The Asbury Park Brewery will offer 12 beers on tap at its new location
By ED SALVAS
The Asbury Park Brewery is set to open its new brewery and tasting room on Cookman Avenue leaving its original home on Sewall Avenue for space in the former Fitness Lifestyles building at 614 Cookman Ave.
The business is moving into a 3,750-square-feet with higher visibility and more foot traffic, according to Managing Partner Brian Durand.
The expected opening is in late April, Durand said, as he prepares the brewery in the back and the new tasting room in front. The brewery will serve as a “bridge” between other bars in the downtown business district. and will have more foot traffic than the original location on Sewall Avenue a dead-end street with limited parking. There is also limited parking issue on Cookman Avenue and Durand is hoping that will be fixed.
The new location is also on a straight path to the beach for people visiting Asbury Park by train or bus. The brewery will be open Monday to Friday from 4 to 10 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. He expects to employ 12 to 15 staffers.
The philosophy of the Asbury Park Brewery is simply “great beer, great music and a place to hang out,” Durand said.
That comes from the musical backgrounds of the owners who are all musicians and have played at local venues including the Stone Pony, the Fast Lane, The Wonder Bar and The Saint, which is now closed.
The owners of the Asbury Park Brewery are Bob McLynn. Chris Cornell, Mike Pimco and Jeff Plate. Durand is the managing partner.
The brewery will have a standard selection of 12 beers on tap and other selections from time to time and Durand emphasized that all the brewing will be done on the premises. In making the move from Sewall Avenue he said they also had to invest in all new equipment.
The brewery concept came from Bob McLynn who toured in Europe as a young musician and noticed that each town they visited had a local brewery, so why not Asbury Park? The Asbury Park Brewery will also provide a venue for local bands in the area to perform.
See their website for opening day details at www.asburyparkbrewery.com