St. Patrick’s Day is nearly here, and breweries across Monmouth and Ocean counties are ready to celebrate.
The season more or less kicked off last month with the annual return of Port Omna, the signature stout of Kane Brewing in Ocean Township.
Port Omna is a 6.2% ABV American extra stout brewed with British Marris Otter malt, roasted barley, chocolate, crystal and oats.
The yearly release of the base recipe of Port Omna is typically followed by March surprise reveals of limited-edition variant flavors, so be sure to stay tuned to kanebrewing.com and the brewery’s social media channels for updates.
Here’s a look at eight other Jersey Shore breweries releasing special beers or hosting events to commemorate the big day, but given the sheer density of breweries in our area it’s best to consider this a sampler flight of local offerings.
Cheers!
Beach Haus Brewery, Belmar
In many ways, Belmar is the central hub of St. Patrick’s Day season activity here at the Jersey Shore. It’s where the first of several parades happens, and has a hometown beer to match — Parade Day, a dry Irish stout blended with locally-roasted beans from Turnstile Coffee Roasters in Belmar.
For more on Beach Haus, 801 Main St., and their current offerings, visit beachhausbeer.com.
Belford Brewing Company, Middletown
Belford Brewing Company in the Belford section of Middletown will be hosting plenty of good times from 5 to 9 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day, Thursday, March 17.
Featured beers are set to include the brewery’s traditional Irish Red and Scotch Hammer, a Scottish wee heavy beer aged in a Highland scotch barrel. A limited bottled run of Red Hill Rye Special Old Rye rye beer matured in a bourbon barrel will also be available.
Both of the brewery’s tasting rooms, 84 Leonardville Road, will be open, as will the outdoor beer pen. The singing of classic Irish folk songs is definitely encouraged.
Visit belfordbrewing.com for more details.
Where’s the Parade? Find out about all the St. Patrick’s Day season parades in Monmouth and Ocean Counties
Bradley Brew Project, Bradley Beach
The folks at Bradley Brew Project, 714 Main St. in Bradley Beach, are keeping things quiet this St. Patrick’s Day. They’ve released Quiet in the Castle, a 9% ABV Irish cream-inspired imperial stout that you could say is the strong silent type.
Quiet in the Castle was brewed with cacao, vanilla, caramel and milk sugar, and as of this writing it’s available to order online and pick up at the brewery’s Main Street tasting room.
Check out bradleybrew.com for more information.
Icarus Brewing, Lakewood
You’ll be seeing and tasting gold this season thanks to Icarus Brewing, 1790 Swathmore Ave. in Lakewood. On Wednesday, March 16, the brewery is dropping a fresh batch of We Want All the Gold, a 10.1% ABV North East-style Imperial India Pale Ale.
Brewed with milk sugar and hopped with El Dorado, Mosaic and Columbus hops, then dry-hopped with El Dorado, Mosaic, Idaho 7, Galaxy, Lupulin Mosaic and Columbus hops, We Want All the Gold arrives with accompanying T-shirts and glassware.
Visit icarusbrewing.square.site for more information and to order.
More ManaFirkin Brewing Co. beer on the way: Brewery to triple capacity by June
Last Wave Brewing, Point Pleasant Beach
This season is a fine time to get reacquainted with one of the core beers of Last Wave Brewing, 601 Bay Ave. in Point Pleasant Beach. Red Sky Red Ale, available all year, is a classic-style offering at 5.6% ABV, with notes of caramel balanced out by Cascade hops.
For more on Red Sky Red Ale and the rest of Last Wave’s offerings, visit lastwavebrewing.com.
Little Dog Brewing Company, Neptune City
Get the festivities started early with the Shout Out to Stout Pre-St. Pat’s Cask Fest, 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 12, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 13, at Little Dog Brewing Company, 141 Steiner Ave., Neptune City.
The brewery’s first cask festival in more than two years will feature Little Dog’s Seafarer’s Stout, cask variants and other offerings on tap.
Visit littledogbrewing.com to find out more about Little Dog.
Toms River Brewing, Toms River
Toms River Brewing will have a trio of seasonally-appropriate beers ready for customers’ enjoyment: Irish Eyes New England Session India Pale Ale is a 5.1% ABV brew made with Citra, Galaxy and Centennial hops; Hibernian Dry Irish Stout is a light and approachable 4.5% ABV offering available in a limited Nitro edition; and St. John’s Irish Red Ale is the brewery’s 4.9% ABV flagship offering.
The brewery, 1540 Route 37 in Toms River, will host a St. Patrick’s Day celebration from noon to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 17, with food from Your Sister’s Balls and the St. Brendan’s the Navigators bagpipers on hand.
Visit tomsriverbrewing.com for more information.
Twin Lights Brewing, Tinton Falls
Twin Lights Brewing is releasing Mother Leeds, a 4.5% ABV Irish red ale on Friday, March 11. The first beer of the brewery’s 2022 Artist Series, the beer was created in collaboration with Connor Bracken and the Mother Leeds Band to support the Asbury Park-based organization The Project Matters, which works to support young musicians.
For more on Twin Lights Brewing and information on where to find four-packs of Mother Leeds cans, visit twinlightsbrewing.com.
Alex Biese has been writing about art, entertainment, culture and news on a local and national level for more than 15 years.
