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OT: NJ Craft Beer Rankings

ElmiraExpress

ElmiraExpress

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Oct 3, 2004
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I like beer, I like craft beers, I like microbreweries, I like NJ microbreweries. Here is my current top 5 NJ Microbreweries. I would like to know other people’s thoughts.

1. Kane
2. Conclave
3. Cape May
4. Icarus
5. Magnify

Carton just missed the list, and also a shout-out to local Rutgers area breweries Cypress Hill, Flounder, Jersey Cyclone. I haven’t yet tried Ashton, which took over the Demented location. Who am I missing?
 
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ElmiraExpress said:
I like beer, I like craft beers, I like microbreweries, I like NJ microbreweries. Here is my current top 5 NJ Microbreweries. I would like to know other people’s thoughts.

1. Kane
2. Conclave
3. Cape May
4. Icarus
5. Magnify

Carton just missed the list, and also a shout-out to local Rutgers area breweries Cypress Hill, Flounder, Jersey Cyclone. I haven’t yet tried Ashton, which took over the Demented location. Who am I missing?
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First stop showing your age. No one uses the term "microbreweries" anymore. :Laughing Craft Brewery or Craft Beer Brewery is the new lingo since 2000 or so.
Anyway from your list I can't speak of Conclave. Never had their beer or know anyone that has.

My top 5 NJ Craft Breweries.
1. Cape May
2. Kane
3. Tonewood
4. Icarus
5. Slack Tide

I'll also disagree on Carton Brewering. They make solid beers but can't say any of them are terrific. My honorable mention is Double Nickel.
 
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Conclave in Flemington is excellent. Very small but great beers. The head brewer was in a home brew club with a buddy of mine. Another guy from that club just opened Odd Bird in Stockton, just north of Lambertville. Haven’t sampled all of their stuff yet, but what I have has been solid. Kane still tops the list. For me:

1. Kane
2. Conclave
3. Cape May
4. Icarus
5. Double Nickel
 
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WhiteBus said:
First stop showing your age. No one uses the term "microbreweries" anymore. :Laughing Craft Brewery or Craft Beer Brewery is the new lingo since 2000 or so.
Anyway from your list I can't speak of Conclave. Never had their beer or know anyone that has.

My top 5 NJ Craft Breweries.
1. Cape May
2. Kane
3. Tonewood
4. Icarus
5. Slack Tide

I'll also disagree on Carton Brewering. They make solid beers but can't say any of them are terrific. My honorable mention is Double Nickel.
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Tonewood has been killing it of late, their Improv IPA is excellent.

Mine:

1) Kane
2) Icarus
3) Cape May
4) Magnify
5) Tonewood

If I can ever get my hands on some Troon, they might make the list.

And I need to check out Conclave, haven't had any of theirs yet.
 
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Ronnie_B said:
Tonewood has been killing it of late, their Improv IPA is excellent.

Mine:

1) Kane
2) Icarus
3) Cape May
4) Magnify
5) Tonewood

If I can ever get my hands on some Troon, they might make the list.

And I need to check out Conclave, haven't had any of theirs yet.
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I picked Cape May over Kane simply on availability. They are both terrific but it's much harder to get Kane. Love Troon but only had a few of theirs.
Agree Conclave needs to get on my list.
 
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WhiteBus said:
I picked Cape May over Kane simply on availability. They are both terrific but it's much harder to get Kane. Love Troon but only had a few of theirs.
Agree Conclave needs to get on my list.
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BTW, I do agree with you about Carton, they've always been overrated in my book, some good stuff but nothing that blows you away, I have friends that love their Coffee beers but I don't care much for them.
 
How do you define best craft brewery? I hate IPAs, so a brewery that makes 8 different great IPAs and a mediocre pilsner is not going to be on my list. But a friend of mine is a hop-head, the hoppier the better. He'd love the 8 IPA brewery, but not a brewery with 1 IPA, plus a variety of stouts, porters, lagers, pilsners, wheats, saisons, pub ales, etc
 
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ElmiraExpress said:
I like beer, I like craft beers, I like microbreweries, I like NJ microbreweries. Here is my current top 5 NJ Microbreweries. I would like to know other people’s thoughts.

1. Kane
2. Conclave
3. Cape May
4. Icarus
5. Magnify

Carton just missed the list, and also a shout-out to local Rutgers area breweries Cypress Hill, Flounder, Jersey Cyclone. I haven’t yet tried Ashton, which took over the Demented location. Who am I missing?
Click to expand...

I really like Eight and Sand in Woodbury NJ.

https://www.eightandsandbeer.com/
 
Upstream said:
How do you define best craft brewery? I hate IPAs, so a brewery that makes 8 different great IPAs and a mediocre pilsner is not going to be on my list. But a friend of mine is a hop-head, the hoppier the better. He'd love the 8 IPA brewery, but not a brewery with 1 IPA, plus a variety of stouts, porters, lagers, pilsners, wheats, saisons, pub ales, etc
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Good question. You have to be great across the board. You can make one style that is a home run but if the rest are singles than you aren't a great brewery.
On the flip side. To really have a knowledgeable opinion you have to visited the brewery. Only so many of each style make retail and some of their best are small batches.
 
