Newark Local Beer Co.

I stopped in at Newark Local Beer Co. about a month ago when I had like a 4-hour layover at EWR. Just enough time to cab down to downtown Newark, enjoy a few beers and chat with the bartender, and cab back for my flight! It's a nice space, quite industrial (the brewhouse is right there in the taproom), but welcoming, and I love that it's in a historical building. I sat at the bar and had a nice chat with the friendly and knowledgeable bartender.

They had 11 or so beers on tap on my visit, with styles including wheat beer, schwarzbier, a couple pale ales, a kölsch, a session beer, and five IPAs of various substyles and strengths. So, definitely heavy on the hops, but I also always appreciate seeing a schwarzbier. The beers I had were good, and I'd say this is definitely a place worth going to for the beer. On the extremely off chance I find myself in downtown Newark again, I would make a point to swing in and get another pint here.

 

This is among the most unique breweries in New Jersey. It's one of the few truly urban ones. But what sets it apart is its location on the ground floor of 540 Broad Street in downtown Newark, the iconic former headquarters of New Jersey Bell. This beautiful, authentic art deco building has been repurposed as a residential property renamed the "Walker House." The lobby is an exquisite example of art deco architecture. It's really a time capsule of Newark in its heyday in the 1920's/30's. The brewery itself has an industrial appearance and is still a work in progress. We visited on a Saturday afternoon during the week of its opening and there was a small but enthusiastic group of craft beer fans. Some, like us, came from the suburbs; others literally rode the elevator to the ground floor. The owners are friendly and happy to discuss the beer. The beer itself is quite good for a new brewery operation. I was impressed. There were only about 5 options but that should change as the brewery gets its legs. There are many nearby restaurants and options to bring food into the tasting room. This place is downtown so parking isn't cheap; but there's an enclosed lot immediately behind the building. There's also a light rail station behind 540 Broad Street which connects to both Penn Station and the Newark Broad Street station of New Jersey Transit. The brewery is an easy, 5 minute walk to NJ PAC and about a 10 minute walk to the Prudential Center. I heartily recommend a visit to this new brewery for a unique and enjoyable experience.