Pitman Breweries? If you used those two words in the same sentence a few years ago your sanity might have been questioned. But that was before Kelly Green paved the way as the first challenge to a long-standing dry town status. My wife grew up in Pitman and nobody was more shocked (or happy) to learn that we now have not one, but two (adding Human Village Brewing Company on 11/18/16) breweries in Pitman. Like other breweries, distilleries and wineries in New Jersey, it has been a tough slog to bounce back after prohibition. The breweries are using an interesting fine print in legislation which allows for breweries to serve beer as long as they include a tour/information about the process of brewing. Some do this with a tour, others with a brief video, while many now hand out a pictorial outlining the process on a slip of paper you receive when you enter and before you place your order.
Human Village Brewing Co. 148 S. Broadway
Human Village Brewing Company is the new kid on the block. It was formerly the Bus Stop Music Cafe, a cool music venue where you could get a coffee or bring your own beer or wine and munch on a sandwich or snack. I’m thrilled that this new brewery decided to keep the stage and many of the old fixtures and will continue the music tradition. That musical connection is also reflected in the clever musical references in naming their beers.
The brews here are very creative, as well. Not your boring, staid styles or ingredients. On tap on this day: Agave Nectar; Fade-to-Black (think Black IPA, but without a Metallica taste); Beers and the Bees (a Golden Ale brewed with honey); Abbey Rd. (an IPA with West Coast Hops and Belgian Abbey yeast, but no Beatles in the brew); Brick in the Wall (“a malt forward Amber Ale” – without any artificial Pink Floyd coloring); Smoke on the Porter (regular or Nitro, but no Deep Purple coloring); Pucker Gently (Black Raspberry Sour)); Mr. Brightside (Bavarian Wheat beer); and Craft Root Beer (non-alcoholic). Unfortunately, the Fade-to-Black and Brick in the Wall were not available when we arrived. Since we had another stop in mind (next door) we could not wait for them to be replenished. They both sounded quite promising. Of those sampled (Agave Nectar, Beers and the Bees, Abbey Rd., Smoke on the Porter-Nitro and Mr. Brightside), my personal favorites were the Agave Nectar (quite unique, without a cloying sweetness I was anticipating) and Smoke on the Porter (Nitro version).
I would definitely like to return when the two missing beers noted above are available and on a music night (Thursdays are Open Mic nights and on Saturdays there are often live acts). Perhaps even a pizza from the excellent pizzeria nearby (Mannino’s). We noticed several folks enjoying theirs and making us hungry. This brewery encourages you to bring your own food, or even have it delivered there. This is a super venue with a lot of potential. They are open Thursday and Friday from 5-10 PM and Saturday from 3-10 PM. See you soon.
Kelly Green Brewing Co. 154 S. Broadway
Kelly Green has become a popular fixture in this small town in a very short time. It’s no wonder. This visit was even better than my last. Their popularity has already brought about growing pains of the positive variety (where to seat all of the faithful followers). Like Human Village, Kelly Green allows bringing in your own food. They also share their sense of humor in naming beers, as you will see below. If you like brews with rich, full flavors (especially if your motto is “God give me coffee to help me change the things I can and beer to accept the things I can’t”) you’ve come to the right place. Coffee is infused in two of their terrific brews. Kelly’s is smaller than Human Village and does not have live music. However, they more than make up for this by serving some of the best craft beers I’ve had in a while.
My sampling today included Uncle Al’s Tan Lines Pale Ale, Percolated Coffee Ale, Off Broadway IPA and Endgrain Coffee Porter. All four of these brews were tasty, though my favorite is still their Endgrain Coffee Porter. Their other offerings included Pretty Pimpin (Dry-hopped Sour); #99 (Brown Ale); Joe’s Vacation (Porter); Way Above Below Average (Cream Ale); Do It with the Lights On (IPA); and Metric System (Extra Special Bitter or ESB). A return visit is definitely in order here. Have to try anything called Way Above Below Average and Do it with the Lights On!
Kelly Green Brewing Co. is open Thursdays from 5-10 PM; Fridays from 3-10 PM; Saturdays from 12-10 PM; and Sundays from 11 AM-4 PM. You can keep the light on…
Pitman Breweries – Yes!
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