Cape May, NJ?

I spend way too much of my time (and money) in Cape May county breweries and here is the current rundown of brewery affairs in my opinion.

The best beer being offered at the bottom of our state is by Gusto and Ludlam. Both are small, really nano-breweries, but everything they offer is solid. Cape May Brewing has the best tasting room in NJ and they put out so many different styles and releases that some of them are bound to be mediocre. However, you will definitely find some beers you like on their board, and they usually have some interesting cans or bottles to bring home such as their excellent barrel-aged sours. There is a great taco shop next door and it is less than a five minute drive to Gusto. Next best is probably Glasstown but they are forty minutes away in Millville which is technically Cumberland County.

The second tier consists of Slack Tide (don't miss any Belgian styles they might be offering), 7 Mile (decent IPAs and a great smoked porter) and Bucket Brigade. All three make decent beer and their taprooms are friendly places to spend a couple of hours, although Slack Tide is kinda small.

Next comes Coho which just opened two months ago and I am sure they will get their act together, but for now, hit the other places first. Last and definitely least is Cold Spring Brewery which has a unique setting in an antique barn but the stuff has not been even remotely drinkable over the past year. Their beer was perfectly mediocre until last year but they have either a water problem or are using inferior ingredients. Take the kids to the historical village next door but other than a quick look around, the brewery is a hard pass until they get things straightened out.

 

Have you ever visited Mud Hen? If not, why not? If so, what do you think of their beers?

Cheers!

 

For some reason, every time we go to Wildwood we end up at Goodnight Irene's which has the best tap list on the island and good food to boot. I always thought that Mud Hen was primarily a brewpub but I just checked their website and they now have a full lineup. Will have to pay them a visit this weekend.

 

I"m in agreement with you on most your opinions, I'm really looking forward to Gusto since it was not opened last summer, hell I still remember the movie theater that was in that building.

Anyway, nice write up I think we are both on the same vibe.

You'll enjoy it, been there many times. The tap list is solid but unspectacular. Their best beer IMO is the DIPA. Good food, great facility, overall enjoyable.

 

I'll look for their stuff this summer, I get to a bunch of bottle shops during the season. They are packaging, correct?

 

Thanks, never been in that one since it's fairly new, but I can make a run out there. I'll also check Rio Grande Joe's as that's where I normally go for good beer other than my mainstay Greens in Wildwood.

 

I went to Mud Hen in August. Got a flight and thought everything was Meh at best. I was in vacation mode and wanted to love it. I didn't. The food was good though

Anyone in Wildwood should go to Maui Dogs. Second best hot dogs in the state. Behind Ruts Hut of course

 

You realize that the cost of real estate within walking distance of the beach would result in $10+ cans

 

You answered your own question two posts ago. I don’t think that ninety percent of the residents in the big cites leave town for eight months out of the year, and CM is on a different economic plane than Wildwood. Apples and oranges.

Plus Cape May has an easily walkable bar scene with craft offerings all over the place. Or just hit up the breweries and pick up a couple of crowlers to drink on the down low on the beach like everyone else does.

 

Mud Hen does it in Wildwood because the guy owns the entire 3 blocks of that corner and has onwed the real estate there for years and years. He already had the building from the old Harley dealership he just had to convert it. And yes, he did spend a good amount to convert that, the building is awesome. My point being, his investment to open a brewery was a hell of a lot less than buying/renting a property in Cape May proper (one of the most expensive real estate locations in all of NJ if not even more) and having a large enough operation to be able to sustain the slow times.