IRON MONKEY’S YARDS NIGHT UNDER JUNE MOON IN JERSEY CITY
On a beautiful early June eve in 2012 I finally got the chance to peruse the wholly revitalized Jersey City financial district at a highly praised drinking establishment founded when the craft beer revolution exploded upon the Jersey scene in’96. Thanks to a much needed and overdue redevelopment and beautification program, this Hudson River sanctuary across from Lower Manhattan (and staring out at Lady Liberty) has gained belated prominence over the past decade.
Once a destitute urban wasteland filled with political corruption, shattered railyards, and rundown factories, Jersey City’s reputation changed with the building of several upscale riverfront properties, shopping plazas, residential towers, and waterfront walkways. Best of all, a local red-bricked tavern with a wiry iron monkey figure and baby blue sign with beige insignia changed the way these territorial beer drinkers viewed handcrafted American brews and vintage imports.
Tucked into its downtown Greene Street neighborhood on the York Street corner, IRON MONKEY RESTAURANT & BAR serves over 100 bottled beers and a dozen tapped beers at any given time. Owned by Steve Mc Entire, a local entrepreneur whose meditational '80s China trip inspired him to open a successful restaurant-bar, this narrow 4-tiered tavern appears out of place amongst the mammoth multi-office edifices in its modernistic urban surroundings, but local businessmen and post-teens keep this intimately rustic hotspot going.
Two benches, a chalkboard menu, and neon beer signs welcome patrons to the ground-floored, low-ceilinged, slate-topped right side bar. Sanctified beer bottles line the walls and a glass mural centers the 12-seat bar, where a few TV’s are tucked into the corners and 24 tap handles serve only the finest craft beers.
Patriarchal mahogany stairs lead to the second-floored 4-seat bar (with several family-styled tables, olden tiled ceiling, gothic-draped windows, taupe walls, and antique wood-steel furnishings). Beyond the third floor open kitchen lies an upper deck open-air 5-seat bar serving red umbrella-sheltered lunch tables. A copper water wall with greenish oxidized patina and an adjacent building serving as a video projection screen add to the coolness factor.
As Oasis’ heavenly "Champagne Supernova" blared from the rooftop patio speakers, my wife and I struggle to find space in the cozily cramped outdoor confines for this evening’s highly anticipated event, YARDS MEET THE BREWER NIGHT. Celebrating Philadelphia’s oldest living microbrewery (established 1994) with 6 well-priced libations, Iron Monkey is packed to the hilt tonight. The highest demand is for
Yards India Pale Ale, which was finished off by 9 PM.
Founded by Tom Kehoe and Jon Bovit, who’d previously worked at an English-styled Maryland brewery, Yards Brewing Company began as a garage-sized operation in the yuppie-like Manayunk section in northwest Philadelphia, crafting
Yards Entire Porter and an adjunct non-spiced golden barleywine,
Old Bart. Soon after, caramel-honeyed, almond-toasted, off-dry conqueror
Extra Special Ale debuted at ‘95s Philadelphia Beer Festival, increasing Yards recognition.
From 2001 to 2007, Yards moved to the Kensington area of Philly, but the space became too tight and the brew crew had to move yet again, allowing the smaller Philadelphia Brewing Company to thrive better in this former spot.
Now stationed at the Northern Liberties district north of Philly’s Center City, Yards gets respect for being the first 100% wind powered brewery in Pennsylvania. In fact, this very ‘Green-leaning’ brewery recycles hot water and cardboard, provides spent grain for local farm animals, and even uses salvaged mahogany trim for its bar and walls.
After ordering my
Yardage samplers, we decided to sample each refreshing tasting at the less populous second floor bar, where the taps serve
Lindeman’s Framboise and
Peche, two world-class Belgian lambics, plus exotic herb-spiced, rye-dried, Finnish-styled
Dogfish Head Sahtea. My wife, Karen, had to get her fruit juices going, settling into the middling
Boulder Kinda Blue Blueberry Wheat Ale while I ripped into the previously untried
Yards Brawler Pugilist-Style Ale.
