Shop
The 13 Best Breweries to Visit in New Jersey
Greatness across the Garden State.
Photography courtesy of Icarus Brewing
More of the Best in the Mid-Atlantic:
Updated on July 15, 2023
Famous for its beautiful coastline, seaside resort towns, and long winters, New Jersey now boasts a bevy of the best breweries in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Which is no easy task considering the amazing places you’ll find to drink beer in the Hudson Valley, Brooklyn, Vermont, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Portland, ME, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, to name a few.
Officially nicknamed the Garden State by Abraham Browning, the third state in our nation has a bountiful list of breweries. According to the official site for the State of New Jersey, Browning said that the Garden State “is an immense barrel, filled with good things to eat and open at both ends, with Pennsylvanians grabbing from one end and New Yorkers from the other.” Despite the wealth of brewing talent around New Jersey, this state shouldn’t be overlooked.
Let’s give the Garden State new life. We tracked down the taprooms to stop at as you drive 150 miles from top to bottom.
This isn’t a concentrated city guide. You can’t hop on public transit or walk to all these spots. Instead, you’ll pack up the car and drive. But that’s what makes the trip worth it.
In New Jersey, you’ll find a tiny hut out in a field serving crowlers of the best beer in the state. You’ll discover a medal-winning homebrewer who opened one of the OG craft breweries. And, you’ll come across breweries we noted in our list of the top women-led breweries in the country.
Officially, New Jersey (Brewers Association) has 168 breweries, ranking twentieth in the country. But, since the state was one of the original thirteen colonies, we found thirteen of the best breweries to visit while in the Garden State.
Hop Culture’s 13 Best Breweries to Visit in New Jersey
Troon Brewing
130 Hopewell Rocky Hill Rd #5, Hopewell, NJ 08525
Photography courtesy of John A. Paradiso | Hop Culture
Here’s the deal at Troon: They make some of the best beer in the state. From hazy IPAs to the occasional pilsner, Troon Founder and Head Brewer Alex Helms brews world-class beers. But there’s a catch: The brewery is small. So small that availability is limited. As a result, this makes releases both elusive and exclusive.
Therefore, if you’re looking to snag a crowler or occasional bottle of Helms’ newest beer, you’ll need to be in tune with @troonbrewing on Instagram. Troon only announces new beer releases exclusively on the social media app. They add the link to purchase in their newest release post and remove it once the beer sells out.
For instance, on July 18, 2025, Troon dropped Scourge of Locusts“>Scrouge of Locusts, a 10% triple hazy hoppy ale.
If you’re visiting New Jersey, you’ll want to turn on Troon’s post notifications. Because Troon and its releases have peppered our best-of lists, including 5 Under-the-Radar Breweries With the Best Hazy IPAs, According to the Experts, the 20 best beers we drank in 2019, and the 15 best breweries to watch in 2019.
Helms’ talent runs the gamut from alluring fruited sour ales to a plethora of precision hoppy ales. In other words, we guarantee it’ll be well-crafted and expertly made, whatever you happen upon from Troon.
Pro tip: If you do miss a release, head to the nearby Brick Farm Tavern. The brewery’s only draft account serves several of Troon’s latest beer releases on draft.
Kane Brewing Company
1750 Bloomsbury Ave, Ocean Township, NJ 07712 | (732) 922-8600
Photography courtesy of John A. Paradiso
Before opening his eponymous brewery, Kane Brewing Co-Owner Michael Kane earned awards as a homebrewer. His medal-winning nature translated well at the professional level.
Kane has been an OG on the New Jersey craft beer scene. Since 2011, Kane Brewing has made a name for itself by brewing consistent, high-quality IPAs and imperial stouts. But what impresses us the most is that Kane’s popularity has only continued to grow over the past decade. For instance, in 2018, Kane started its own spontaneous and saison beer project called Field & Oak, which takes advantage of one of the country’s only coolships.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, people would dependably line up for periodic releases. Today, you’ll find beers like Sneakbox, an award-winning 5.4% ABV American pale ale with one-hundred percent Citra hops.
