By Laura D.C. Kolnoski
OCEANPORT – Fort Monmouth’s former Commissary sprang back to life last weekend as the first new business to locate there, Birdsmouth Brewery, opened its doors.
On Friday friends and family helped staff test their new skills during a soft opening at the brewery located at 675 Oceanport Way. The public was invited in the next day.
Built in 1998, the Commissary was widely used by military personnel and area veterans before the Army shuttered the fort in 2011. Now called Commissary at Baseline, the site was purchased by Denholtz Properties of Red Bank in 2020 from the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA). The property is part of a 26-acre site that also includes the fort’s former PX, Post Office Area and Warehouse District.
Birdsmouth Brewery leased a 12,080-square-foot space, converting it into a production facility and tasting room with bar and seating areas, games and an outdoor patio. The enterprise takes its name from a carpentry term for a wood joint used to join building materials together, intended to symbolize its owners’ goal of brewing lagers that do the same for people.
The Jersey-centric venture features the state bird, the goldfinch, on its logo.
The founder, co-owner and head brewer is Andy Gioia, formerly head brewer at Ocean Township’s Kane Brewing for six years. His business partner and co-founder is his friend of 20 years Rocco Laginestra, a commercial real estate broker in Manhattan. The men learned of the availability of the Commissary through a colleague, who connected them with Steven Denholtz, president of Denholtz Properties.
For Gioia, what started as a hobby in his compact Asbury Park apartment led to working up the beer industry ladder as keg washer and cellarman.
“I’ve been in the industry for a while,” said Gioia, a graduate of the American Brewers Guild. “I had a great experience at Kane and we remain good friends. I wanted to branch out and have my own team.” Initially, he merely sought feedback from Langinestra on his ideas, but as the men brainstormed, they found themselves “on the same page.”
“Our two skill sets complement each other,” Andy said. Langinestra, who roomed with Andy’s brother Kevin at Rutgers University, was looking for something new and welcomed the chance to “work with my best friends.”
The brewery’s specialty is lagers. Current beers on tap include the Oktoberfest 5.5% ABV, described as “a beer for celebration and a great segue to the darker stronger beers of winter.” Due to New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control restrictions, the brewery cannot serve food. Instead, takeout menus from local restaurants are offered.
“We hope to expand those connections and spread business around town, as well as start doing wholesale in the next couple of months,” Gioia said, adding the next phase is getting restaurants locally and statewide to feature Birdsmouth products.
The brewery can accommodate up to about 200 persons and will soon be available for private parties and events. In addition to adapting an interior marquee sign to advertise beer offerings, the owners have also repurposed the Commissary’s cold box to hold its new beer cans. Currently, seven people are employed there.
“I’ve always been intrigued by Fort Monmouth and love the area,” Gioia said. “I like that the Commissary was a communal place to get groceries. It’s important to keep the history. We’re trying to keep that spirit alive.”
“I love being part of the story of how the fort will become an amazing place,” Langinestra said, adding, “My grandfather was a sergeant in the U.S. Army, so it has a personal connection for me and my family.”
Perpetuating the history of the Commissary, another firm, MGT Foods of Keyport, recently announced it will build a production facility inside the Commissary. The third-generation family-owned company makes Mr. Green Tea ice cream and other brands. For the exterior sides of the building, Denholtz Properties commissioned acclaimed street artist Elle to paint sweeping murals evoking Garden State nature.
Now called Commissary at Baseline, the 53,000-square-foot building represents Phase 1 of Denholtz Properties’ plans for the site. Phase Two plans include construction of 72,400 square feet of industrial/flex space in three buildings, scheduled for completion in 2023.
The article originally appeared in the October 20 – 26, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
