Cross Keys Brewing Co.

Cross Keys Brewing Co. is the second new brewery to bring their craft beers to Williamstown. In a town that already has one winery (with a second likely to open later this year), it is an amazing treat for locals (like myself) to have these new choices to wet your whistle. Cross Keys Brewing Co. is located at 1038 N. Main Street. It is only a mile or so away from the other recently opened craft brewery in Williamstown (13th Child Brewery, written about on these pages (https://wp.me/p74VSa-nv).

The tasting room is spacious with lots of tables and chairs, with sufficient space to negotiate the room when you are carrying a couple of flight boards or pints. Speaking of flights and pints…

Cross Keys Brewing Co. offers six brews on tap:

• The Blonde Stranger (American Blonde Ale; 5.1%  alc.)
• Goliath (a delightful Imperial Stout; 10.1%  alc.)
• Pour Decisions (a Farmhouse Ale; 7.1% alc.)
• Key to Hoppiness (Double-dry-hopped IPA; 7.1% alc.)
• Hopedemic (East Coast Double IPA; 9.1%  alc.)
• The Underdog (Mango Gose with Sea Salt; 4.1% alc.)

You can order a flight of four of their brews for $8. They offer simple snacks for $1, but they encourage you to bring your own food or even order food to be delivered there. They also sell logo swag you can purchase, like hats, shirts and glasses (to accompany your growlers). Pricing options for each of the brews are shown in the above photo of their LED sign.

My personal favorite was their Imperial Stout, with its rich chocolate and coffee notes. At 10.1% alcohol, don’t be fooled by that smooth delicious taste. It can sneak up on you. The Blonde Ale was surprisingly tasty and my runner-up on this visit. The Pour Decisions was a fairly traditional Farmhouse Ale. Both IPAs are pretty good, with all the hops you hopheads are craving. The Mango Gose was something new for me. I confess I never had a Gose before and was not really familiar with it. For those of you who may also be scratching your head upon reading the word, “Gose,”  Gose is a top-fermented beer (like ales, but unlike lagers, which are bottom-fermented). Gose originated in Goslar Germany. Traditionally, at least 50% of the grain must be malted wheat.

Cross Keys Brewing Co. is open Fridays from 5-10 PM; Saturdays from 12-10 PM; and Sundays from 12-5 PM.

I look forward to visiting again. Definitely worth a return trip for a larger pour of their Imperial Stout and/or their Blonde Stranger!

Cheers!

Coming Soon

• Back to NJ Wines and Wineries (It’s Festival Season)
• So you want to write a book…?

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