NJ Craft Beer Friends

This will be the first time we visit Carton Brewing in the Atlantic Highlands, and they are included in the 2026 Reel Craft passbook.

Carton brews tasty beer. Tap list. Their tasting room is upstairs and has a funky loft vibe. The exterior gives me speakeasy vibes since it is on the edge of a residential area, and has no discernible signage. Look for a two-story brick building, with orange planters near the street (see photo for this event).

They have a very small parking lot next to their building, and there is on the street parking as well as a municipal parking lot a couple blocks away.

There are some food establishments nearby, but I am not really familiar with this area so I’m not sure if all will be open this time of year.

Kane brewing Company is one of the best known breweries in the state. Interestingly, I don’t think we’ve ever visited before because it’s a bit of a haul for most members. Winter might not be the best time to visit, but I will be in the area and figured why not to set up a Meetup?

IPAs are their forte, but they have a couple of lagers and some big stouts. Tap list. They also have a variety of bottled spontaneous and saison beers.

From Kane: Our Spontaneous and Saison beer project inspired by traditional Lambic and Saison culture, brewing and blending techniques. Field & Oak beers are uniquely representative of our New Jersey agriculture and our native yeast and bacteria through spontaneous fermentation, which lead to creating a unique and unforgettable experience.

Not a ton of food options in the area, so feel free to bring snacks. They have a decent sized parking lot, and are in an industrial area so parking isn’t an issue. 

The map pin has been fixed and no longer shows us in the ocean. This is good, because it's hard to drink when you're underwater. Please plug the street address (1750 Bloomsbury Ave., Ocean Township) or the brewery name into your GPS.

Wild Fern Brewing is one of the newest breweries in Hunterdon County. This will be our first visit there, and fortunately they will be holding a fundraiser for the Northeast Organic Farming Association of NJ (NOFA NJ). They also happen to be in the Reel Craft Passbook.
They've done a great job with their beers, with a nice variety of styles.
Tap list
They have a large parking lot, and they offer cheese plates and Fishwife tinned fish, as well as several non-alcoholic drinks like espresso, kombucha and digestifs. There are a couple of food options in Frenchtown. The D&R Canal Path runs right behind their facility, so feel free to plan a walk or bike ride.