very into beer (seems hard to believe I know) I was at the Office Bar and Grill in Cranford when founder Greg Zaccardi tapped a wooden barrel of Oktoberfest as part of a Bavarian style celebration. Samples were given to the crowd. I’m not sure if he remembers me but I was the girl sneaking extra samples from the barrel every time he would turn to talk to someone. At one point I even asked one of my wordier friends to go distract him while I poured for my group. Even then I drank like a girl!
All that touring made me even thirstier, so the next stop on the passport was Trap Rock in Berkeley Heights. The atmosphere will leave first timers questioning if they are in the right place. The restaurant is pretty upscale and would make a great first date spot, but this stop was all about the bar. Which brings me to something I love about Trap Rock, the homemade (I think) kettle chips at the bar. They are the perfect thing to munch on when a sampler of JP Pilsner, Ghost Pony Helles Lager, Hathor Red Lager, Falconer IPA, and other various seasonal brews comes your way. And, of course, a journey for New Jersey beer wouldn’t be complete without stopping at the Gaslight Brewery in South Orange. This place is very near and dear to me, as it’s the home base for my beloved beer club, Draught Board 15, and serves some of the best Sauerbraten in the State. Don't eat meat? Well, I’ve heard great things about rotating specials catering to the herbivorous palate. There I go on the food again. . . OK, so another reason to hit the Gaslight is that they are one of the very few brewpubs in NJ with great guest taps and bottles, and the beers they brew in house change constantly. Not only are they a great weekend passport destination but if you're in the area on any Thursday night around 7:30 you'll be in the right place for a firkin tapping! Here I am pictured with Dan Soboti, Gaslight’s Patriarch. (Interested in joining a beer club such as DB15? Keep poking around BeerNexus for additional information!)
For those of you keeping track, there’s plenty of passport left to discover in part 2 next month! In the meantime, I hope to see you around these great New Jersey microbreweries and brewpubs! !
Been to any of these places and want to sound off on your favorites? Recommendations for other thirsty travelers? Want more information for your own upcoming adventure? Let me know! :-)