Kane Brewing (2022)

I was probably there around the same time as you. The lager was really good and I enjoyed the cask lambic a ton. Fiance got a pour of One and Rhubarb which were both really good as well. Grab each of the new bottles on the way out

 

Had a Waimea Punch last night and this batch is really good

 

Anyone going to grab the Barleywine? Lmk

 

I stopped by yesterday as they opened and grabbed some Boxx and another Waimea Punch but totally forgot they released the barleywines

 

What is going on with Kane these days?? Stopped by this afternoon. They had a huge tented beer garden set up in the parking lot. But all they had was their year round offerings available by the can. No drafts. No new releases. Just Head High, Overhead, etc. For $7-$8 a can. Indoor tap room was closed.

Why would anyone pay $8 a can to sit in a tent in a parking lot in 90 degree weather and drink the same beers you can get at any store in Jersey? Last summer they at least had tap lines out there. Place was almost totally empty and I see why.

Really bizarre. It's like they don't want people to come and drink at the brewery.

To go can offerings were really weak too. They literally had a better selection at Wegmans I went to afterwards.

Seems like Kane is shifting to a distro only model?

 

Tap room is only open Sat Sun for some reason. Whole business model is baffling. All good there's a ton of other breweries to visit. I won't be back until they get their senses back.

 

Staffing issues, maybe?

 

I believe I posted this a while back, but maybe not. If you have been inside the brewery lately you have seen the construction on the new taproom, they also posted that on their social media. Originally they were hoping for this weekend and then later summer, now it seems like early fall is the date for it to be completed. Once that is open the taproom will be open 7 days a week moving forward. I assume limited hours Mon-Wed/Thur and longer hours Fri-Sun.

My assumption with the tent area is they are figuring out what works best with likely staffing issues, among other things. The times I have been outside they have had other cans besides the core offerings available, as well as bottles, but I agree draft would be nice. From what I heard they weren't happy with the temperature of the pours the beer truck they had the draft system running through was giving them. Prob also costs a ton to run that on top of the taproom, where last year they only had outside going. I was saying to my fiance I wish they did what some other breweries in Brooklyn were doing and ask indoor or outdoor when you get a pour at the bar and give you plastic if you want to go outside. But I guess I get it with the fact you can just wander off property and they can't control that since the outside area isn't within eye shot of the taproom. Will be curious what the go forward plan with the beer garden/tent area is once the cooler weather comes around and the new taproom is up and running.

For me its never a big issue because I live close enough that I can go as often as I want, but I am sure they are getting less people from further away, whereas pre-covid the taproom was always pack all weekend

 

There is no way I'm going toa brewery to drink cans that I can get in a grocery store. I used to to Kane much more than I do now and the fact they have that beautiful tent setup and you can't enjoy any of their drafts in it, particularly their brewery only drafts (stuff they don't can) is mind boggling and infuriating. Has anyone asked anyone while they were there what their reasons for doing it are? It seems so tone deaf and out of touch.

 

Could not have put it better. I asked the guy behind the bar and he just shrugged. I was pretty annoyed I drove all the way there to be offered Head High in a can.

Not to mention also that their website was last updated about three weeks ago. Which I didn't realize before I went there. But only added to my confusion. And annoyance.

 

What’s wrong with just sitting inside the brewery and drinking the drafts, other than the fact that the inside is only open Saturday and Sunday?

 

I asked when I visited back in May...and the reasons weren't great. I don't recall the specific thing the beertender said, but something about having the draft truck outside posed some logistical issues. That said, some of the cans they were selling were cans not in wide distribution (at least none of the non-flagship cans were in distro near me), plus they were doing some bottle pours. While it was better last summer with the draft lines outside, it wasn't like they were just pouring cans of Head High and Sneakbox.

 

I don't get it either, but hey, Alchemist gets away with it. And the people still line up in droves.

 

I don't want to come off like I am defending the brewery, because I am not and I also wish for a better outside system. I don't really ever check the draft or can lists on their site, but they post whats on tap in the tap room and available outside every weekend on their IG story, so I would use that for as up to date information as possible, obviously if you are going to the beer garden during the week YMMV.

Again, I go often because I am so close, but I haven't run into a situation where they only had core cans outside so not sure what was the deal there, but also agree I don't want to spend $8 on a can when I can get a 4 pack for a few bucks more. That being said, its essentially the same cost as a pour inside if you are assuming its $6-ish for a 12 ounce draft and $8 for a 16 ounce can.

Also what is Kane pouring that is draft only these days? Outside the Summer Share IPA they recently did, which they said was draft only for the summer, everything else on draft is what they are canning and vice versa. Unless we are talking about vintage stout/BA stouts in the tap room, which I don't really want to sit outside in the heat and drink any way.

All in all, its likely due to staffing issue and/or permit issues with the way they are doing the outside set up. It seems Kane usually totes the letter of the law fairly close where some other breweries operate a bit looser, but who knows. Once the new tap room opens it will be 7 days a week and then who knows what the outside will be like, I hope we get something better