Cape May - Part I: On the Way

Over the years, we've amassed a vast and varied list of friends from all over the country, many of which extend lodging to we Pour Travelers. This not only allows us to catch up with people we don't get to see too often, it also affords us the opportunity to spend more money on beer. While our friends Doug and Lynn live just up the road in Hershey, they invited us (as well as our friends Darin and Jeni) to spend a weekend at their beach house in Ocean City, NJ, just north of Cape May, an area that has recently exploded onto the craft beer scene. I'd been wanting to get down there for quite some time, as I'd heard that Cape May Brewing was a must-hit brewery. Brewslut had the opportunity to scope out this and several other breweries on a previous "girls' weekend" with Lynn and Jeni, and there was much quality beer to be had. After having to postpone our original jaunt to do - what else? - COVID (thanks, 'Rona) we rescheduled for a weekend in April that worked for everyone. While I wouldn't categorize myself as a "beach person" (you won't find a Salt Life sticker on my rear windshield), I enjoy the cool nights at the beach during the off-season, when tourists and their screaming children haven't descended onto the Jersey Shore for their annual summer vacation. Although the boardwalk lost its appeal to me back when I was in college, the mere mention of about a dozen or so breweries in the area stoked the flame and offered a new opportunity to rediscover this part of the Jersey Shore. So it was off to Ocean City, where we'd be exploring the vast landscape of breweries in and around the greater Cape May region. Even better was the fact that Darin volunteered to serve as our DD for the duration of the weekend. I find this to be a double-edged sword, unfortunately, as I tend to drink more (how is that possible?!) and imbibe higher gravity beers more frequently. With that said, Doug and I were in for plenty big beers this weekend, but you'll have to keep reading to learn about our shenanigans. 

Inside Philadelphia's Human Robot Brewing.

When planning our weekend itinerary, I was pleased we'd be rolling through Philadelphia on the way down to the beach house. This fortunate discovery led to an obvious stop at Human Robot. After just one visit (OK two visits; we went back again the next day), this brewery quickly escalated the rungs to the top the ladder as my favorite brewery in Philly. Even better was the fact that we were able to enjoy sitting inside (as opposed to outside in the cold). Since Darin was driving, I "relied upon myself" to dig into its many offerings. 

First up was Burgenstraße. Inspired by the coal fired kettles of Germany's Franconia region, this beer's moniker translates to "Castle Road." Traditional in every sense of the word, this Zwickelbier (a lighter version of the unfiltered kellerbier or "cellar beer") features 100% Vienna malt and Hallertau hops and is brewed using the traditional Franconia-style decoction. I must admit that I never much preferred drinking beer out of mugs. Perhaps when the occasion fit, I'd chug some traditional German lager from a mug. Human Robot inspired me to pull my old Troegenator dimpled mug out of retirement, and I'm happy to say that it's in frequent rotation these days (partly because I've been gravitating to lagers lately). 

Pleeps is now an expert on Franconia-style decoction.

Keeping things traditional with my next selection, I opted for Dude Time In Cologne. This single decoction Kölsch-style ale features German pilsner malt and Perle hops to achieve the dry crispness that's a hallmark of this classic German style. It's one of those beers that's kind of an ale AND a lager in that it is fermented warm with top-fermenting yeast, then conditioned at cold temperatures like a lager. Leave it to Human Robot to knock this one out of the park. I usually brush aside this particular style in lieu of pilsners or pale ales when I'm looking for something light and refreshing, but I'm glad I snagged this while it was on tap. Nicely done indeed! 

Pleeps says: "Gimme that stange!"

Since I'd only ever tried a few sips of Brewslut's beers (she had tried a few IPAs, stouts and fruit beers while I stuck to the traditional stuff), I decided to try my luck with something hoppy next. Enter Future Embrace, an IPA combining the sticky, dank pine resin of Simcoe with the one-two punch of mango and citrus fruit of Mosaic. I'm happy to report that Human Robot not only can produce world-class lagers, it also boasts the full spectrum of American-style beers. I made sure to leave with a 4-pack of this tasty IPA to enjoy at home. 

I couldn't leave without enjoying a pour of Polotmavy, my favorite beer from our initial visit. This exceptional Czech Garnet Lager is subtle yet so flavorful. Translated as “half-dark,” this elegant lager boasts a slight roasty flavor courtesy of Vienna and chocolate malts. So freakin' good! Sadly, they didn't have cans available. I enjoy this beer so much that I'd likely have purchased a case if it was available. Oh well... there's always next time.

Look at the head on that beauty!

After an enjoyable visit to Human Robot, it was time to check out a few new places in New Jersey. we'd yet to brewery hop around the Hammonton area, and a quick perusal of my trusty brewery map app revealed three breweries in close proximity to each other around Hammonton. Score! I thought, "might as well hit all three, right?" Everyone else was in agreement, so it was unanimous.

