Courtesy Ross Brewing
By Alex Biese
Ross Brewing is finally ready to celebrate its first St. Patrick’s Day.
John Ross Cocozza’s operation spent years brewing its product on other breweries’ equipment – and celebrating holidays at other establishments – until finally welcoming the public to its brewery at 909 Main St. in the Port Monmouth area of Middletown, the former location of the Shoal Harbor Lobster Company, in April 2023.
Now, after nearly a year in business at the Bayshore, Ross is hosting St. Patrick’s Day festivities of its own. “We’re excited. We’ve got a lot that we want to share with the community, with our fans and friends,” Cocozza said. “Of course we’re releasing a new beer but we’ve got a lot of activities as well.”
The new beer in question, Sully’s Irish Stout, will be released as part of the festivities happening at the brewery from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 17.
“You’re getting that roasted barley (flavor), you’re getting a crisp malty finish, you’re getting some creaminess; it’s served with three fingers of head, as they say,” Cocozza explained. “It’s 5.1% (ABV), so I think you can think of some other, maybe more famous, stouts that might be somewhat similar. I think ours is maybe a little bit more robust, less thin than maybe some commercially available variants. We’re just excited about it.”
The daylong celebration will also feature an Irish soda bread baking contest, live music from The Desperados Irish Trio and Craig Mahoney, bagpipers, face painting, a photo/video booth, a video game bus and food from Nip N Tuck Bar and Grill in Long Branch, including corned beef, cabbage and other fare.
“With St. Patrick’s Day, a very widely celebrated holiday here in Monmouth County, we’re able to extend the tent a little bit, metaphorically, to make everybody part of our family for that day,” said Cocozza.
As part of its Brewed & Distilled in Monmouth initiative, the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners is proclaiming March Craft Beverage Month.
“Brewed & Distilled in Monmouth is our latest program for economic development that focuses on the promotion of the breweries, distilleries and wineries in Monmouth County. I would like to encourage everyone to visit our breweries, distilleries and wineries during March in honor of Craft Beverage Month,” Commissioner Director Thomas Arnone said in the release.
In addition to the festivities being hosted by Ross Brewing, craft breweries across the region will be offering special seasonal releases and throwing St. Patrick’s Day parties of their own. Here is a sampling of some of the upcoming revelry.
Birdsmouth Beer, 675 Oceanport Way, Oceanport, will host its St. Patrick’s Day party starting at 4 p.m. Friday, March 15, with live music from both the Pipes and Drums of the Atlantic Watch and the acoustic Grateful Dead tribute band Crickets and Cicadas, and will be serving nitro pours of their 4.8% ABV Black Lager. For more information, visit birdsmouthbeer.com.
Carton Brewing, 6 East Washington Ave., Atlantic Highlands, is offering Unjunct, an 8.5% ABV stout, and Irish Coffee, a 12% ABV imperial cream ale. The brewery will host its St. Patrick’s Celebration at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 14. For more information, visit cartonbrewing.com.
Grin Brewing, 32 Church St., Keansburg, will host all-day happy hour from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, March 17, with $2 off all pints and flights. For more information, visit grinbrewing.com.
Source Brewing, 300 Route 34, Colts Neck, has released Paddy’s Day, a 5.2% ABV nitro dry Irish stout, and Irish Red, a 5.5% ABV nitro Irish-style red ale. For more information, visit sourcebrewing.com.
Twin Lights Brewing, 4057 Asbury Ave., Tinton Falls, will host its St. Patrick’s Day party at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 16, featuring live music from Daily Rituals as well as drink specials and giveaways. For more information, visit twinlightsbrewing.com.
To learn more about Brewed & Distilled in Monmouth, visit brewedanddistilledinmonmouth.com.
This article originally appeared in the March 14 – 20, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
