CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY

Proud to be New Jersey’s first non-profit microbrewery, humble barn-housed COLD SPRING BREWERY brings an Old Wild West feel to Cape May. Part of the historic Cold Spring Village (museum, restaurant, creamery), this wood framed ranch featured antique horse harnesses, ancient pistols and large exposed pipes along its columned A-frame interior, providing quaint rusticity for the family-styled village.

Leather-cushioned wood stools and seats get serviced by the tree-barked L-shaped serving station. Six draught lines offer predictably easygoing fare from the rear nano system. Near the side door, there’s a bench-saddled hearth area with overhead TV and several cozy wall booths.

My wife and I grab a few seats at the large fenced-in outdoor area, springtime ’19, where we consume five commonplace brews that’ll definitely please softer blue collar palates.

For openers, grassy pine hops dabbled with lightly embittered grapefruit-peeled orange rind subtleties for dry-bodied moderation, Ishmael Pale Ale.

Tea-like Finley Forge IPA stayed dry as apple-skinned citrus tartness gained dewy pale malt sweetness to contrast its phenol hop tannins, recalling a more moderate Brit-styled IPA.

Mild Poor Sailors Sour Ale brought subtle lactic acidity to tart cider piquancy and vinegary green grape esters with efficient results.

Tart citric-quince-spiced Cold Spring Red Ale retained a crisp barley roast but little else.

Delicately creamed Dennisville Inn Porter underscored its delightful cocoa-chocolate influence and hazelnut-glazed pecan sweetness with ashen walnut bittering.

coldspringbrewery.org