If you visit New Jersey, you should absolutely pay homage to a brewery that set the tone for the entire craft beer scene in the Garden State.
Esker Hart Artisan Ales
120 Main St, High Bridge, NJ 08829
Esker Hart Artisan Ales Owner and Head Brewer Bob D’Angelo began brewing at home before taking his skills to the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program at Niagara College in Canada.
In July 2023, D’Angelo and his wife, Brielle, opened Esker Hart Artisan Ales on Main Street in High Bridge, NJ.
Named after the word for “a long ridge of winding gravel,” Esker, which represents the curving stone driveway of his childhood home, and the name of the street he grew up on, Hart, this brewery seems to embody that place where everybody knows your name.
When it comes to the beer, D’Angelo finds inspiration in the world around him. A photographer and graphic designer, D’Angelo names all his beers after things from nature, be it animals, flora, or fauna.
For instance, Fauna Nelson, a draft-only IPA brewed only with Nelson Sauvin hops. Or DDH Domra, an imperial IPA double dry hopped with Citra and Nectaron.
A little newer to New Jersey’s scene, Esker Hart has already captured the hearts of Jersey drinkers.
Oakflower Brewing Company
1932 Long Hill Rd Suite A, Millington, NJ 07946 | (609) 621-9472
Untappd’s fourth-highest-rated brewery in New Jersey,
Located on Long Hill Road in Millington, NJ, Oakflower’s tap list highlights the simple side of life.
But don’t be fooled. These are complex beers just presented in the most down-home way.
Currently, you’ll find a blonde ale with fonio, a cream ale, a pale ale with Motueka and Pacific Sunrise, a hazy with Citra, Motueka, and lavender, a German pilsner, a dark mild, and more.
Icarus Brewing
2045 NJ-88, Brick Township, NJ 08724 | (732) 475-8108
Photography courtesy of Thomas Ruocco (on the top) and Icarus Brewing (on the bottom)
Opened in 2017 by Jason Goldstein, Icarus Brewing has quickly vaulted into the conversation of “brewery making the best New England-style IPA.”
So much so that we actually named this brewery to our list of “11 Best Breweries of 2024.”
After working for over a decade in the industry before starting his own place, Goldstein has put the Garden State on notice by churning out an overwhelming amount of hazies. With beers like Power Juicer: Oat Fluffed, Yacht Juice IPA, and DDH Yacht Juice (Citra), Icarus has some of the top hazy IPAs you want to be drinking right now. If you’re a hop head, bine purist, or cone connoisseur, Icarus is the brewery you can’t miss in New Jersey.
Double Nickel Brewing Company
1585 NJ-73, Pennsauken Township, NJ 08110 | (856) 356-2499
Photography courtesy of Double Nickel Brewing Company
We’ve found something special happening at Double Nickel Brewing Co. Co-Founders Drew Perry, Brian Needham, Bob Dalsey, and John Dalsey* created the brewery not just to make great beer, but to make great memories and an impact.
For instance, every year, the brewery releases Friends Giving potluck-style IPA, a Thanksgiving-inspired beer where all the proceeds go toward local organizations fighting food insecurity in New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Virginia.
Plus, Double Nickel makes fantastic beer. The Weekend Warrior hazy pale ale made our list of top beers to drink in spring 2020 and the Super Mega Dank 420 Chronic Kush Grand Daddy Supreme is a 4/20-inspired beer that always crushes it. And we’ve heard they have the best water in the state.
Double Nickel is a feel-good brewery brewing beer that makes you feel good. We really can’t say it any other way. If you want to have a good time with good people, you must hit up this brewery in New Jersey.
*Editor’s Note: John Dalsey left Double Nickel in 2019 to found the Asian-inspired hard seltzer brand Nectar Hard Seltzer.
