Cape May is Still Nice--Even in Winter

Each year, the missus and I make our annual trek to Atlantic City to enjoy the camaraderie of our friends in the DAANJ and celebrate the culmination of their week-long festivities at the Golden Nugget. It's usually just an overnight event that sees us heading directly home the next day. But this year, with nothing on our calendars, we decided to drive down to Cape May, since we were already practically there. We'd pass by the Bed and Breakfast where we spent a blissful honeymoon week thirty-four years ago, visit the beach to anticipate the eventual arrival of warmer weather and to visit one of The PubScout's favorite pubs--The Ugly Mug.

We did our requisite stops at the aforementioned Cape May sites and took some pictures to help us remember when we can't remember what we had for breakfast. Because our visit occurred in mid-March, Cape May was pretty much of a ghost town, with few shops open. But there was also free parking and plenty of spots available.

Because it also occurred one day prior to what most call St. Patrick's Day (but what I call "Amateur Night), I wasn't surprised in the least when we walked into the "Mug" before noon and it was totally empty, save for the staff.

And, except for being bedecked for the coming celebration, it was exactly the same as I recalled from those many years ago. We decided to have a celebratory beer, which lovely Amber (below) was happy to provide. She also shared that over the next 48 hours, things would "get crazy" in The Mug. We were relieved that crazy wouldn't involve us.

I ordered the one obligatory Guinness I drink every year, but I couldn't help notice the plethora of beers from the Cape May Brewing Company up on The Mug's Board. That once startup brewery, only running since 2011, is now producing 10,000 barrels a year of what I would soon learn is some really outstanding beer, though I had had--and greatly enjoyed-- a Devil's Reach previously...somewhere. So, because of proximity, Cape May Brewing Company was on our itinerary. My interest was piqued when their website said that they had a 10.3% Belgian Tripel called Triple Wreck that was finished with sweet cherries.

We bade farewell to Amber and The Mug, and drove maybe ten minutes to get to the brewery near the airport. I'm sure it's more crowded in the summer, but only a few cars were in the lot, and, as it was past noon, the place was open. The visitor is immediately confronted by the tanks in a high ceilinged room, and must pass by a considerable stash of beautiful wooden barrels (and savvy beer nuts know what that means) on the way to the sun-splashed Tasting Room.

While it was clean and inviting, it certainly wasn't crowded--at first. But that allowed me to chat up delightful Danielle who shared some great information with me as she prepared my flight. I ordered up a Coastal Evacuation, a Snag and Drop, a Honey Porter and a Cape May Stout. The Triple Wreck, sadly, was unavailable at the moment (darn!), but Danielle promised to let me know as soon as the next batch came in.

Coastal Evacuation was a darned good West Coast Style DIPA, but Snag and Drop, a limited release TIPA packing a 10% punch, was even better. The Honey Porter (5.4%) was flavorful, smooth and sessionable, with just the right amount of honeyed sweetness, and the 5% American Stout, also sessionable, was rich, smooth and toasty. I also tasted the Honey Porter on Nitro, and decided that, because of its even creamier, smoother mouthfeel, the Nitro would be the way to go for my personal porter proclivities.

Cape May IPA, at just 6.3%, is their flagship beer, and they even had it on Nitro, but with a two-hour plus drive home, I had to be selective. So I went with the higher ABV DIPA and TIPA, since I was only drinking four oz. pours. Also, that afternoon at 4 PM, they were planning to offer eight "special" stouts in honor of the holiday, but we weren't staying that long, what with the real March Madness-- NCAA Wrestling-- coming on at night.

Besides, the crowd was starting to grow, and they looked too young to be retirees. Considering how many beers CMBC produces, though, crowds are to be expected, even on a Friday at 1 PM.

There's no fresher beer than that which comes straight from a brewery tap, and what I tasted was both fresh and good. I even brought home a sixer of Devil's Reach, because I recalled it being outstanding. And somewhere around the 149-pound semifinals, it was still outstanding.

The folks down at CMBC clearly know what they're doing, and it's a great spot to hit for beer nuts in the Wildwoods/Cape May areas on vacation. But you don't have to travel that far to get it either. Apart from being distributed and available widely, including at the Atlantic City Beer Festival, March 23-24, CMBC will do a tap takeover at the Holy Grail of Jersey Beer Bars--the Cloverleaf Tavern--on March 20.

Of course, if Cape May has special sentimental value to you (as our honeymoon B&B above does) , you're encouraged to make the trek. But do it in winter, so you can access The Mug and CMBC without having to pay for parking or deal with the crowds.

Cheers!

The PubScout