A soft-tongued, dry-toned, bronze-bodied, English dark mild ale, the feisty-named Brawler Pugilist brought brown-sugared, raisin-greened, port-sauced, plum-fig-apricot illusions to coffee-iced chocolate nibs duskiness, picking up ashen nuttiness as well as chamomile tea herbage along the way. It’s claim as a pugilist styled ale may be a bit overstated for such a calming moderation. Perhaps, it’s only supposed to be a welterweight boxer they’re trying to emulate.
As a bunch of admirable post-collegiate craft beer denizens begin to assemble at the bar behind us, we’re now in very close quarters, unable to freely swing an arm or stretch a leg. But I feel fortunate to be here since a rep from Hunderdon Distributors that came earlier never gained access due to the incommodious dinner time conditions. She had to go elsewhere in Jersey City to find a cool brew, but then admitted to being a bit impatient following the heavy traffic conditions pre-Fourth Of July. At least we’re seated. And I’ll need to be for the more Herculean 18th century presidential offering about to reach my lips.
One of Yard’s ‘Ales of the Revolution,’ which includes
General Washington’s Tavern Porter and
Poor Richard’s Tavern Spruce Ale (in honor of Ben Franklin’s 300th birthday), the exquisite
Thomas Jefferson’s Tavern Ale was originally made with ingredients grown at the ex-prez’s self-sufficient Monticello, Virginia estate. A fully expressive English Strong Ale, the Jeffersonian vintage placed honey-sugared caramel malts and butterscotch spice caking atop berry, citrus, and quince fruiting ‘til its gin-soaked, ethanol-burnt aftertaste threatened to overwhelm the 8% alcohol elixir. It got the eyes bleary, numbed the body, and ultimately pleased three of my five senses.
Moving on…
Yards boss, Tom Kehoe, claims he liked Bass Ale and wanted to make a beer that retained similar characteristics, resulting in the beefed-up chocolate malting of
Yards Extra Special Ale. At Iron Monkey this eve, the subtler cask version of the bottle-conditioned ale was available for scrutinizing. Its cherry, citrus, and berry illusions stand out a bit more as the frisky spice hop tingle of the bottled edition gets toned down against the enhanced fruited niceties.
Yards Saison Belgian-Style Ale benefited most from its tapped version, escalating its peppery-hopped, orange-peeled, lemony grapefruit bittering and counteractive sugared spicing.
Though I didn’t get to try the ever-popular English-styled
Philadelphia Pale Ale at this mobbed shindig, its bottled version had a sourdough buttering that usurped the understated wheat-chaffed dryness and roasted hop bitterness.
Now and then, Yard’s onsite tasting room, open from noon to 7 PM Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 PM Sundays, features ambitious tap-only concoctions such as bourbon barrel aged beers and other one-off specialties. But customers will also find 6-packs, half-gallon growlers, cases, kegs, and pints of their favorite delectable liquids as well.
In its newest warehouse space on North Delaware Avenue since 2008, this ascending microbrewery continues to craft quality beers and ales for essential East Coast imbibing. Surely, as proven here at Iron Monkey, there’s a major interest from Jersey City’s proudly elitist craft brew hounds, heretofore labeled ‘brewpies,’ courtesy of Mercury Brewing’s head zymurgist James Dorau.
www.ironmonkey.com
POINT PLEASANT, NEW JERSEY
While staying at popular Jersey Shore haven, the White Sands Resort, August '13, found upbeat pizza-beer joint, THE SPOT PIZZA GRILL, one mile west of Point Pleasant's beach and boardwalk. Perfect for family dining, business gatherings and beer geeks, this roomy sportsbar-geared neighborhood cafe opened in 2010. Located directly behind Spirits Unlimited (one of 25 Ocean and Monmouth liquor chains), its earth-toned stacked slate columns provide a stellar bucolic tone enhanced by pendant lighting, ceiling fans and exposed pipes.
