New Jersey's Drinking Problem

My mother-in-law passed me an interesting article from Inside Jersey Magazine (a publication of North Jersey's widely distributed newspaper, The Star Ledger). As a proud citizen of the Garden State, and a craft beer connoisseur-in-training, this article was particularly intriguing as it details writer Peter Genovese's crawl through New Jersey's thirteen brew pubs.

So what's the problem? Basically, New Jersey needs to step it up, big time, in the world of craft brewing. Although Genovese sung the praises of certain aspects of each pub, he inadvertently illustrates a few points which I have long identified: the brew pubs in NJ are few and far between, there are very few standout beers from the best of the bunch, and the overall brew scene in New Jersey is not going to see many awards.

New Jersey all too often finds itself at the butt of all jokes; and while I have always been the first person to jump in at the defense of the misunderstood state, I am left without a keg to stand on when battling the finely-tuned brew cultures from other (even nearby) states.

For instance, I would have loved to have attended the NJ Craft Beer Fest, and the attendees are passionate, but the scene seems... well, a little sad. Here's a video of the 2007 Fest I found on YouTube:

Again, far from torturous - I'm sure these folks had a blast. It simply seems an amateur gathering compared to some of the more prolific brewing states. Don't get me wrong, I'm a regular patron at some of the North Jersey establishments - Gaslight, Trap Rock, and Egan & Sons. I've also enjoyed a sitting at J.J. Bitting's and Kroughs, while my wife has frequented all of the above as well as Harvest Moon. We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay at each and every one of these establishments; in fact the food is phenomenal at some of these places. I simply feel the beer is somewhat less refined than it could be.

There are a few reasons why this could be the case. First, the brew pub culture in New Jersey is still rather young, with its roots dating back just over a dozen years.

Next, the strict liquor laws in New Jersey limit the number of establishments in any given town, and make it difficult for any new entries to enter the mix. In addition, I've been told that the cost of a liquor license (which allows an establishment to serve alcohol) can be in excess of $750,000 in some of the Northern New Jersey towns, making it near impossible for a dreaming entrepreneur to get his or her feet wet.

Lastly, despite a recently declining market, New Jersey real estate costs (including property taxes) are disproportionately higher than around most of the country. There are indeed some microbreweries in NJ that are making waves - Flying Fish, High Point, Cricket Hill, River Horse - but let's just say the wake around New Jersey does little more than gently rock the boat.

While I'll give New Jersey the benefit of the doubt, and can admit that we, as a state, are making progress, there is still a lot of ground to cover. I see events like the Craft Beer Fest and the Atlantic City Beer Festival, and recognize their importance in promoting the craft beer movement. I think, perhaps, the patronage needs to grow and mature a bit more, and potentially we shall see that demand drives competition and further innovation. Until then, there are far worse things in life than some decent beer.

Comments

[John LeMasney]

Hey 52brews. My only experience so far with NJ Brewpubs is Triumph Princeton, which I always enjoy, but having no real experience with areas like Portland or Seattle, I have no idea what a real kicking brewpub scene is like. Thanks for some insights and calls to arms for the NJ brewing establishment. Great stuff here, as we've discussed.