First up was Vinyl Brewing. Recognizing my love (scratch that... obsession!) with records, I knew I'd at least enjoy the vibe of the place even if the beer was subpar. With a motto like "Get spun" I figured these peeps were cool to boot. Obviously, this place is inspired by music as much as it is by the beverages it peddles. Beer and music... is there a better combination? After combing through the lengthy beer list, I decided a flight was in order. Here's the track listing:

• Pat - West Coast IPA brewed with Vienna and crystal malt and hopped with Citra and Simcoe.
• The Great Chipmunk Fire of '79 - Love the name of this beer! (I was unfamiliar with this reference, so a quick turn to Google revealed that it's taken from a quote from the Pauly Shore - remember him? - movie, Bio Dome. The beer itself is a light-bodied porter with a fairly smoked flavor thanks to the addition of beechwood smoked malt.
• Mango Fuzz - Brewed in collaboration with Tuckahoe Brewing, this IPA features lactose and is hopped with Citra and Mosaic... but that's not all! It's dry-hopped with more Mosaic before being conditioned on Madagascar vanilla beans and lots of mango purée. Like the brewery says, it's reminiscent of a mango Gelati. 
• Fuzz in the Matrix - Blueberry, Blackberry and Raspberry Milkshake IPA.
• Chocolate Marshmallow Party - imperial stout brewed with chocolate and marshmallows.

Pleeps is in the groove at Vinyl Brewing.

There's a lot to digest here. Overall, I wouldn't place any of these beers on a pedestal, but everything was pretty solid as far as I can recall. If memory serves me correctly, I'd say the only one I didn't really care for was the Fuzz in the Matrix, which came across a little thin. My favorite of the lot was The great Chipmunk Fire of '79 (coincidentally my favorite name too), which boasted a pleasant smoky-sweet character and a hint of earthiness. The Mango Fuzz was also memorable. (We'd hoped to get to Tuckahoe on the way home from the trip, but it didn't happen.) 

Up next, we set our sights on Three 3's. Oddly enough, I hadn't made the connection until we got there that this brewery was in fact a completely different entity than Threes Brewing, which is based out of Brooklyn, NY. This place is THREE 3's... as in how many threes are there? Three, of course! Of the three Hammonton breweries we visited, this was probably my favorite overall. 

Outside Three 3's in Hammonton, NJ.

Inside the tasting room, we were greeted by a chill, casual space void of any pretentiousness. Immediately, I was ensconced in good vibes. We parked our group of four at a high-top table and took to the ample beer list. I decided to start with a beer called Tryfecta, a hazy saison brewed with heavy additions of wheat and oats and gently hopped with Mosaic and Cascade, then conditioned on a hefty combination of local blueberries, strawberries and blackberries... 15 pounds per barrel, to be exact! Bright with a subtle fruit sweetness, this summery saison was a dry yet refreshing treat. 

Up next was a beer from its Twisted Cobbler series called Rhuby Soho. This light-bodied fruit beer brings together graham cracker, strawberry, and rhubarb to create a delicate sweet-and-tart tang with subtle notes of honey. The combination of strawberry and rhubarb always creates a pleasant sweet-tart flavor, and this one was certainly enjoyable. 

Around this time, one of the brewers/owners came out and chatted with us for quite a while. He filled me in on the difference between Threes and 3 Three's, which I appreciated... but not as much as the beer he sent home with us, including a tasty Helles Lager and some of the beer I was currently enjoying called Sorry Not Sorry. Brewed with oats, wheat, and hit with lactose, this milkshake IPA boasts "irresponsible additions" of Citra and Sultana hops to bring forth hints of creamsicle, pineapple custard and blood orange cupcakes. I made sure to reciprocate with some Troegs goodies I'd brought along for just this occasion. 

We decided to hit one more brewery since we were in the area. Turns out Hammonton has three. After grabbing some coffee and a snack, we headed to Chimney Rustic Ales. As Hammonton's newest brewery, Chimney was established in 2018 and has a... well, a rustic look and feel. So I suppose the name fits. Inside, we were greeted by cozy seating and wood... lots of wood. Even the tap handles are basically different pieces of wood. Rustic indeed. 

Tap handles at Chimney Rustic Ales.

The beer list was all over the map (as it should be, in my humble opinion). Everything from low ABV traditional ales and classic styles to hop-forward IPAs to fruit beers and sours were all represented. I decided to keep things light and European with a beer called Nobbleberry, an English pub style ale aged on cocao nibs. Malty with hints of toasted bread, light roast coffee, and bran muffins, this quaffable ale served its purpose. By this time, we were starting to get a little fatigued (I hit Human Robot pretty hard!) so we agreed Chimney was a one-and-done stop. And with that, we were off to the beach house to meet Doug and Lynn.

We're just getting started folks! Stay tuned for our next episode, which features an entire day of brewery hopping around Cape May. Until next time...