Besides having arguably the best pizza in town, The Spot's central bar features 20 tap handles serving regular fare such as Guinness Stout, Smithwicks, Blue Moon, Yuengling and Budweiser alongside several local faves by Carton, Kane, East Coast and Flying Fish (as well as nationally recognized micros by Starr Hill, Ithaca, Founders, Lagunitas, Allagash and Leinenkugel). The varied bottle selection will also please beer aficionados. Dining booths and TV's surround the bar at every angle.
Seated at the open air front deck with family in tow, my wife and I share Arugula Pizza (garlic-oiled tomatos, bruschetta, pancetta bacon and oregano) after quaffing white wine-sauteed drunken clams and blackened tuna appetizers. My kids thoroughly enjoyed the thin crust pizza and black angus burger. A local artist plays Harry Chapin's melancholy epic "Taxi" at the makeshift stage just past the entrance foyer as I consume Starr Hill Double Platinum IPA and East Coast's Beach Haus Cruiser IPA.
The Spot wants to be a 'foremost retro-diner with an Irish pub fare.' Happily, it's all that and more. A second location one-half hour north at Toms River in a tan-bricked building (also housing Spirits Unlimited) with 25-seat central bar and sidled dining tables is also worthy.
www.spotpizzagrill.com 
RANDOLPH, NEW JERSEY
Friendly teamwork seems to be the focus at Randolph’s MORRIS TAP & GRILL. An ambitious American gastropub opened during 2011 in a majestic natural stone edifice (run by a few motivated young restaurateurs), the roomy confines convey a refined splendor further defined by the rustic charm of its warm interior. Geared more towards family fun than previous tenant, Stone Fire Grill, this sylvan mid-Jersey watering hole contrasts its casual folksy dining with formal elegance.
Led by head chef, Eric LeVine, a gourmandizing Brooklyn-bred culinarist made famous as Food Network’s Chopped champion, Morris Tap & Grill is determined to conceive the greatest food and beer pairings for their ever-growing customer base. Working at his grandfather’s butcher shop at age eleven gave LeVine the primordial training he’d need to develop into one of the Garden State’s finest cooks, building a solid reputation at prestigious eateries such as Times Square’s Marriott Marquis, Harvard Club Of New York and Brooklyn’s River Cafe.
"I also owned catering companies and restaurants over the past eighteen years," the confident LeVine informs. "Luckily, I wound up in Jersey. (General Manager) Mike DeSimone brought me in as a partner in January after I was at this stuffy private country club realizing I’d die there as an old fossil or move on and be creative and love what I do."
Given a lot of space to devise various seafood, beef, poultry and game dishes, the enterprisingly modernistic cuisinist gained subsequent plaudits for the Baconeater – a deliciously hearty burger CBS-TV voted one of the state’s best. LeVine’s also made noise with lamb T-bone, filet mignon and roasted duck dinner items as well as an expansive Banquet Menu. Combining fabulous original dishes with appropriate craft beers became a major priority from the start.
"Beer gives so many different elements to the food," LeVine declares as an MGMT tune sounds off in the background. "The challenge for me, since I can’t drink beer (due to allergies), is to rely on beer profiles given to me."
Trusting his sixth sense and DeSimone’s palate to create imaginative pairings, the shrewd Culinary Institute of America grad combines just the right ingredients in a delectably complementary manner. The bulky Baconeater counters bacon-stripped caramelized onion sweetness with tangy bleu cheese bittering, heightening the spicy hop bittering of citric-bound Kane Overhead Double IPA.
"It’s like drinking a good wine. Sometimes the flavors build as you go along and the wine sits, developing on your palate," the diligent LeVine divulges as one of his favorite artists, Bjork, emanates from the speakers.
Broken into three separate sections, Morris Tap features the family-oriented Lodge (a right side focal point extending to the orange lantern-adorned rear area), the sportsbar-derived Tap Room (with copper tin ceiling, opposing TV’s and tidy wood furnishings) and the upscale Tree Room (a specialized table-clothed banquet space with cozy fireplace). Burnished amber earth tones provide ample rusticity. Plus, the wonderful draught and bottle selection confirms the pub’s earnest commitment to craft beer, drawing an escalating congregation of beer geeks, connoisseurs and neoteric enthusiasts.
