Cricket Hill Brewing Co.

It would seem that my mid to late 90’s workplace BFI had a sister location about a block away from here at the end of Montesano Road. I was there a few times to, I don’t know, inventory rear load commercial containers or other such nonsense. Wish there had a been a brewery here then. I’ve been here a few times before and I feel like I’ve been drinking Colonel Blide’s Bitter for forever (like, since Blide was a mere Lieutenant, anyway). Pulled around back and parked in the only place I could in the full parking lot; in front of a front load 2 yard container on wheels, justifying it with “they can just roll it out if they’re going to have it serviced on a Saturday afternoon” (which is highly unlikely, by the way). Past the seating pen and in…

Your eyes left to adjust. It’s a large openish space. Concrete floors, a corrugated ceiling, & pale green with a yellow stripe cinder block walls. Strung baby light lined brewery to the rear, and a canning line up front there (me, pointing). Stacked kegs, malt sacks, palletized cans, racked barrels, yep, you’re in a brewery.

Off to one side, a hook shaped wood plank topped bar, horizontal wood base with strung baby lighting, and a foot bar. Seating for 10 on leather steel framed chairs. Barback holds an inlay on subway tile with a pair of 6 tap non-descript handles side by side with name tags above, and shelving with plastic cups and growlers alongside. Logo blackboard wall space above listing draft selections (beer, ABV, and pricing for 5oz, 12oz, crowler, & 64oz growler). Flight pricing, can pours, & upcoming beer on tap listed, as well, and a large logo cricket piece, shelved cans, & food menus on the end wall.

Upwards of a dozen tables, mostly raised roundys. Brewery art not trying to impress. A ‘You’re in Steeler country” banner, an American flag, other logo banners detailing brewing equipment, i.e. Grain milling (mill, silo), fermenters, keg washer, bottling line (rinser, filler, labeler), etc. Is this NJ’s antiquated ‘you have to take a brewery tour before being served’ thing? Colored spotlights, egg filament bulbs lining the underside of the draft board, and strung baby lighting above.

12 taps here, and 4 more on the cold box far wall. So, 16 beers, ½ are hoppys or varietals of (Citrita IPA, 5%; Hopnotic IPA, 6.5%; Fractal Haze Mosaic IPA, 6.1%; Fall Festivus IPA, 6.5%; Carnival Double IPA, 7.5%; BBA Imperial Red Ale, 7.4%; American Spirit Pale Ale, 5.5%; Blond Breakfast Ale, Belgian Pale Ale, 5%), and the other ½ are mix & match easy drinkers, sours, roast, barrel, & adjunct (East Coast Lager, 4.2%; Colonel Blides Pub Ale, 5.5%; Wit & Wild Ale, Belgian Witbier, 4.7%; Schnick Schnack Sour Ale, Berliner Weisse, 4.6%; Pomegranate Sour, Berliner Weisse with Pomegranate, 4.6%; El Festivo Hot Ale, Brown Ale with Scotch Bonnet peppers, 6.5%; Psycho Cricket Porter, 5.4%; Cabbey Imperial Porter, Wine BA, 7.5%).

Psycho Cricket Porter had a light roast, tasty, tasty; Colonel Blides Pub Ale, it’s a real nice ESB. Did a 5oz shorty of the El Festivo Hot Ale, holy shit that’s good, Scotch Bonnet, blow torch, & and roast has back of the throat heat, goddamn!; and how about a pair of IPAs now? Citrita IPA & Fractal Haze Mosaic IPA, the latter being the better of the two, me thinks. Psycho Cricket Porter & Fractal Haze Mosaic IPA for the wins, me thinks.

I’m looking at the folks who seemingly own the place and I’m thinking I’ve seen them a thousand times over my many beer years. Good crowd. I’ve been talking with Joe the kid. Some nice beers here. Not flashy and new, but OG and absolutely solid.

Stopped in with some friends on a late Sunday afternoon. Not very crowded, maybe 4 at the bar and a few tables outside. Beer selection was good, lots of choices. Would definitely go back. . .

Stopped in for some beer on the way home from work. It was just after 4PM and the crowd hadn't come in yet. A few others were enjoying the beer but it was pretty quiet. Bartender was friendly and knowledgable about the beers. Good selection; good quality. I'll be back and, if you are in the area, you should also stop there too!