Declared the Garden state of America, New Jersey offers a wide variety of places to visit. It is one of the states which have multiple craft beer breweries. At least 134 breweries are operating in the state, and we have picked out the best ones that will leave you with memorable taproom experiences of life.
Here’s some news for you if you are not well versed with the laws of New Jersey, breweries are no longer going to serve food, but most of them allow their customers to bring their own snacks.
If you’re looking for something more local, you can check out our other New Jersey brewery articles below.
Paterson Breweries
You can also look at our best breweries in America article if you are looking for something in a different city or state.
Let’s dive into the breweries that have made it to the list.
- Kane Brewing Company
- Carton Brewing Company
- Magnify Brewing Company
- Brix City Brewing
- Conclave Brewing Company
- Icarus Brewing Company
- Glasstown Brewing Company
- Cape May’s Brewing Company
Kane Brewing Company
(732) 922-8600
A couple from New Jersey crafted Belgium-style recipes that became famous for their unique flavors. To pursue the dream of having a business, both Michael Kane and his wife left jobs in New York to find bliss in New Jersey. As of now, Kane is one of the top craft beers in the state. The brewery launched its first beer in 2011, a pivotal year for beer manufacturers in New Jersey. The standards set by Kane are hard to exceed now; recently, it was voted as the best beer by a 14-member beer panel.
The beers that have been receiving love include Sunday brunch, which contains the flavors of cinnamon and maple, and Double Double Cask, which is a mixture of two different aged barley wines.
Carton Brewing Company
(732) 654-2337
Situated in Atlantic Highlands, two cousins set up the craft brewery in a red brick warehouse just by the seashore in 2011. Augie and Chris only had one dream: brewing tasty beer for the locals. However, the beer spread like wildfire, bringing the Carton to the top of the New Jersey Beer game.
The best beer to be served from the taprooms of Carton is Café Y Churro, a beer that gives off the bitter, acidic taste of coffee but has the aroma of vanilla and cinnamon; this is the perfect breakfast partner. Other than this, the famous beer by Carton is 07750-Nelson; it is a double IPA that is infused with tropical fruits and resins.
Magnify Brewing Company
(973) 287-6099
Are you in a rush or not properly dressed to enter a brewery? If so, then going to Magnify brewery is the right choice; they offer curbside pickup, so you don’t have to deal with the public. The company started with four employees, including Eric Ruta, the brewery owner who had big dreams about launching his own beer in 2015; after great struggle now, Magnify has become one of the best breweries in New Jersey.
There are weekly tasting sessions; you don’t need a reservation to enter the taproom. Currently, 175 bars are selling the beers by Magnify, and Imperial Cold Side and Peak Oil are one of the highest-selling beers in New Jersey.
Brix City Brewing
(201) 440-0865
A friendship that turned out to be a prosperous partnership for Joe and Pete in the May of 2015. It was the day Brix City opened in Little Ferry. The brewery is known for producing New England flavors of IPAs; however, the company is expanding into different branches such as sours or barrel-aged stouts. The brewery is accessible due to its location, and if you are wondering about visiting its taproom, there are visiting hours listed on the official site.
One of the most sought-after beers by Brix is Heady Jams; it is a fully packed IPA in New England, with a hazy flavor and mixtures of tropical fruits such as passionfruit, citrus, and blueberries.
Conclave Brewing Company
(908) 392-0893
Conclave takes pride in crafting a blend of bold, traditional, and creative beers. The brewery has a wide range of crafty beers to choose from. Since it was established in 2015, the local small brewery has initiated hosting live music events and taproom visits.
The bar did not serve the IPAs at first, but their beer named “Moses” did the hoppy trick for many customers. Others like Mexican Morning and Expresso Stout are the best beers to serve in the morning. The Expresso Stout also aids local coffee manufacturers because it is created with local coffee.
Icarus Brewing Company
(732) 276-6273
The company was established in early 2017, and since then, the owners have worked hard to curate recipes for authentic yet creative beers. The brewery is the first microbrewery in Lakewood and has worked to create innovative, high-quality beers that bring the community closer. Icarus brews new flavors each week and tests them. Although it is a takeaway beer, they have a taproom, and people are welcome to visit.
With trendy names like Kalashnikov and Power Juicer that the customers surely remember, Icarus has left an imprint on New Jersey Beer Society. Kalashnikov is a Russian Imperial Stout that has flavors of coffee and chocolate malts, oats, rye, and many other ingredients, which makes it a best-reviewed beer by Icarus.
Glasstown Brewing Company
(856) 327-7770
The small brewery started from the home of Paul Simmons. In 2013, he managed to launch the Glasstown Brewing Company. The microbrewing company has a large variety to choose from, but the company’s best-sellers are the Nightcap Belgian Blonde with 8.7% ABV, Lunch Pale Ale with 5% ABV, and Glasstown Founders Ale. Their Coffee stout named Big Breakfast is also famous among the locals. If you choose to visit Millville, you know where to find good beer.
Cape May’s Brewing Company
(609) 849-9933
The brewery opened in 2011 and has played a significant role in revolutionizing craft beer culture on the shores of New Jersey. Away from the downtown, the brewery is spread over 20,000 square feet at Cape May Airport. It features a beer garden, taprooms, on-the-tap sodas, 24 flavors of beers, and a production area. Another interesting place you can visit is the Brewtique by Cape May Brewing, a one-stop shop that will provide you with all party supplies and apparel.
The most reviewed brews are the American Pale Ales and American IPAs: Already Ready with 4.8% ABV and Cape May IPA with 6.3% ABV. The brews Devil’s Reach and Coastal Evacuation are also highly liked by the customers.
