There is no shortage of incredible — and Instagrammable — alcoholic beverage options in the Asbury Park area. While local breweries offer an amazing range of beer styles, from IPAs and stouts to lagers and sour ales, distilleries produce spirits such as whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum. We’re lucky to have some of the coolest breweries and distilleries right in our area. From family and pet-friendly to open-air and BYOF (Bring Your Own Food) — there’s a place for every vibe and craving. Keep reading to find out which Asbury Park-area breweries + distilleries you need to check out.
Asbury Park
Asbury Park Distilling Co. | 527 Lake Avenue
Asbury Park’s first and only distillery is located in the heart of AP’s downtown business district — right around the corner from the shops on Cookman Avenue with a view of Wesley Lake and Ocean Grove. Because Asbury Park Distilling Co. is a production facility and tasting room, the only alcohol available is what is produced on-site.
Current offerings, which means all made on-site, include Gin, Bourbon Whiskey, Vodka, Aquavit plus a recently-launched Espresso Limoncello. Asbury Park Distilling Co. is dog-friendly and has an outdoor seating area: divine on a warm summer night. People even dubbed it one of the top five reasons you should visit Asbury Park — NBD. AG’s favorites from the menu include the No.67 and the Jon Bouchon.
Read More: There’s an Exclusive Beach Club + Restaurant in Long Branch
Wild Air Beerworks | 801 2nd Avenue
Wild Air Beerworks is a charming, bibliophile craft beer spot just a ½ mile walk from The Stone Pony. The brewery describes the libations as, “thoughtful lagerbier and curiously wild ales.” The names of the beers are based on literary works. For example, “Eternal Fugitive” is a rye lager named in reference to Ode To Beauty by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Inside the brewery guests find the Wild Air Library, a community-driven, free library that encourages guests to pick up a book while enjoying a brew, take it home if it’s a page-turner, and bring one back on the next visit.
For something crisp and drinkable, hoppy, or rich and malty, Wild Air has it. It has a new, non-alcoholic Lemon-Lime Seltzer. The brewery is family-friendly and welcomes leashed, well-behaved dogs. Wild Air often hosts events like open mic comedy nights, live music, watercolor painting, and macrame classes.
Belmar
Beach Haus Brewery | 801 Main Street
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Whether you’re a beer drinker, a cocktail gal, or a foodie, Beach Haus has something for everyone. Right on Main Street in Belmar — just a short walk from the train station and boardwalk — you can experience a brewpub that also has a full-service restaurant (801 Craft Kitchen) and rooftop cocktail bar (The Rooftop at Beach Haus) with stunning sunset views. Beach Haus’ fully-stocked bar has a rotating cast of 15-20 beers on tap that you can enjoy by the pint or in flights. 801 Craft Kitchen’s lunch and dinner menu features an assortment of classic pub appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and wood-fired pizza. Beach Haus’ calendar is fully stacked with live music as well as Music Bingo on Tuesdays and Trivia Night on Thursdays.
Bradley Beach
Bradley Brew Project | 714 Main Street
Bradley Brew Project is a family-run microbrewery in Bradley Beach. The brewery has an industrial, farm-house chic design with a quaint, dog-friendly back patio area and open-air seating available during the warmer months. Well-behaved, adult-supervised kids are welcome at BBP. Snacks are available for purchase on-site but guests are also allowed to bring in their own food, which works out wonderfully since there are SO many fabulous eateries close by. Bradley Brew Project’s taproom is open six days a week (closed on Mondays) and there are new can releases and styles EVERY single week. Reservations are not required.
Long Branch
Long Branch Distillery | 199 Westwood Avenue
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Long Branch Distillery — conveniently located right up the street from The Butcher’s Block and close to the Long Branch Train Station — is a distilled spirits plant that manufactures craft spirits such as vodka, gin, bourbon, rum, and liqueurs. The distillery has an antique interior and is staffed with friendly and knowledgeable mixologists behind the bar. Long Branch Distillery has live music and special events such as karaoke, trivia, and comedy throughout the month. Patrons are welcome to BYOF (bring your own food) into LBD or order from a local restaurant and have it delivered right there. We suggest checking the distillery’s social media and website for hours and updates, as it is occasionally closed for private events.
Beach Bee Meadery | 89 Long Branch Avenue
Beach Bee Meadery — situated just two blocks away from Pier Village and the beach in Long Branch — is a BYOF location that serves hard ciders and meads. Yes, mead. Like… what they drank in the olden times. For those who aren’t familiar with mead, it’s an alcoholic beverage made with fermented honey, water, and yeast. Mead is believed to predate wine and is the first known alcoholic beverage to be consumed by mankind. It’s not as popular because it is not easy to manufacture, which is what makes Beach Bee so unique. The staff is skilled at crafting delicious variations of dry, sweet, sparkling, and hopped meads. Guests can pick any of the ciders or meads to mix and match in a flight of 4 for $15. Indoor and outdoor seating is available with no reservation necessary. Hopefully, you are lucky enough to be greeted by Ross — Beach Bee’s friendly and adorable golden retriever — during your visit.
Neptune City
Little Dog Brewing Co. | 141 Steiner Avenue
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Little Dog Brewing Co. is a female-owned, four-beer barrel craft brewery that specializes in small-batch German and English-influenced ales, lagers, and seasonal beers. Little Dog is a hidden gem — literally the smallest brewer in the area — and can be found tucked in a residential neighborhood in Neptune City, just blocks away from Ocean Grove and Bradley Beach and diagonally across the street from Cats Luck. Owner and veteran brewmaster Gretchen Schmidhausler has been working in breweries since 1996 and is New Jersey’s first professional woman craft brewer. Schmidhausler’s rescue dog Quincy, who sadly crossed the rainbow bridge in 2016, was “independent, small but tenacious, focused and determined,” and has served as the main source of inspiration for her small business brewery that he remains the mascot of. The brewery is open Friday through Sunday for tours, pours, and retail sales. Indoor and outdoor seating is available (weather permitting) and despite the name, no dogs are allowed (unless they are a certified service animal.) Snacks are for sale but no outside food is permitted. Little Dog Brewing Co. is for adults 21+ only.
Ocean
Kane Brewing Company | 1750 Bloomsbury Avenue
Located right by Target and Costco in the Seaview Square Mall in Ocean, Kane Brewing Company offers American and Belgian-style beers. The cozy brewery is open for tastings Wednesday through Sunday from 12PM to 8PM and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The outdoor beer garden is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. No reservation is needed and BYOF. Children are allowed with adult supervision but no dogs unless certified as service animals.
See More: Your Guide to Breweries + Outdoor Beer Gardens in Hudson County
Oceanport
Birdsmouth Beer | 675 Oceanport Way
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Located in The Commissary at Baseline in Fort Monmouth, Birdsmouth Beer is an all-lager brewery that just opened last October. Birdsmouth is a pet-friendly and family-friendly establishment, but children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Games and activities can be found at Birdsmouth, including four pinball machines and SuperChexx hockey. Birdsmouth Beer does not serve food, but guests are welcome to bring their own food in or order food locally to the tasting room.
