| Forgotten Boardwalk Brewing Company 1940 Olney Ave. Suite 100 | Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 (856) 437-0709 www.forgottenboardwalk.com |
Forgotten Boardwalk Brewing Company, located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, held its grand opening on October 11, 2014. Founded by Jamie Queli, the brewery took over the original Flying Fish Brewery location on Olney Avenue.
Queli, a beer enthusiast and homebrewer, left a career as a product manager in investment banking to become a brewery owner. She grew up at the Jersey shore, the memories from which inspired the theme of Forgotten Boardwalk, which she describes as an adult playground.
Head Brewer David Bronstein joined Forgotten Boardwalk from Sly Fox Brewing Company, where he worked for 7 years, in April 2014. During his time at Sly Fox he became lead brewer and was part of the team that won 2 gold medals, 2 silver medals and a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival.
Ironically, Bronstein started his brewing career as a bottling line worker for Flying Fish in the same space he now brews on a 30-barrel system for Forgotten Boardwalk. There are always 8 unique beers on tap in the tasting room, including four year-round beers and four brewers’ choice beer.
The boardwalk-themed tasting room provides a playful feeling, including skee-ball machines, funhouse mirrors, a boardwalk spin wheel, and mysterious numbered doors. (We’re still wondering what’s behind door number one…)
The Forgotten Boardwalk logo includes Growler, the cat. Unbeknownst to most, the feral cat is the sideshow attraction and the mascot of the boardwalk. It is believed that cats made their homes under the piers back in the 1880s, attracted by the leftover food scraps.
Locals can join The Refuge Society Club, named after those who fought the Prohibition Act in the 1920s and 1930s. Membership lasts for a year, and members receive special access to pop-up tastings, members-only perks, exclusive beer, and other assorted benefits.
Dan, Wayne, and I had a great time at Forgotten Boardwalk. The atmosphere was fun and whimsical on the busy Saturday afternoon.
I felt like a kid again playing skee-ball, which cost only 25 cents per game. All of the proceeds from the skee-ball game go to a local charity. There is also a large Connect Four game in the brewing area.
As usual, we tasted everything Forgotten Boardwalk had to offer that day…
- Funnel Cake Ale – 5.5% ABV, 25 IBU straw-colored specialty ale that is smooth and creamy with hints of vanilla. This one was also served on nitro.
- 1916 Shore Shiver – 6.9% ABV, 65 IPA copper-colored IPA with resiny hop flavors reminiscent of stone fruit mellowing to a spicy finish.
- On The Waterfront – 4.8% ABV, 50 IBU pale golden session IPA that is mildly bitter with malt undertones and a zesty finish.
- What the Butler Saw – 5.0% ABV, 15 IBU hazy straw-colored wit brewed with spices.
- Round Trip – 7.0% ABV, 45 IBU golden orange hoppy saison that starts spicy then gives way to noble hop bitterness and a clean pilsner malt balance.
- Scotch Ale (Curiosity Series #14) – 7.9% ABV Scotch ale with rich, caramel flavors.
- Rye Porter (Curiosity Series #13) – 5.4% ABV roasty porter with subtle spiciness.
- Mosaic Shivers (First Friday Firkin) – 1916 Shore Shiver dry hopped with Mosaic.
Wayne and I chose the Rye Porter as our definite favorite, while Dan preferred the Scotch Ale. We all agreed that the firkin of Mosaic Shivers was quite tasty as well.
Some other creative beers from Forgotten Boardwalk include Directory For Gentlemen, a clandestine chai saison; and Morro Castle, a smoked porter. Variants of What the Butler Saw done in the past included rose & hibiscus, chai, and szechuan peppercorns & white peppercorns.
There are great stories behind the beer names as well. 1916 Shore Shiver is about the man-eating shark that killed 4 and injured 7 more in the summer of 1916. What the Butler Saw was inspired by turn of the century mutoscopes. Inside was a silent slideshow with a voyeuristic butler looking through a keyhole. You can read more about these tall tales here.
Beers can be purchased to enjoy on site in pints or for $8 have a beer sampler, which includes your choice of 4 beers. Both 32-ounce and 64-ounce glass growlers can be filled to go, and 1916 Shore Shiver and What the Butler Saw are available in cans to go.
Forgotten Boardwalk will be pouring at the Atlantic City Beer & Music Fest on March 20 and 21, 2015. Check out our article about the Atlantic City Beer & Music Fest
