NJ breweries celebrate Pride month with events, new beer and support for LGBTQ causes
Pride Month is here, and craft breweries across New Jersey are supporting members of the state's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer populations and their allies with events and special beer releases.
Many of these events support organizations that work with the LGBTQ community.
Whether you want to take in a drag show, listen to music, dance, run or just want to grab a rainbow-colored can, there is something for you.
Happy Pride!
The Alementary Brewing Co., Hackensack
The Alementary has a full lineup of events for Pride Month, starting with a "RuPaul’s Drag Race" trivia night at 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 9. Head to the homey, rustic brewery on Thursday, June 16, for a lip sync battle with drag queens Philip Chaka Khanvict Whitehurst and Rhiannon Nichelle. Queen Morrigan von Haunt will serve as a guest bartender on Friday, June 17. And queen Lillian Bustle will host Burlesque and Boylesque on Saturday, June 25.
At all of these events, we recommend getting a pint of Reizendbier, Alementary’s unofficial Pride month beer. It’s a slightly hazy Hefeweizen with notes of banana and clove.
Go: 58 Voorhis Lane, Hackensack; 201-968-1290, alementary.com.
Bradley Brew Project, Bradley Beach
To coincide with Pride month, Bradley Brew Project in Bradley Beach has repackaged its signature hazy India Pale Ale Unicorn Girls in a rainbow-striped can, with proceeds from the Pride edition of the beer set to support Asbury Park-based education and advocacy organization Garden State Equality.
Go: 714 Main St., Bradley Beach; 732-455-8047, bradleybrew.com.
Forgotten Boardwalk Brewing Co., Cherry Hill
Forgotten Boardwalk Brewing Co. will be on hand for the Haddon Square after-party following Haddon Township’s Pride Parade, running 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, June 9. The brewery will then host a day-long Pride celebration including the Drag Me to Forgotten Boardwalk drag show at 7 p.m. Friday, June 10. For tickets ($15), visit eventbrite.com.
For Pride month, the brewery’s dry-hopped hefeweizen Frequency Modulation will feature illustrations of LGBTQ+ couples on its cans, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the beer will support Philadelphia’s Attic Youth Center, which works with LGBTQ+ teens and young adults.
Go: 1940 Olney Ave., Suite 100, Cherry Hill; 856-437-0709, forgottenboardwalk.com.
Four City Brewing, Orange
Strap on your sneakers and get ready for a 5K. Four City Brewing’s Run for Pride Beer Run on Saturday, June 11, will raise money for The RAIN Foundation, the only youth homeless shelter in New Jersey that caters specifically to the LGBTQ+ community.
The run begins and ends at the brewery, weaving through the streets of Orange. You can run, jog or walk to suit your fitness level. Registration is $30 and includes a 9-ounce pour of one of Four City’s beers, a swag item from the Brewery Running Series, entry into a raffle, and access to the post-run party held in the taproom.
The run begins at 11 a.m. and is being hosted in collaboration with the New Jersey Brewery Running Series. Pride-themed outfits are encouraged.
Go: 55 S. Essex Ave., Orange; 973-630-1411, fourcitybrewing.com.
Lone Eagle Brewing, Flemington
Lone Eagle Brewing will release its limited-edition hazy IPA Rainbow In The Clouds at Flemington's Pride Dance Party on Saturday, June 11, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Stangl Road. The event will include a DJ, dancing, games, giveaways and a beer garden under the Filling Station tent. Any leftover beer will be served on-tap only in Lone Eagle Brewing's tasting room. If the beer is popular, brewery co-founder Bob King said he will scale-up Rainbow In The Clouds production and make it an annual Pride tradition.
Go: Stangl Road under the Filling Station tent; loveflemington.com/event/pride-dance-party-2/.
Magnify Brewing Co., Fairfield
Simply called Pride, Magnify’s Pride month beer is a refreshing double dry-hopped IPA made with Waimea, Azacca, Wakatu and Amarillo. For every can sold, Magnify is donating $1 to The Trevor Project – in other words, $4 per pack and $24 per case. So, to do the most good, buy the most beer. You can also get Pride on tap at the brewery.
Go: 1275 Bloomfield Ave., Fairfield; magnifybrewing.com.
Montclair Brewery, Montclair
Montclair Brewery is one of the sponsors of Out Montclair’s Pride week celebrations. You can try its Pride Beer Golden Buddha, a golden ale brewed with passion fruit puree, at the Pride Day Festival on Saturday, June 11. Montclair Brewery will be at the beer garden on South Park Street during the festival.
Go: 101 Walnut St., Montclair; 973-850-0541, montclairbrewery.com.
Source Brewing, Colts Neck
Colts Neck farmhouse brewery Source Brewing got into the spirit of the month with the June 3 release of Pride — a 7% ABV double dry-hopped, fruited IPA conditioned on pineapple, red morello cherries and Madagascar vanilla.
Billed as a hoppy and hazy IPA boasting tropical fruit, sweet cherry, juicy citrus and vanilla aromas, brewed with malted wheat and oats, Pride will support the Asbury Park-based Project REAL and its work helping LGBTQ young adults.
Go: 300 Route 34, Colts Neck; 732-431-2337, sourcebrewing.com.
South 40 Brewing Co., Edison
South 40 Brewing Co. will host a Pride-themed flight and charcuterie pairing on Saturday, June 18, from noon to 10 p.m., which will include live music from Dan Kiernan from 3 to 7 p.m.
Tickets that include four 4-ounce cups of beer, as well as a charcuterie board from Cheese All That NJ, cost $45 and can be purchased on the brewery's website.
Go: 110 Newfield Ave Suite 2, Edison; 732-243-9340, bit.ly/3H2NhH6.
Two Ton Brewing Co., Kenilworth
Two Ton Brewing Co. will host Pride Night on Friday, June 24, from 5 to 9 p.m., where a $10 rainbow flight will be available. Ten percent of proceeds will benefit Garden State Equality. Live music also will be performed.
Go: 730 Federal Ave., Kenilworth; 908-241-1614, twotonbrewing.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: LGBT Pride Month celebrated, supported by NJ breweries
