The brewing business is booming in South Jersey, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. The state is becoming home to some of the finest craft beers in the world. Slack Tide Brewing Company, which opened December 15, 2015, has set the standard for brewing, and they plan on keeping it that way.
Slack Tide is located in a woodsy part of Cape May Court House, New Jersey. I arrived at the brewery at about two o’clock on a Sunday afternoon, expecting it to be a bit quiet. I was pleasantly surprised to see the opposite. It was packed with friendly beer lovers who couldn’t wait to tell me which brew was their favorite.
“The New Jersey brewing scene grows bigger every year, but Slack Tide makes every other beer taste average,” said frequent customer and beer enthusiast Chrissie Johnson. “I don’t know how they do it, but I’ll never stop coming back.”
After taking my tour of the brewing facility, I sat down and ordered a flight. I was in the mood for some ale, but nothing to hoppy. It was 70 degrees and sunny, I just needed something cold. I decided on ordering the 5 Fathom pale ale, Angry Osprey american IPA, Thermocline double IPA, and the Tail Rope wee heavy.
Although all the beers were exceptional, the first beer I tried, 5 Fatham, blew away any craft pale ale I’ve tasted. Period. The second it touched my lips I fell in love.
A man who saw me doing some tastings greeted me, and I was happy to learn it was Jason Campbell, the co-founder of Slack Tide. When I praised his 5 fathom pale ale, he explained the science behind it to me.
“5 Fathom is a pale ale that we dry hop to give it a less bitter aftertaste. It also has a bit of caramel malt to sweeten it up and tone down the hops.”
As we continued to talk, Campbell began to tell me how he got started in the business.
“We started home brewing six years ago. The year before we opened, we took six of our best beers and sent them out to 50 people to taste. The brews came back with good reviews so we went at it.”
Talking with Jason was very helpful and interesting. He gave me some background on the place and taught me a few things about brewing.
Warm weather, a lively crowd, and great service had me sold before I even tasted any of the brews. This place has some serious character. Don’t be surprised to hear me bring these guys up again. It was perfect!
Inglorious Beerstards 