The Art of Crafts
From pubs and restaurants to the dinner table at home, local brewers are raising the bar with their artisanal beers. Join us on this Bergen beer crawl and see where these inventive and delicious drinks are made.
It’s time to get hopping, beer fans, because you don’t want to miss what’s brewing in Bergen County. Where wine once ruled, craft beers are quickly taking over—you can find them served in fine dining establishments as well as on tap in your favorite neighborhood bar. Better yet, you can actually visit the sites where these local brews are conceived and produced.
That’s what thousands have learned at joints like Brix City Brewing in Little Ferry, which two years ago became the first craft brewery to open in the county. There, customers can imbibe imaginative brews—the names of the full-bodied stouts, India pale ales, Belgian-inspired pilsners and other beers are scribbled on a chalkboard overlooking the bar. Once customers make their selections, bartenders pour the frothy libations into a variety of containers, including pint glasses and growlers. “I like to sample all the beers,” says Junior Melendez, 37, of Ridgefield Park, who prefers to order drinks by the flight. His choice ale? “You have to try Just Another IPA,” he says. Brix City’s simple setting, Melendez adds, is also an attraction. Picnic-style benches are arranged in the tasting room and adjacent to the facility’s brewing equipment, which co-owners and Hasbrouck Heights residents Joe Delcalzo and Peter Reuther allow patrons to tour during operation hours. “This is our passion, and we want to be able to share it with everyone,” Delcalzo says. “The county was perfect for a brewery and hopefully more people decide this is a good place to open up because the more breweries around us the better.”
For a different taste, head a couple miles north to The Alementary Brewing Co., which opened in Hackensack last spring. Bergen’s second craft brewery follows Brix City’s keep-it-simple model, showcasing the beverages rather than pumping big bucks into décor. Co-owners and Bergenfield residents Blake Crawford and Michael Roosevelt (by trade, a chemical engineer and a molecular biologist) created a cozy, rustic space—which looks more like a log cabin than a beer factory from the outside—by installing a renovated wooden façade with exposed wood beams. “It reminds me of an old-fashioned saloon,” says 41-year-old Bogota resident and beer connoisseur Cliff Bartolemeo. “But these aren’t beers from the Old West—these are modern drinks with modern flavors and tastes that really hit the spot.” The beers change regularly and include IPAs, porters and lagers.
Want something to nosh on while you drink? You won’t find any popcorn or mixed nuts at these bars. The Alementary, like Brix City, doesn’t serve food, but customers are welcome to bring their own treats or even call for delivery. If you want to eat while chugging a fine brew, several establishments like Plank Pizza Co. Beer Parlor in Saddle Brook boast craft-beer-only drink menus. “There are specialized pizzas that you can only find here,” says Justin Presa, 35, of Waldwick. “I ordered a pie and selected a good flight of beers to try.”
One of those drafts was a Ragin’ Bull, an amber produced by Bolero Snort Brewery, headquartered in Ridgefield Park. Alementary and Brix City are also represented on the menu, along with other New Jersey breweries. Just why is the craft beer industry booming? Thank state legislators, who about five years ago passed a law permitting beer makers to sell their beverages by the glass without a conventional liquor license. It was a big step for small-scale operations like Brix City, Alementary and Bolero Snort. It also allowed local brewers to deliver their products to distributors—liquor stores, bars, restaurants—themselves and bypass expensive truckers. “It was a win-win for everyone,” Melendez notes. “The brewers get a chance to create and we get the chance to drink, be merry and enjoy their creations.”
