Cape May Brewing Company

Tucked away in a small business park next to the Cape May County Airport a 15-minute drive from the beach, Cape May Brewing Co. was founded by two beer lovers who wanted to boost the then weak craft beer scene in South Jersey. In just three years, the brewery has grown from a 15-gallon operation to a 15-barrel system that serves up to 20 beers on tap and self-distributes more than 30 varieties of beer throughout the year in bars, restaurants and liquor stores throughout the South Jersey and Philadelphia area.

On a sunny Sunday afternoon this summer I visited the small brewery, standing out amid the other businesses with a verdant hop garden near its entrance, for the first time and found inside a quaint taproom bustling with vacationers and locals enjoying brews around a hand-built bar. With a packed house, the friendly staff didn’t seem overwhelmed but instead took the time to chat and drop off each of my samples with a detailed explanation of the content. Standout samples for me included the Smooth Sale Pale Ale, Centennial IPA and Dan’s Serenity Now! Black IPA, made from a recipe crafted by one of the brewery’s employees.

Open daily from 12–8 p.m., the taproom is a great spot to visit on your way to Cape May. The relaxed environment and friendly staff alone are worth the visit, but the brewery also just opened a new outdoor beer garden, featuring unique stamped concrete flooring and sweet picnic tables on which to enjoy a few cold ones this summer.

Cape May Brewing Company

1288 Hornet Road

Cape May, NJ 08204

609 849 9933