Two Ton Lands in Kenilworth

Every so often, SubScout Gonzo (aka John Gonzalez) takes a moment from his busy schedule as an educator, realtor, wrestling coach, husband and dad to relax and enjoy another of his passions--beer. Herewith his most recent take on a brand new brewery in Kenilworth, NJ--Two Ton Brewing.

Hey folks it’s Sub--Scout Gonzo back with another review of a fantastic new brewery, Two Ton Brewing in Kenilworth, NJ.

The newest addition to the Craft Beer Scene in north Jersey is located just minutes from the Garden State Parkway and Route 22. Nestled among auto-body repair shops down “Mechanics Alley” on Federal Street, Two Ton Brewing, opened to the public in mid- October. and is made up of a family of educators who have an unbridled passion for all things beer.

Matt (L.) and Jim Barbiere (R.), the COO and CEO, respectively, of the establishment are backed and supported by their father, the CFO, Mario “Doc” Barbiere.

“It’s a father’s dream to support his children’s dream, and that is exactly what I am doing,” Doc said.

Visitors will be warmly greeted by any member of the team

The boys began modestly, brewing in the driveway of Jim’s home and learning the ropes along the way. Once they committed, they sought out veteran brewer Dave Hoffman of Climax Brewery in nearby Roselle Park, who founded the first microbrewery in the state..

“Dave is a great guy who has given us sage advice when we committed to this industry,” Jim remarked. With the knowledge and information they acquired from Dave and their inner circle of family and friends Two Ton was created.

Upon entering the establishment, one can see that superior, exacting craftsmanship went into the wood and metal work throughout the space. All repurposed and reclaimed wood provides a great contrast between the stainless-steel industrial brew tanks and the warmth and homey-ness of the dark wood. It is a comfortable atmosphere of which the Barbiere family is very proud—and they should be.

The bar and tasting room have a specific purpose beyond just exchanging beer for money.

“We want to educate and entertain our guests,” stated Jim. The Brothers Barbiere want each patron to have a one-of-a-kind experience each time they drop in.,

“No visit will be the same as the last,” Matt asserted. Two Ton offers a choice of venues, one on the main floor with the opportunity to chat at the stand-up bar facing the brewing laboratory, and the other to sit and quaff on some of the cozy handmade benches and bars.

Or visitors can opt for the biergarten outside under the decorative street lights. It’s a welcoming spot with heaters for the cooler temps, overhead string lights, and a quirky industrial, blue collar ambiance.

Still not comfortable? Walk downstairs to the speakeasy! There you will find a very special room filled with items that further connect you to the Barbiere family: wall art, vintage items from a bygone era such as a vintage typewriter (the kind PubScout himself probably learned on), along with an antique oak wall- mounted crank phone, and books-- lots and lots of books. The owners pride themselves on appealing to different tastes for different customers.

The name Two Ton was borne straight from the brewing process. The brothers will gleefully share more detail, but in a nutshell…early in their brewing, Matt noticed the vast quantity of ingredients Jim was shoveling into the brew pot and asked, “Geez, how much you putting in there?” Jim, without hesitation, responded, “a ton of hops and a ton of grain!” And that, as they say, is history! This passion, pride, fanaticism is so contagious – you see it on the faces of everyone there, from brewers to bartenders to bottlewashers.

Currently, Two Ton boasts a twelve-beer line up that will soon swell to an impressive twenty beers on tap. Two Ton looks to produce about 500 barrels of product per year and is producing about 120 barrels year to date. Brewer Jim wants to grow to twenty “situational” beers, with situational meaning the beer you want to drink according to the mood or activity you are in or desire to create.

“Every mood creates a specific or particular flavor profile in my mind; cutting the grass, you are going to want something light and crisp like the Crispy Boi. Sitting by the fire, you are definitely going to want some Field Artillery to warm you.” Whatever is on tap, be assured that Jim produces highly-nuanced brews.

The beer menu is very ambitious, featuring an assortment of twelve quality beers for everyone’s tastes.

Hammer and Ale Imperial IPA 9.1%

Do What’s in Your Heart DDH New England Style IPA 5.8%

Rocket Jaw IPA 7.3%

Situation Normal…How Are You? American Pale Ale 6.9%

Rye, What Have You Heard? Belgian style Pale Ale 5.6%

Brute Squad Barleywine Ale 10.2%

Wrought Gold Blonde Ale 5.5%

Fufu Berliner Weisse 3.9%

Schlanpuffe Altbier 6.2%

Crispy Boi Lager 6.5%

Stay Woke Milk Stout (Vanilla Nutmeg or Tiramisu) 6.6%

Field Artillery Russian Imperial Stout 11%

Ignoring my usual “light to dark approach,” I jumped head long into the IPAs offered. A fellow hophead won’t be disappointed! The Rocket Jaw is on point. It is a satisfying IPA that starts with a light sweetness and ends with a clean bitter IPA finish, and with a 7.3% ABV, you’d better be cautious. The Two Ton New England offering was equally as delicious, funky with fruit flavors and so sessionable at 5.8% ABV. But the standout has to be the Hammer and Ale. H and A was the first beer the brothers produced for the masses. It is amazingly well balanced, a strong IPA that checks all of the boxes for IPA lovers. Great hoppy flavor from beginning to end. and my personal favorite.

After a quick nibble and palate cleanse we jumped head long into sampling the two solid stouts on tap. Jim isn’t just an IPA brewer, and his stouts made an impression, as well. The first stout is a perfect example of what Matt calls the Two Ton funky one-off brews. Taking the base of his awesome stout he creates two different but pleasing beers. The Stay Woke Milk Stout really showcases Jim’s versatility. He created a solid beer and tweaked it by introducing a vanilla nutmeg spice to one batch and magically creating the creamy sweet coffee flavors of tiramisu in another barrel. Both are pretty solid in texture but are distinctly different in taste. The vanilla nutmeg starts light with vanilla and ends sharply with the very spicy nutmeg flavor. Conversely, the Tiramisu is gentle with very faint and subtle dessert flavors.

The Field Artillery Russian Imperial Stout is a whopper! Perfect balance of coffee and dark chocolate flavors make this the ultimate winter warmer. Sporting a robust 11% ABV, this brew will surely satisfy you on a long winter night and has become one of Gonzo’s favorites.

On the lighter side of the craft beer spectrum you will find an excellent, crisp lager known as Crispy Boi! This handsome German lad boasts a respectable 6.5% ABV and holds true to what a good lager should be; it is a sharp bitter beer "dosed with blueberry," with a very clean finish.

I cannot wait to get back to Two Ton to sample more of Jim and Matt’s offerings. New Year’s resolutions for the Barbiere boys include growth, maturity, and expansion, so be on the look out for canning and bottling.

I hope to drag the Pub Scout along with me, if I can drag him away from that ancient Olivetti typewriter.