The Seed: A Living Beer Project
807 Baltic Ave Unit 4, Atlantic City, NJ 08401 | (609) 246-7324
Photography courtesy of The Seed: A Living Beer Project
Atlantic City is usually associated with nightlife, casinos, and gambling. But Sean Towers and Amanda Cardinali’s brewery is a “living beer project” in a seaside adult playground that offers a different type of entertainment.
At The Seed, the interaction of naturally occurring microflora and fauna is on full display. The five-year-old brewery focuses on saisons and mixed-fermentation ales that have caught our attention when they first opened.
Their “living beers” currently include beers like Woods And Fields, a New Zealand pilsner with New Zealand Cascade and Motueka. And As Young And As Ancient As Spring, an oak-fermented saison with honey from the apiary at Wayward Lanes Brewery.
And though they specialize in rustic, earthier beers, The Seed offers something for everyone.
We told you to keep an eye on this brewery in 2020. And we were right! The Seed is a must-stop, even if you’re just in Atlantic City for high stakes.
Twin Elephant Brewing Company
13 Watchung Ave, Chatham, NJ 07928 | (973) 507-9862
Photography courtesy of John A. Paradiso
Opened in 2016 as Chatham’s first official brewery, Twin Elephant has been quietly blowing up the Northeastern New Jersey beer scene. In our experience, friends and homebrewers Cindy De Rama, Tim Besecker (De Rama’s husband), and Scott McLusky are making some of the juiciest IPAs in the Northeast.
One of our top women-led breweries in the country, Twin Elephant, credits De Rama with “a proclivity for recipe formulation with unique ingredients.”
For example, Tin Elephant, an American IPA with Nectaron, Comment, and Citra Cryo.
Mindful Ales
https://mindfulales.com/
Photography courtesy of @mindfulales
A one-BBL brew system helmed by Dave Martin, Mindful Ales keeps things small and simple. Meaning it can often be hard to find the small number of 750mL bottles Martin puts out into the market. To find them, you’ll need to keep an eye on Martin’s Instagram or events page.
Even though you can’t visit a specific taproom to get Martin’s beers, the quality is worth the hunt. If you can grab something like the recently released SUNSHINE & MAGIC, a barrel-aged strawberry ale blended with house-made strawberry wine and a barrel-fermented saison, you’re in for a treat.
In 2019, we named Mindful Ales one of our top new breweries of the year. And it hardly seems possible, but age has only made the beers better. When it comes to the juice at Mindful Ales, it’s definitely worth the squeeze!
Conclave Brewing
11 Minneakoning Rd, Flemington, NJ 08822 | (908) 392-0893
Photography courtesy of Conclave Brewing
New releases come out of Conclave Brewing about once a month, and they often sell out in a single weekend. Why? Because Conclave Co-Owner Carl Alfaro brings his twenty-plus years of civil engineering experience to brewing beer.
Like Upstate New York’s Equilibrium Brewery, where Dr. Peter Oates and partner Dr. Ricardo Petroni use science to perfect their product and Alfaro lets his former career inform excellent versions of classic beer styles.
Subsequently, the results include Gravitational Waves, a 6.8% IPA dry-hopped with Galaxy, Citra, and Mosaic, as well as Cosmic Drops, a 7.5% ABV IPA with Nectaron, Citra, and Motueka.
Although you’ll see many of these beers classified as DIPA or American IPAs, these beers do tend to toe the line, often dipping into hazy. Which is why Alfaro’s creations earned him a spot on our list of the “5 Under-the-Radar Breweries With the Best Hazy IPAs, According to the Experts.”
However, Conclave doesn’t just make IPAs. Their rotating list includes a Belgian dark strong, Czech pilsner, fruited sour, and more, meaning the brewery usually offers something for everyone.
Magnify Brewing Company
1275 Bloomfield Ave Building 7 Unit 40C, Fairfield, NJ 07004 | [email protected]
Photography courtesy of John A. Paradiso | Hop Culture
Do you think we’d talk about the New Jersey beer scene without mentioning Magnify?