"Craft beer is crazy right now," the Sparta-raised DeSimone admits. "And the owners are great people. I thought I fit in well here. It’s a worthwhile experience. I had worked with (newly hired) mixologist Andrew Longshore in Charlotte at Crave Dessert Bar. It was a martini lounge and dessert boutique with hookah pipes. We were right in the middle of Charlotte, where the service industry is everything."
Though direct competition for handcrafted artisan brews in Morris County lacks right now, there’s a surging local buzz for inventive food contests. A Twitter account follower offered a seriously difficult Chop Box challenge to LeVine recently. Researching what items had never been used on Chopped, the valiant contestant brought python, ostrich sausage jerky, green rice and hops to commingle.
Then, there’s LeVine’s famous gummy worm incident on Chopped. In the final round, desserts were to include gummy bears, pistachio butter, corn melon and rice puffs. A sushi roll was to be made out of the ingredients, but the gummy worms never solidified so he made a lemonade nougat and wound up winning.
"We have a very cool kitchen bar. It has a private table with private server and special menu at a premium price," he says while I down fruity cinnamon-toasted summer ale, Epic Sour Apple Saison. "You get to experience the kitchen without a filter. If there’s yelling and screaming and shit breaking, so be it. It’s part of the deal. There’s a bit of the entertainment factor."
There are also a load of specials to attract tentative customers, such as Thursday’s endless happy hour, Wednesday’s half-price growler fills and affordable Sunday brunch (featuring bottomless Mimosas, Sangrias or Bloody Marys). The ever-changing tapped beer assortment could be bought in seven, ten or twelve-ounce servings, with the smallest seven-ounce size hopefully assuring skeptical purchasers to try variegated libations if the first one doesn’t quite suit their taste.
In May 2012, Morris Tap & Grill teamed up with Civilization of Beer founder, Sam Merritt, for a Cicerone Certification Class that educated interested beer geeks on flavor profiles, styles, history and proper storage. Expect many more of these profgrams.
As I sip coconut-centered digestif, Kona Koko Brown Ale (with its toasted almond, praline and vanilla notes caressing sharp hop spicing), Longshore joins me at the bar to promote Cooking With Class. It’ll gather curious brew hounds for uniquely exquisite beer and food pairings.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
On the corner of South Broadway in the Fells Point section, MAX'S TAPHOUSE earns the right to be labeled Baltimore's Best Beer Bar. Boasting 140 rotating drafts, 5 hand-pumped cask stations, 18 TV's, private rooms and a billiard table, this cozy Irish-styled pub specializes in hard-to-find one-off European beers, respected American micro and nano brews, plus an incredible bottled selection. An elongated wood bar to the right of the entrance gets packed quickly by enthusiastic craft beer imbibers.
On a Friday night in late April '13, my wife and I grab one of the wooden community tables to quaff a few previously untried offerings. Loud classic rock (Electric Light Orchestra's "Evil Woman" and Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet") blasts from the speakers as a large contingent of post-collegiate weekend warriors tip some cocktails while enjoying typical pub food.
For our 2-hour sojourn, I enjoy three different stouts in Charm City's highly touted watering hole. But first, I grab Full Tilt Baltimore Pale Ale, a local flagship beer offering mild IPA-like pine-needled orange peel bittering to floral grapefruit, apple, peach and pear illusions above a caramel-toasted barleymalt base.
Representing Hawaii, Maui Aloha Baktun Belgian Stout was the least interesting of the stouts, getting a tad musty despite its nutty dark-roasted chocolate opening, bittersweet coffee bean salience, mild espresso dalliance and sugary Belgian yeast influence. Better was Missouri-based Boulevard Coffee Ale, a distinct strong ale blending heavenly Ethiopian Sidamo coffee with dark-grain roasted barleymalts and oats-dried rye breading.
