New Jersey loves a Cinderella story. Here’s the latest: njmonthly.com readers voted underdog New Jersey Beer Company their favorite in our Jersey Craft Beer Showdown, presented by Gary’s Wine & Marketplace.
With the NCAA tournament inundated with upsets these past few weeks, it’s only appropriate that New Jersey Beer Company, the seventh seed in our Northern bracket, would defeat Flying Fish Brewing Company, the number 1 seed in the Southern division.
New Jersey Beer Co.’s full-court press of promotion through social media and email lifted them to victory. The first big shock of the competition came in Round 1 when New Jersey Beer Co. knocked off perennial favorite and number 2 seeded Carton Brewing Company. The upstart brewery would upset the applecart yet again in Round 2 by beating another higher-seeded brewery, 6-seed High Point Brewing. The penultimate round pitted New Jersey Beer Co. against the other engaging Cinderella story of the competition, 8-seed Brix City Brewing.
Founded in 2010, the North Bergen brewery wears its Jersey pride on its sleeve–or on its bottle, as it were. Many of their beers are inspired by and named for the Garden State, such as the Garden State Stout, Hudson Pale Ale and LBIPA. New Jersey Beer Co. also has the distinction of being the only craft beer sold at the Prudential Center, home of New Jersey’s lone professional sports team, the Devils.
With their creativity, exceptional taste and enthusiasm, New Jersey Beer Company is the deserving champion of the Jersey Craft Beer Showdown.
Why do the 1 and 2 seeds potentially face off in round 2? Has the person who created this and the editor never seen an NCAA bracket?
The 1 and 2 seeds wouldn’t meet until the semi-final…look again 🙂
I know every brewery cannot make it on the list, but not having Cricket Hill is a shame.
Seriously, who made this bracket?! These match-ups are terrible and the absence of Cricket Hill is a horrendous oversight.
Tuckahoe a #7 is a bit of a slight especially being against Cape May in round 1
Get Flounder, and more importantly, Pineland Brewing in there!! so great.
Let’s cut to the chase…it’s Kane vs. Carton, and it’s a toss-up!
how do we know how our favorite breweries are fairing in the poll while it is happening
We can’t share the voting data in real time, unfortunately. Your best bet is to encourage as many friends as you can to vote for your favorite!
All that matters is that spellbound is on the list!!! They should win !! I love there peach IPA!!!!!
anyone knowing anything about taste quality and ingredients Ramstein, best beer this side of the Atlantic.
Unfortunately, there are a few of these I have not been to, but looking at this (incomplete) list, it makes a guy feel good about New Jersey beer, considering in 2009 we only had 5 or 6 breweries in the whole state. That change in legislation a couple of years ago really opened the door for a craft explosion. Now, if only they would completely overhaul the archaic laws so I don’t have to do a “tour” every time I buy a bloody beer.
Weak results of round one… I voted opposite way of 7 of the 8 – and only one I voted for was the biggest toss-up (Cape May / Tuckahoe)
Well this clearly is a fail of a bracket… How many people did Brix City, NJBC, and Glasstown pay to vote for them to beat the only 3 in the original list that deserve consideration for best in NJ?
Think you should actually try Glasstown Brewery before putting them down because they are amazing!!
As I agree glasstown has some tasty beers. Clearly this bracket it off. Kane puts most if not all nj breweries to shame. Not to spellbound has been turning over bombs after bombs only being little over a year old. These contending breweries are turds. Njbc hasn’t put out anything goes remotely good nor has high point
I prefer Beach Haus’ Winter Rental, as well as some of the Flying Fish brews.
Njbc best in the business. Lbipa is the best and the new bergenline brown ale is amazing. The Hudson and abbey are all time classics. Love Njbc
Kane and Carton knocked out in the first round and Conclave, Cricket Hill and Cypress not even in the running……. who votes for this crap?
Uhh the people who decided to vote???
The only reason that I can accept this bracket is because it was voted on by the public. No disrespect to the winner, but if these were the results of a bracket solely done by the magazine, they would be wrong…