Here are the top 12 South Jersey IPA beers of 2023
There are so many great breweries in South Jersey and I had the chance to visit many of them in 2023.
Every Friday on The Sports Bash I take recommendations from listeners on which beers to try and breweries to check out and throughout 2023 I did that.
I took one Saturday in the summer to do the Cape May Brewery tour to visit Ludlam, Slack Tide, CoHo, Behr, Cape May, Bucket Brigade, Cold Spring, Gusto, and Mudhen.
I went out to Hammonton for the day to check out the three breweries out there, down in Somers Point, I checked out SoPo and then took a day to check out Farmers and Bankers, Bonesaw (both locations), Axe and Arrow, and Neck of the Woods.
I only listed IPA's from breweries I visited in 2023.
Without further ado, here are my top 12 South Jersey IPA's of 2023.
(Not ranked in any particular order)
1. Ludlam of Woodbine: Water Guns and Rainbows
Water Guns and Rainbows is a beautifully soft and fluffy American IPA pounded with Citra hops. We packed the mash tun with oats and pale malt to make this beer smoother than a Sam Cooke song. Hopped singularly and totally irresponsibly with the dankest Citra hops we could get our hands on. Stanky, sticky, dank orange and tropical notes throughout with just enough bitterness to hold it all up and remind you that it's still an IPA at heart.
2. Mudhen Brewing Company of Wildwood: Gander
New England-style IPA highlighted by experimental hop HBC 586. Pleasant aroma & flavors of candied peach ring, mango and mint.
3. Bonesaw of Glassboro: Swoosh
A juicy IPA focusing on big, bursting hop flavor and aroma. While we love classic NEIPA’s for their juice for this beer we chose to hybridize West Coast dryness and moderate bitterness to compliment and accentuate the hop nose. Notes of mango, peach, dried apricot, and cantaloupe.
4. Gusto Brewing of North Cape May: Tardy to the Party
Here’s our fifth birthday Double IPA brewed with Golden Promise, oat malt and spelt. Mashed hopped with Cascade then Strata in the whirlpool. Dry hopped with Galaxy, Citra, and more Strata. Were picking up notes of strawberry kush, gooey passion fruit, and a skosh of vanilla. Soft and supple with just enough bitterness to remind us it's indeed a Double IPA. Let’s party.
5. Axe and Arrow Brewing of Glassboro: Funk Face
This IPA explores the aroma and flavors of an all New Zealand hop blend called NewZilla.
6. Gusto Brewing of North Cape May: The Machines Are Learning
Hazy American IPA brewed with flaked oats and dually hopped with Nelson Sauvin and Citra. Big flavor in a crushable package, we’re wafting big pineapple and those unidentifiable dusty lemon candies that no one sells but magically end up in the crystal candy jar on your grandparents’ living room hutch. Maintaining those delightful and distinct flavors throughout, it’s dank without being bitter and smart without being sentient…. for now
7. Vinyl of Hammonton: My Brian Hurts
Hopped with chinook, columbus, centennial, mosaic, and citra
8. Behr Brewing of Cape May: Side Pocket
Light bodied and crushable. Copiously hopped with Citra, Centennial and Mosaic. Don't forget to call your shot.
9. Slack Tide of Cape May Court House: Counter Current
This dank and hazy East Coast-style IPA is brewed with hops and Lupulin powder, which comes from the yellow gland of a hop plant in which the hop acids and the essential oils can be found and where most of the brewing value in hops lie.
10. Farmers & Bankers Brewing of Woodstown: Duva, Where's My Car?
Named for our local Reliance Volunteer Fire Company
11. Somers Point Brewing: Flake News
As the name implies, a whole bunch of flaked oats gives this beer a creamy mouthfeel and hazy appearance. Copious amounts of El Dorado, Mosaic and Summit hops complete this juicy bit of news.
12. Three 3's Brewing of Hammonton: Back to Reality
A bright IPA in the truest sense. Heavy additions of wheat and oats create a lush mouthfeel. We walloped this one with some of our favorite American hops (Amarillo, Mosaic and Simcoe) in the whirlpool and dry hop. Notes of ripe orange peel, fresh picked tangerine and citrus. An all-day crusher that won’t tire the palate.
There are plenty other great local breweries I hope to get to in 2024!
So which are your favorites? Have you tried any from my list? What recommendations do you have for me for 2024?
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