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Living in south Jersey, I would include Hidden Sands (Egg Harbor), Pinelands (Little Egg Harbor) and Ship Bottom (LBI).
 
077xx is my favorite beer of all time.

But Carton has been on my shit list ever since they built that awful new building of theirs.
 
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1) Kane
2) Troon
3) Icarus
4) Brix City
5) Conclave

NJ needs a Treehouse or Other Half. 2 of my favorites.
 
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1. Kane
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2. Troon
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3. Icarus
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Everyone else. Even Icarus at 3 isn't close to Kane for consistency and great dark and BA beers. Conclave and Carton dark beers need improvement. Magnify and Bolero dark beers are ok but more misses than hits.
 
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Scarlet83 said:
I really like Eight and Sand in Woodbury NJ.

https://www.eightandsandbeer.com/
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I hear their IPA Space Force is supposed to be pretty good. I recently was given 4-pks of Swoosh and Squeezins from Bonesaw and they were much better than I expected. Don't know enough about them but when I looked them up they have a nice selection.

My list:

Icarus
Cape May
Kane
Magnify
Brix City

A quick story, yeah I love stories, a number of years ago my wife and daughter made a weekend trip to Wildwood Crest/Cape May. I could not go. So as a surprise they brought me back a dozen live blueclaws (love them) and a selection of beer from a brewery they found to surprise me....Cape May Brewing. I could not believe how good their stuff was and it was a nice surprise! Been enjoying them ever since.
 
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In terms of atmosphere, Kane is the best I have visited. It is huge. I wish more breweries were as spacious. Why is Kane to restricted in terms of availability in retail stores?
 
R1766U said:
In terms of atmosphere, Kane is the best I have visited. It is huge. I wish more breweries were as spacious. Why is Kane to restricted in terms of availability in retail stores?
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Production and they self distribute.
 
ElmiraExpress said:
I like beer, I like craft beers, I like microbreweries, I like NJ microbreweries. Here is my current top 5 NJ Microbreweries. I would like to know other people’s thoughts.

1. Kane
2. Conclave
3. Cape May
4. Icarus
5. Magnify

Carton just missed the list, and also a shout-out to local Rutgers area breweries Cypress Hill, Flounder, Jersey Cyclone. I haven’t yet tried Ashton, which took over the Demented location. Who am I missing?
Click to expand...
Kane Overhead is one of the best brewed in the state!
 
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I just enjoyed a Kane Overhead, followed by a Kane Head High. I love Kane (Fairfield U. Alum).

I also really like Carton, Boat beer, This town, 077xx.
I think Ship Bottom is pretty good too.

adding one I haven’t seen mentioned yet, Jug Handle. In Tinton Falls, Some good ipas
 
goru1869 said:
Kane Overhead is one of the best brewed in the state!
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1. Hackensack Brewing - Love the Musket Haze IPA, Fairmont IPA & Parking Lot Pilz - I am biased because I live close and the people that run it are great.
2. Kane
3. Jersey Girl
4. Czig Meister - Good Stuff
5. Cape May
 
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jabbs1 said:
1. Hackensack Brewing - Love the Musket Haze IPA, Fairmont IPA & Parking Lot Pilz - I am biased because I live close and the people that run it are great.
2. Kane
3. Jersey Girl
4. Czig Meister - Good Stuff
5. Cape May
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Jersey Girl , Czig Meister and Man Skirt Brewing are all within a few miles of each other, with Man Skirt and Czig Meister being 2 blocks apart.
 
ElmiraExpress said:
Carton just missed the list, and also a shout-out to local Rutgers area breweries Cypress Hill, Flounder, Jersey Cyclone. I haven’t yet tried Ashton, which took over the Demented location. Who am I missing?
Click to expand...
Haha the brewery is Cypress. This is Cypress Hill:

Cypress is my local spot. The owner went to Rutgers and also the same high school as me, JFK in Iselin. Aside from Cypress, Flying Fish and Ghost Hawk are owned by Rutgers alumni too.

I'd say Kane and Carton are top two, then Icarus, Magnify, and Conclave a level below them but a level above everybody else. Maybe River Horse a close 6th.

I really liked Demented, it was a shame when they closed down but apparently the owner was in need of some mental help so hopefully he has been able to focus on his own health now.

I've been impressed so far with Jersey Cyclone, who just celebrated their first anniversary. I used to work at the ice rink across the street from them, but left that job a few months after the brewery opened. I did meet with the owners while they were putting the place together to talk about a business partnership. They were originally going to open up in downtown New Brunswick, even had their logo on a window. The problem they ran into there was that they shared the building with other tenants, and in order to expand the building they needed all tenants to agree to it, and the others weren't interested in that. They said the plan is to eventually find a space there though so they get foot traffic. The spot they have now is much bigger than what they would have had in New Brunswick, and it's seconds off 287, but there is no foot traffic except for probably some hockey parents stopping by after dropping their kids off at practice, or adult leaguers downing a few beers before their game, which is probably one reason I'm a fan of them haha.
 
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Source has put out some solid beers if late. Partial to Kane and Icarus though.

Did carton ever open a tasting room in the new building?
 
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