Jersey Cyclone Brewing

Posted on 12th September 2019

Sep 1, 2019, Jersey Cyclone Brewing, Someerset — FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR

Name: Jersey Cyclone Brewing
Location: Somerset, Somerset County, New Jersey
Beer to try: Imperial Storm Cloud and Red Skies At Night
Notes: Later taproom provides flights and growler.

It was our first time to Jersey Cyclone, which has been open for just under nine months. Having become accustomed to small breweries with small taprooms, spaces barely more significant than a two-car garage, when we walked in, we were pleasantly surprised by the size of the space. We walked past the tables and high chairs and sat at the bar but then remembered we needed to take a tour of the brewery. It's the law in New Jersey.

This was not my first brewery tour, but I always have questions. The staff was friendly and answered my questions. Back at the bar, we ordered two flights of four, one for Bhavna and one for me. We completed our first flight while conversing with a man at the bar. I love how the beer culture is so inviting.

I enjoyed the Red Skies At Night, a Saison brewed with hibiscus, ginger and lemon peel. It smelled great.

I ordered the second flight of four to complete my tasting of the eight beers on the tap list, including the Imperial Storm Cloud, which the brewery describes as:

Hot and hazy summer days bring dark clouds and strong storms just like our Imperial Storm Cloud. Once again, we used a large portion of flaked oats and wheat in the mash to provide a rich mouth feel. Subtle caramel malts were added to provide balance and sweetness to the massive dry hop additions. We selected a delicious blend of Idaho 7, Amarillo and Australian Ella hop to provide bold tropical and citrus forward flavors of Mango, Tangerine and Passion Fruit.

We both enjoyed Storm Clouds, and I like the Red Skies at Night, so we took home a growler of each.

Griggstown's Delaware and Raritan Canal Lock

Posted on 18th August 2019

Khürt Williams

Griggstown Delaware Canal Lock— FujiFilm X-T2 + Soligor 35mm f/2.8 Wide-Auto M42 @ 35 mm, 0.002 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400, ©Khürt L. Williams, Aug 17, 2019

Griggstown Lock on the Delaware & Raritan Canal is about one kilometre south of the Griggstown Causeway and about 7.4 km, a 10-minute drive, from my home in Skillman. The Kingston Lock is approximately 7.4km to the south. The Millstone River runs more or less parallel to the D&R Canal, with many more twist and turns along the way. I captured this set of images with my Fujifilm X-T2 + Soligor 35mm f/2.8 Wide-Auto M42 vintage lens, a recent purchase, using an in-camera Kodachrome II film simulation recipe. Except for perspective correction, all of the images are otherwise untouched straight-out-of-camera.

The asphalt, crushed stone, and dirt surface of the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park Trail, part of a transportation corridor between Philadelphia and New York, follows the Delaware & Raritan Canal towpath that dates to the early 1800s. The New Jersey portion of the trail starts in Trenton, runs along the Delaware River for almost 117 kilometres, before ending at Landing Lane, just north of George St. in New Brunswick on the outskirts of Rutgers Universit. The trail follows the outer eastern edge of the Princeton University campus and passes through Kingston, Griggstown and East Millstone. The waterway is tree-lined supporting many types of wildlife, including bald eagles, herons, and ospreys, as well as smaller bird species. Walleye, bass, and shad thrive in the Delaware Canal.

Points in Griggstown or Princeton offer canoe rides along the water-route. During heavy rains parts of the trail become impassable from floods. Flooding effectively cuts me off from areas of New Jersey to my east and north, especially if the Millstone River is also flooded.

This is a second entry for Frank Jansen's Tuesday Photo Challenge - Lock.