Somerset - Island in the Net

Jersey Cyclone Brewing

Name: Jersey Cyclone Brewing
Location: 14 Worlds Fair Drive Unit J, Somerset, Somerset County, New Jersey
Beer to try: Imperial Storm Cloud and Red Skies At Night
Notes: Taproom provides flights and growler. Visitors can stop by for tastings and tours on Thursdays and Fridays from 5 to 10 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 10 p.m., where they can try beers such as the Eye of the Storm, A Quarter Of Kolsch, Snowtober Vanilla Coffee Porter and Franklin Double IPA.

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.

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

This was not my first brewery tour, but I always have questions. The staff was friendly and patiently answered my questions about the brewing process, who the owners were and why they started brewing beer and why the name Jersey Cyclone.

Close friends, Jan Chwiedosiuk and Brian Teel, started home brewing their own beer about eight years ago. It was also around the time Hurricane Irene came through New Jersey and brought devastation to Chwiedosiuk's family business and disturbed Teel's attempt to sit his CPA exam.

For those who don't know, New Jersey gets cyclones; not a lot but at least one or two each year. We also get hurricanes, which technically, are a form of water cyclone. The names of the ales are a tribute to the whacky weather we get here in New Jersey.

Back at the tasting room, a 2,500 square-foot space which can easily accommodate about 80 people, 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.

Walking along the D&R Canal with Montgomery Friends of Open Space

Last weekend I went for a long -- 5 miles -- walk along the Delaware and Raritan Canal with my family. The walk was organized by the Montgomery Friends of Open Space and The D&R Canal Watch. It snowed the night before so it was cold that morning but we bundled up and drove to the Kington Lock.

Mary M. Penney, President of Montgomery Friends of Open Space, handed out maps and other information. Our walk guide and board member of the D&R Canal Watch, Bob Barth, explained the logistics of the walk. Some of us would carpool to Griggstown and walk back to Kingston while the rest started at Rocky Hill.

My sister-in-law, Nilima, and my niece Maya, and my sisters-in-law ( the other one ) father-in-law joined us to walk from Griggstown in Franklin Township. With me were my wife and daughter. My son decided he was too tired for a walk.

As we walked Bob Barth told us about the history of the canal and towpath how it was used to transport goods between Bordentown and New Brunswick. Construction of the canal was started in 1830 and completed four later with an estimated cost of $2,830,000. The canal was built by hand by mostly Irish immigrants.

For nearly a century after it opened, the D&R Canal was one of America's busiest navigation canals. Its peak years were the 1860s and 1870s when Pennsylvania coal was transported through the D&R Canal to feed the city of New York's industrial boom. During this period, 80% of the total cargo carried on the canal was coal.Delaware & Raritan Canal History

We walked quickly stopping occasionally to listen to Bob explain more of the history of the canal and the surrounding towns. We encountered a few large trees that had fallen across the path. It's incredible how much damage Hurricane Sandy did to the forests of New Jersey.

My family and I had a good time and plan on attending other MFOS events.