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Somers Point Brewing Company's testing bar.
Somers Point Brewing Company offers outside seating.
Lights highlight the sign to lead visitors to the brewery.
SOMERS POINT- In December 2017, when six friends bought the old Somers Point Ice Company building, it was with hopes of turning it into a local brewery.
The dream would take another two years before it was fulfilled, but on April 2019, their vision came to life.
Childhood friends Ed Siegel and John DiNofrio grew up together in Linwood and graduated from Mainland Regional High School in 1985.
They loved what it meant to be a local--growing up and going to a beach, the friendly feel of a small town. They both always thought that Somers Point would make a good spot for a brewery and eventually decided to make that dream a reality. Siegel had worked at the old Somers Point Ice Company when he was in high school, and thought that spot would work well and offer sentimental value.
“But we knew we couldn’t create this alone, so I went to work and asked if anyone would want to join this new business adventure,” DiNofrio said.
Friends and co-workers from the Tech Center, Kevin Szagala, Deepak Chauhan, Mike Prata, and Bob Biedrzycki stepped up to join the fun.
“Having six of us works great because the two brewers concentrate on their art but then us four come in and we bring the business side to the table,” said Chauhan, who grew up in nearby Galloway Township and attended Stockton University.
Starting a brewery was a great fit for all six of these men, for different reasons. Siegal and DiNofrio would vacation together in Vermont, where they would visit the nearby breweries and try the local brews, and end up talking about starting their own.
Chauhan always had the itch to take an idea and turn it into a full business, while Szagala was a home brewer who was interested in taking his skills to the next level.
Prata and Biedrzycki liked the business model their friends were proposing and jumped on board to join in the fun.
The men refer to themselves as the ‘hometown brewery’. Their focus is more on being a local, crafty spot then mass producing beers.
Somers Point Brewing Company only caters to restaurants and bars in the local area. Josie Kelly’s Public House has their own private labeled beer, made specifically for them, called Josie Kelly’s - Irish Red.
The friends want their brewery to be a welcoming experience. Customers who walk in can expect to be greeted by workers, a reminder that this is a hometown place.
“Customer service and being personable comes before making a sale. We ask our staff to engage and introduce themselves,” Chauhan said.
Since the building was the old ice house, the indoor area has an industrial theme with wall art. The open floor plan allows customers to get a glance at all the brewing equipment and where the magic happens. All the brewing is done in house so if you happen to visit on the brewing days, the customers can actually smell the aroma of a freshly brewed batch of beer.
The beers on tap behind the tasting bar are constantly changing based on what’s new, or the closest holiday or season. The two brews that never change are are Flake News a New England IPA and Big Nose - Blonde Ale. These are the brewery’s top sellers and are always available no matter the season.
Big Nose Blonde is described as a smooth, refreshing, light bodied ale with light floral and fruity notes from late addition Amarillo hops. Flake News has a creamy mouthfeel and hazy appearance.
About seven or eight beers are also a part of their Landmark Series, where each beer name is geared towards the local community. There’s, Beesley’s Point, Patcong-Pale Ale, Dunes til Dawn, Tony Martzen, Scull Bay, 7th Street Saison and Big Nose – Blonde Ale.
Somers Point Brewing Company is open Wednesday through Sunday 4-9 pm on the weekdays and 1-9 pm on the weekends. Stop in this month and taste their October specials, The Tony Martzen Oktoberfest and the Ubiquitous Autumn Pumpkin Ale.
“We want people to know that we’re here! We get so many people that still come in after three years and go, ‘wow, I never knew you were here,” DiNofrio said.
Somers Point Brewing Company is located at 705 W New York Ave. Head to https://somerspointbrewing.com to learn more or call (609)-788-0767 and check it out today.
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Somers Point Brewing Company's testing bar.
Somers Point Brewing Company offers outside seating.
Lights highlight the sign to lead visitors to the brewery.
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