Yesterday Steve and I journeyed to one of New Jersey’s finest craft beer destinations – the Stirling Hotel. Located in Long Hill, the former town inn has been home to this family style tavern since the early eighties, offering great food and drink along with a friendly and comfortable atmosphere. Beer geeks, restaurant management, and local brewers alike have been talking this place up; needless to say we were eager to take this trip to a historical jersey monument to grab a bite and check out their awesome beer selection. Continue reading “THE STIRLING HOTEL”
ROGUE VOODOO DOUGHNUT
I don’t even know where to begin with this one. A beer brewed with bacon? Rogue Ales recently hit the markets with a collaboration beer they created with Voodoo Doughnut out of Portland, Oregon. The beer features a slew of smoked malts, maple flavoring, and yes, bacon. Now I have had some smoked beers before that were a little overwhelming (and needless to say not to pleasant), so I was a bit skeptical about the thirteen dollar bottle of beer I had just purchased. After reading some mixed reviews online my skepticism only increased. I mean, you have to believe everything on the internet, right? Continue reading “ROGUE VOODOO DOUGHNUT”
YARDS BREWING COMPANY
I took a little trip down to Philly yesterday with my buddy Mark to check out Yards Brewing Company. Yards has been serving up craft beer for the drinkers of Philadelphia and its surrounding markets for over a decade. An avid beer lover, owner Tom Kehoe started brewing in college with his good friend, Jon Bovit. After eventually getting a job in the early 90’s at a small English-style brewery in Maryland, Tom and Jon decided they could go on their own and start their own brewery. After dumping all they had into the business and moving locations several times, Yards finally settled in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia, where Tom and his brewers continue to turn out some awesome brews. We spent a few hours with Tom talking about Yards, the beer industry, and of course sampling some of Philly’s finest beer. Continue reading “YARDS BREWING COMPANY”
PORT BREWING MONGO IPA
Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey are still the hot topic of discussion in the New Jersey craft beer scene. Beer bars and local bottle shops have their shelves and draft lines flowing with some the best hand-crafted brews on the market. We recently shared our coverage of their kick-off party at Mohawk House last week  and now it’s time to dive into some of these beers on their own. We are big fans of the West Coast Style IPA’s here at IDGB and thought it would be proper to start with Port Brewing’s Mongo – a Double IPA that is sure to please any hop head looking for a flavorful brew. Continue reading “PORT BREWING MONGO IPA”
KANE BREWING COMPANY
It seems that every bar you go to these days has at least one or two craft brews available. I for one am noticing the growing craft beer trend here in New Jersey, ranging from the sprawl of the urban cities to hills of Sussex, and with this I am seeing an increasing demand for fresh local beers. We have had a few new breweries pop up this year in the Garden State and I hear there are a few more on the way. Kane Brewing Company is one of more recent additions to the fold (having opened their doors this past summer) yet are rapidly gaining a sizable fan base amongst the craft beer drinkers of Jersey. Michael Kane had us out for the day to sample some brews and show us one of New Jersey’s newest breweries. Continue reading “KANE BREWING COMPANY”