For dessert, Iceland's remarkable Olvisholt Lava Smoked Stout proved to be uniquely balanced, plying peat-smoked German rauchbier grit to dark chocolate, roasted coffee and fudgy molasses illusions. (Full reviews are in Beer Index).
A friendly neighborhood saloon glorified by its long-time rep as a superior craft beer fortress, Max's admirably preserves Baltimore's historic boutique-bound maritime post.
COLUMBIA, MARYLAND
In the light industrial section of Columbia (blocks from Pub Dog Pizza & Drafthouse and ten miles south of Baltimore), FRISCO TAP & BREWHOUSE rules the roost with its awesome fifty rotating taps, four on-site homemade beers by PUSH AMERICAN BREWING and amazing pub fare.
A pristine sportsbar atmosphere, conducive to a cocktail lounge, makes Frisco a fine choice for any high-minded beer-drinkin' jock. At the prominent U-shaped oak bar (where eight TV's and a blackboard beer list are located) my wife and I grab stools for a lunchtime visit, April '13.
Along the tan and maroon walls of the high ceiling interior are several canvassed banners representing top-notch craft brewers such as Stone, Troegs, Lagunitas and Southern Tier. Local offerings by Dogfish Head, DuClaw, Evolution, Flying Dog, Old Dominion and Union Craft crowd the current tapped selection while many more fine chocies are available on both tap and in refrigerated bottles.
Before getting to the appealing house beers, we're struck by the solid food menu. Manhattan Clam Chowder, goat-cheesed Arugula Salad and olive-oiled Hummus (with pine nuts and parsley) are outstanding. Pizza, sandwiches, burritos, fajitas and meat-fish entrees all look appetizing.
As for Push American Brewing, although their beers get hidden beside the fertile selection of local, national and international fare, each one deserves a chance. Weirdly beige-hazed Push 72 & Sunny Spring Wheat brought dry champagne grapes, lemon-candied spritz and clove-coriander spicing to a lime-salted white wheat finish (recalling a German Berliner Weiss).
Sessionable Push Gate Drop Pale Ale layered citric rind bittering atop herbal perfumed hops. A bit bitterer, Push Hebrew Knievel Red I2PA brightened its red and pink grapefruit juicing with spiced peach-pear-apple illusions.
Before completing my meal, I get a pint of Push/ Heavy Seas collaboration, Thick As Thieves Porter. Its roasted dark chocolate entry and soy-milked coffee bittering allowed ancillary cola nut, toffee, molasses, vanilla, blackberry and cookie dough illusions to prosper.
GARFIELD, NEW JERSEY
On a corner of Outwater Lane in the industrial town of Garfield, New Jersey, lies rustic red-bricked beer haven, THREE WISE MONKS. Formerly an 'old man bar' with the snarky slogan 'warm beers/ lousy food,' the cozy saloon has gained the attention of local minions and seasoned conniosseurs alike since its March 2012 soft opening and May 18th Grand Opening a few months hence.
A family-run operation, Three Wise Monks recently acquired a new chef who will expand the food menu to include chicken and steak lollipops, shishkabob, and tacos to go alongside chicken quesadillas, Dubbel chicken wings, Monked Up Burger, plus the hummus and fish 'n chip platters I enjoyed during my initial April '13 visit. Brian and Adrianna Iarossi, two of the sibling proprietors, tend bar at the 4 PM opening as several regulars get greeted warmly and I imbibe a few previously untried brews. Some lucky person's having a birthday party in the backroom (which contains a big screen TV, stone hearth and dartboard).
My friend Fred and I get comfortable at the 14-seat oak bar in the front, where 14 tap handles, 2 TV's and several liquor shelves are situated. Near the cash register are several unused tap handles from various worthy microbrewers. Several monk figurines crowd the top shelves alongside colorful bottles of hard-to-find micros. Four 4-ounce samplers are available for those wanting to discover new suds.