In 2015, Eric Ruta knew he wanted to start a brewery but struggled to find a space and secure the necessary permits. Despite the challenges, Ruta finally found the perfect spot in Fairfield, NJ, opening eight years ago with just four employees. And after doing much of the legwork himself for the first couple of years, Ruta and his team grew the brewery from obscurity into popularity.
Known for hop-forward beers, Magnify often attracts lines for its releases. While the brewery also pulls out some sours (hello, Oh Yeaaa! Kool-Aid sour), saisons, and a stout or two on occasion , and has even gotten into the lager game, for the most part, it’s triple, double, or single IPA releases that call fans from far and wide.
For instance, the incredibly perplexing Frosted Flakes, a breakfast-inspired IPA with oats and lactose along with Citra, Mosaic, and Amarillo hops—all conditioned on vanilla. Or Vine Shine, the brewery’s very first flagship that straddles the line between East and West Coast IPA.
Carton Brewing Company
6 E Washington Ave, Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716 | (732) 654-2337
Photography courtesy of Carton Brewing
Two words: Boat Beer.
Carton Brewing’s 3.5% ABV hazy, hoppy session ale—aka Boat Beer—has made waves as one of the most drinkable beers in New Jersey. Somehow, Carton sailed by the haze craze and crashed on the shore with a session ale. And we’re so glad they did. This is one crisp, refreshing ale made with kölsch yeast, German malts, and American hops.
You can take a boat out along the beautiful Jersey coastline and crush a couple in one afternoon without being crippled.
Carton beer is a New Jersey-made beer to its core. Cousins Augie and Chris Carton started the brewery in 2011 because they couldn’t find kegs of New Jersey-brewed beer. In 2019, Carton expanded to help the cousins keep up with growing demand and distribution.
And while we love Boat Beer, it’s certainly not the only Carton ale or lager we like to crush. Today, we highly encourage you to also try The Hook, a pale ale with Citra and a Galaxy dry hop, and Beach, a session ale with orange zest, among others.
Ghost Hawk Brewing Company
321 River Rd #6, Clifton, NJ 07014 | (973) 259-6037
Photography courtesy of @ghosthawkbrewingco
Ghost Hawk landed on our radar (get it?) a few moons ago thanks to the friendly folks at the “America The BREW-tiful” podcast.
In our opinion, Clifton-based Ghost Hawk makes great IPAs and lagers.
For example, check out the Ghost Hawk Lager (one of our “37 Best Beers to Drink in Spring 2023”), a kellerbier/zwickelbier brewed according to the 1516 German Beer Purity Law.
Or Apex Predator, an NEIPA with loads of Simcoe, Citra, Mosaic, and Ekuanot hops.
But they also have an incredible story.
All have combined to set Ghost Hawk soaring to great heights (get it??).
Honorable Mention
Brix City Brewing
taproom is currently relocating | (201) 440-0865
Photography courtesy of Brix City Brewing
Let’s be honest—when you’re asked to name big-time beer states, New Jersey usually isn’t the first one that comes to mind. But if you’ve learned anything from this list so far, it’s that the Garden State needs to be taken seriously.
But even among people who know and love the Jersey beer scene, Brix City Brewing is a bit of ahidden-gem brewery. But their buzzy hazy IPAs and sensational sours should capture your attention.
If you visit, keep an eye out for beers in the Jams series. For instance, Jamnesia, an imperial NEIPA double dry-hopped with the knockout combo of Citra, Rakau, and New Zealand’s newest hop, Superdelic. As the brewery writes on the beer’s Untappd page, “Pouring a glowing, hazy, golden-yellow, Jamnesia hits with vibrant aromas of ripe peach, tropical citrus, and a hint of candied fruit. On the palate, we’re getting bursts of sweet mango, passionfruit, and stone fruit with a smooth, pillowy mouthfeel. A juicy, flavorful ride from start to finish… Trust us, you’ll want to remember this one.”
