East Coast Brew Review

The Stats  Loca tion: Little Ferry,  NJ History: This spot has been open for almost 2 years. High school friends started home brewing and before they knew it they were consumed by the craft beer world and decided to open up their own brewery. Brix City is  "built on a passion for full flavored beers, the intentions of the brewery are to produce a wide variety of beers: Imperial IPA's - Sours - Pilsners - Stouts - and everything in between." Food Service: No Websit e:  brixcitybrewing.com The Scenario Our second stop on our New Jersey tour consisted of a stop over in a town south of Hackensack. The tap room was fairly large with a few tables of communal bench seating. The place wasn't too crowded and we were able to grab a table to ourselves. We posted up at a long table below racks and racks of oak barrels. It is unclear what they had aging in these barrels b ut I have never seen so many in a brewery at one time. Dozens. We both decided to ...

The Stats  Loca tion:  Beacon, NY   History: 2way Brewing is a micro brewery producing the "highest quality hand made beers in the Hudson V alley ." They stand for good beer, with good people, in a good place. That 's the "2way way." Food Service: Yes, but we did not order anything. Websit e: 2waybrewingcompany.com The Scenario 2way is located in Beacon , N Y down a sidestreet. When entering there really isn 't much to say about it. It is a pretty non-descr ipt location with non-descript ambiance. We notice d s ome huge trees that were in the middle o f the taproom and a cozy cor ner with some lounge chairs and a few cou ches. The beer selection left a lot to be desired and we settled on some Fa rmhouse Ales. M ay be we had high expec tations due to the last two stops (Newburgh Brewing , and North River) but we couldn 't help but feel let down. We quickly finished our beers and headed home. The Ratings Confusion NY Farmhouse D: 2/5 - Bl...

The Stats  Location: Newburgh, NY History: Newburgh Brewing Company pr ides itsel f off of honor . The y claim that they work hard to make the natural goo dness of their ingre dients shine through in every taste. Deeprooted in h istory and stayi ng tru e to the sp irit of Newburgh, the taproom is a well preserved 19th centu ry indust rial building with high ceilings with a fantastic view of the Hudson. Food Service: Yes, we enjoyed the Mac and Cheese and the Chicken Tenders. Both wer e relatively delicious considering we were at a pla ce known for their beer. Websit e: newb urghbrewing.com The Scenario We will absolutely say that when you first pu ll up, you may think you're about to enter the Twilight Zone. Parking is weird and the facade is even creepier. However, as you walk in you are immedia tely hit with stai rs that you climb to their second story taproom. T h is place is a rustic s dream. High ceilings with wooden beams and long wood tables, beer hall style. This...

The Stats  Location:  Everett, MA History: Started by a h usband and wife team, Bone Up has been cranking out American Style Ales based on old-school Belgian techniques since 201 6 . In an ol d , ou t-of -use , and run-down laundromat, Bone Up was born. Food Service: Yes, light fare. On Thursday 's, they serve up slices of pizza from local pizz eria Sillari's. On Friday's , they usually have food trucks. On the weekends they serve up Pretzels from local Fat Boyfriend Bakery with beer cheese and Cauldro n mustard. Websit e:  http://www.boneup.beer The Scenario  Bone Up was the second stop on our short tour of the Malden/Everett area of outer Boston. Bone Up is located a short block away from Night Shift which is ideal for an afternoon of drinking. Walking into the building where Bone Up is located you don't exactly expect to find a brewery. It feels like more dingy warehouse than welcoming brewery. Finally finding the entrance to the actual brewery wit...

The Stats  Location: Malden, MA History: Based on the old adage "Idle hands are the devil's playground," Idle Hands chooses to make use of their idle hands to make delicious beer for everyone to enjoy. Head Brewer Christopher Tkach started brewing at age 21 i n his homestate of New Hampshire with a home brew kit given to him by his uncle . He has since perfected his craft and has been operating Idle Hands since 2011. Food Service: Yes, they offer pretzels and other light snacks. Websit e:  idlehandscraftales.com The Scenario  Our final stop on our beer tour of the Malden/Everett area, Idle Hands was relatively less busy than the other two stops. This was probably because at this point, it was approaching dinner time. Set on having beer for dinner we were pleased to easily head to the bar and order a drink promptly. Idle Hands consists of a long bar running the length of the small space, flanked by 8 or so long communal tables. After getting our drinks we p...

The Stats  Location:  Everett, MA History: A group of three friends began home brewing in 2007 in their Somerville apartment. The name for their brewery came from their schedule of having desk jobs during the day and staying up well past midnight several nights a week brewing beer. In 2012, the trio opened their first nanobrewery and in 2014 moved to their current 30,000 sq. ft. space.  Food Service:  Snacks and food trucks.  Websit e:  nightshiftbrewing.com The Scenario  While visiting friends in Massachusetts, we just had to incorporate some brewery visits. Night Shift is a popular brewery that we had heard about and we were excited to visit. We arrived at the perfect time. Our group of 6 was able to secure the last available high-top table. We all ordered a mix of flights and pints to enjoy. They were pretty strict about showing your stamped hand indicating your ID was checked and you were of drinking age. One person was also...

The Stats  Location: Tempe,  AZ History: The idea for Four Peaks started in Oct 1994. To fund the venture, they sold Grundy Tanks which were used in England as large kegs perfect for serving beer. As they became antiquated in Europe, the timing was just right. In the mid-90s m icrobreweries  were popping up all over the U.S. and these tanks were imported and sold to them. The building Four Peaks uses today has a rich history and has been converted several times. It was originally an ice house, then a dairy creamery, a recording company, and finally the brewery we have today.  Food Service:   Yes, they have a full menu.  Websit e: fourpeaks.com The Scenario  Four Peaks was definitely packed when we went. There were a lot of people enjoying beer both inside and outside and food was coming out of the kitchen in waves. We cozied up to the bar with no problem and absorbed their beer menu. A ton of employees were workin...