As I speak with Brian, he breaks out an eight-year aged JW Lees Harvest Ale matured in sherry cask. The limited edition barleywine brought sugar-caned red cherry ripeness and candy apple-glazed red wining to syrupy molasses, caramel and butterscotch sweetness, proving to be a fine whiskey-malted slow sipper.
While Fred works on easygoing white-peppered, yellow-fruited, fungi yeast-soured Unibroue La Fin Du Mond, I break into lovely dark-spiced, dried fruited, floral wood-toned Speakeasy Betrayal Imperial Red.
First up this weekday afternoon, Vicaris Winter (10 degrees) proves to be quite exhilirating. Its syrupy orange-bruised black cherry fruiting waves in and out of chocolate-caramel malts and toasted hop bittering. Before heading into the sunset, we share sessionable dry-hopped Smuttynose Paradox Short Batch #21, an experimental hop varietal with bright lemony grapefruit rind bittering leading the way.
The following Monday I revisit Three Wise Monks around 5 PM and Brian's the sole bartender. Several beer aficionados begin to gather as we then share a few previously untried libations. Perhaps the best, Belgium's Ichtegem Grand Cru, a Flanders Red Ale matured in oak barrels, layered Spanish Madeira wining atop sour raspberry vinaigrette, bubbly champagne, green grape, green apple and berry illusions.
Another fine offering, Boulder's A Honey Of A Saison brought honeyed spices to lemony grape tartness with a sweet whiskey back. Dry lemon-seeded Captain Lawrence IPA worked lemon-seeded grapefruit rind souring into its rye-breaded spine.
Bettering Leinenkugel's cloying Summer Shandy by far, Samuel Adams Curious Traveler Shandy tasted like a Margarita with its lime-salted lemonade sugaring and Mead-like honey backdrop.
Three Wise Monks is a friendly family affair extending their love for craft beer to anyone sojourning the northern Jersey area. And the hand-picked bottled selection may be just as ambitious as the ever-changing tapped offerings. Talk about a convivial neighborhood joint where everybody knows your name.
Following several more trips to friendly rustic dive, tried yummy fried pita with roasted pepper and garlic hummus dips alongside easygoing citric-hopped Victory Dirt Wolf Imperial IPA during January '14 stead. Comfort food menu proved worthy.
WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND
Across TF Green Airport at a grayish Old Victorian edifice in the sprawling southern Rhode Island city of Warwick, SHANNON VIEW INN may be the best local party spot with its bustling sportsbar atmophere, capacious rectangular main bar, large outdoor patio and affordable pub menu (featuring 'Create Your Own Burgers'). A fine craft beer establishment in the tradition of a loud Irish pub, a blackboard at the back door lists all the currently available tapped libations for the growing number of Warwick beer enthusiasts.
When my wife and I first pass Shannon View on the way to settling in at nearby Holiday Inn Express, there are four police cars with cherries flaring directing traffic to the widely attended St. Patty's Day party (ad is at top right). Lasting long into Sunday evening, we join the ceremonies just after six for a few twilight elixirs.
Loaded with celebratory St. Patty's Day regalia, several outside booths and a large tent have been set up in the parking lot for greater access to food, brews and merchandise. Cool cover band, Those Guys, entertain the friendly local minions and everyone sings along to renditions of Bon Jovi's cheesy anthem, "Living On A Prayer," and Lynyrd Skynyrd's timeless ode, "Sweet Home Alabama." For the occasion, they also break out a few traditional Irish tunes as we stand on one of the many picnic tables brought into the tent so everyone could avoid the unseasonably cold weather.
I get to try local Pawtucket offering, Foolproof Raincloud Porter, while enjoying the oncoming nightfall. Its murky black coffee-roasted smoked chocolate entry and dryest black licorice spell match the cloudy dark skies that've come upon us.
Besides the great local, national and international brew selection (Murphy's Irish Stout is always available), Shannon's Sunday brunch, 32-ounce Bloody Mary and Mimosa pitches and 5-ounce beer flights are recommended.