Or Heady Jams, an OG Jams that Brix City double dry-hops with Citra, Mosaic, and Galaxy plus a grist of wheat and oats for an ultra fluffy, go-straight-to-your-head-yet-knock-your-socks-off hazy.
Editor’s Note: As of publication, Brix City closed its old taproom on May 25th as they relocate to a new facility. Subscribe to the brewery’s newsletter to stay up to date on when their new place opens! Learn more here.
Eight & Sand Beer Co.
1003 N Evergreen Ave, Woodbury, NJ 08096 | (856) 537-1339
Photography courtesy of Eight & Sand Brewing Co.
Named for a saying among train engineers that wished crews a quick and safe journey, Eight & Sand Beer Co. has picked up steam for the last half-decade or so.
In 2018, USA Today called the brewery one of the top ten in America. Moreover, the brewery’s Bad Hombre chili stout took home a silver medal from the Great American Beer Festival the same year.
Eight & Sand focuses on marrying old European styles with new American ingredients. With most beers falling under sessionable, Eight & Sand crafts award-winning, approachable beers, wishing everyone a quick and safe journey.
Tonewood Brewing
Oaklyn: 215 W Clinton Ave, Oaklyn, NJ 08107 | (856) 833-1500
Barrington: 50 Clements Bridge Rd Barrington, NJ 08007 |
Photography courtesy of @tonewoodbrewing
We came across Tonewood Brewing after a suggestion from one of our readers. A big Kane fan, who has checked in 130 different beers of theirs on Untappd, New Jersey resident Peter Gallagher wrote to us saying he puts Tonewood’s beers right up there with Kane!
The tap list at the original 15-bbl brewhouse in Oaklyn, NJ features sections like “Hoppy/Hazy,” “Lagers,” “Barrel Aged,” “Belgian/European/Etc,” and “On Cask.”
Gallagher recommends Fuego, the brewery’s flagship American IPA with Citra and Mosaic.
Per the beer’s Untappd description, you’re getting a hazy IPA that has a “soft and sweet bread and biscuity malt backbone and up-front aromas of zesty grapefruits, lemons, peaches, and mangos, rounded out by an earthy and floral drag of resiny pine sap.”
Tonewood also has a location in Barrington that opened in 2022.
Bonesaw Brewing Co.
570 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro NJ 08028 | (856) 243-5464
1750 Deptford Center Rd Suite 1500, Deptford, NJ 08096 | (856) 245-7809
Photography courtesy of @bonesawbrewing
Another fan favorite, Bonesaw Brewing cuts you to the core when you read about how this family-run business started. Today, under the guidance of award-winning brewer AJ Stoll, Bonesaw brews a little bit of everything—ales, lagers, stouts, sours, Belgians, IPAs, barrel-aged beers, and seltzers.
We recommend SWOOSH. The 7.1% ABV juicy IPA swoops in with gargantuan bursts of mango, peach, dried apricot, and cantaloupe. The brewery considers this an NEIPA-meets-West-Coast-hazy, so it’ll finish a bit more bitter and drier than your standard hazy.
Honestly, as long as it’s delicious, that’s all that matters, right!?
With an OG location in Glassboro, NJ, Bonesaw also opened what they dubbed “The Pilot House,” with an airplane theme, in Deptford, NJ, in 2023.
About The Author
Grace Lee-Weitz
Currently Drinking:
Fort Point Beer Co. KSA
Grace is the Senior Content Editor for Hop Culture and Untappd. She also organizes and produces the largest weeklong women, femme-identifying, and non-binary folx in craft beer festival in the country, Beers With(out) Beards, and the first-ever festival celebrating the colorful, vibrant voices in the queer community in craft beer, Queer Beer. An avid craft beer nerd Grace always found a way to work with beer. After graduating with a journalism degree from Northwestern University, she attended culinary school before working in restaurant management. She moonlighted as a brand ambassador at 3 Sheeps Brewing Co. on the weekends before moving into the beer industry full-time as an account coordinator at 5 Rabbit Cerveceria. Grace holds her Masters degree in the Food Studies program at NYU.
