Hop Sauce Fest ’16 – Where Beer & Hot Sauce Collide!
This is the 3rd Annual Hop Sauce Festival where the concept is simple, you combine a beer tasting event with a hot sauce festival. You then add in some of the Best Jersey Shore restaurants and live musical acts and throw it right next to the beach and BAM, you got a good time for all that attend. I was at last’s years event after hearing good feedback from some of the vendors who attended the 1st year in 2014. It was a lot of fun, and if you like the idea of beautiful bikinis roaming around a hot sauce event, then you might want to take the drive over to Long Beach Island for this year’s fest.
Hop Sauce 2016 is set for June 4, rain or shine with over 20 craft beers, amazing food and fiery hot sauces to try. Tickets are on sale, including a new VIP Package. The idea of the gathering is to pair local fare with regional hot sauce, and wash it down with a sampling of twenty delicious craft beers. Spice It Up, located in Bay Village, offers gourmet ingredients including many hot sauces & spiced products. Shore Point Distributing Company offers a world-class line of micro, craft, domestic & imported beer products to much of New Jersey. And Jetty is the locally-based lifestyle apparel company that has made a place for itself in the surf and skate industries over the last 13 years, encouraging everyone to Draw Your Own Line.
DATE: Saturday, June 4, 2016
TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
WHERE: On the ball field in Beach Haven, between 9th Street and Taylor Avenue
COST: $15 general admission/$40 beer sampling bracelet in advance – or $20 GA/$50 bracelet at the gate
HOT SAUCE VENDORS
Born to Hula
Not just a hot sauce, but a way of life. The idea was to take the things in life that people enjoy and pour the excitement into a 5 oz. bottle. All sauces are handmade in a local kitchen with the freshest ingredients, small batches to keep it more personal. Peppers are hand picked from local farmers’ markets at the Shore area, perfectly aged pepper mash and exotic dried chilies make for a delicious product.Born to Hula
Red Hawk Premium Peppers
“Come for the heat, stay for the flavor.” Red Hawk, had been growing hot peppers for over a decade and finally decided to start offering spicy wares for sale – from hot sauces to spice rubs, pepper jams, dried powders, and even hot pepper seeds. Growing techniques hav minimal environmental impact, using rainwater and composted vegetable waste fertilizer. All natural, award winning products with heat levels for folks that enjoy a little burn up to the hardcore chili heads. Red Hawk Premium Peppers
Jak Jeckel Pepper Sauce
“Real Sauce made for Real Food.” Jak Jeckel believes hot sauce should be more about flavor than fire. Most hot sauces try to sell you on their scoville units, but Jeckel’s idea has always been to combine delicious ingredients to produce a sauce that is complex while remaining accessible enough to not overpower your favorite foods. With a subtle blend of lime, hot peppers, and select smokey spices, each flavor is a balance of taste and heat, making for flavor and heat in one bottle. Jak Jeckel Pepper Sauce
Whitehouse Station Sauce Company
From their kitchen to your table, Whitehouse Station sauce is a family-operated company in Hunterdon County, just an hour from LBI, the brainchild of Johnson and Wales University culinary graduate, Jon Kasper. There are even a few sauces made with peppers from the owner’s very own garden. Featuring their fine Habanero Sauce, Whitehouse is known for the “Sweet Heat.” Whitehouse Station Sauce Company
Hanksauce
Matt and Brian, childhood friends, started Hanksauce while living in Florida and then bought it back to our state, bringing in their roomie, Josh. Not only do they have four delicious sauces – Cilanktro, Camoflage, Herb Infused, and Hanks Heat – but they also run a restaurant of the same name in Sea Isle City, with a menu full of awesome items that go great with spice and tang and a love of surfing, great music, and fishing. Hank Sauce
High River Sauces
The project of music industry veteran, food junkie and author Steve Seabury, High River Sauces has won awards from NYC to Texas. His cookbook titled “Mosh Potatoes” (Simon & Schuster) is a collection of recipes from the biggest bands in rock and metal. Seabury found his passion for food was shared by many of his favorite icons. High River Sauces, like the amazing Tears of the Sun, provides the music/food fanatic with artisan sauces made from the best organic ingredients. High River Sauces
Deception Salsa
Honored by numerous salsa competitions, Deception Salsa is all natural, GMO, and gluten-free. Girly Girl is the most mild. Entice is a black bean and corn. Tease is a medium tomato salsa, Insanity is a tomato base kicked up with Serranos and hot Thai chilies, and Dare You is a wickedly hot salsa with Ghost Peppers, Habaneros, Red Cherry Peppers and Jalapenos. Start out on a sweet note and in about ten seconds, you feel the heat. Hence a hint of “deception.” Deception Salsa
Voodoo Chili Sauces & Salsa
Voodoo Chile Sauces and Salsas are world famous for creating the world’s first gourmet bacon hot sauce, Porcus Infernum, and are the makers of Peppadew Hot Sauces. A hallmark of their line of sauces is that “flavor first” is not just a marketing line: the heat on almost all of their sauces is rather noticeably delayed, allowing you the chance to fully enjoy and judge the quality of the flavors … first! At last year’s Hop Sauce, they introduced the world’s first Hops & Chile pepper infused malt vinegar. Make sure to grab a bottle of this before ordering your fries! Voodoo Chili Sauces & Salsa
Jersey Barnfire
These guys take pride in their sauce. Their mission is simple – to make the best tasting, locally-produced and sourced food products while helping to keep local farms thriving. Jersey Bonfire’s sauces enhance the foods its customers eat without masking their original flavor. Since its humble beginnings just over a year ago at local farmer’s markets to participation at premiere food industry events, Jersey Barnfire owes its rapid growth to popularity with folks and restaurants across the Garden State. At the recent NYC Hot Sauce Expo, their Black Garlic took second place at the Screamin’ Mimi Awards for Best Sauce released in 2014. They support local farms in Pennsville and Allamuchy, New Jersey. This season, they are also farming their own plot of land. Jersey Barnfire Hot Sauces.
WORLD FAMOUS HOT SAUCE
Husband and Wife team, Graham Connolly and Lindsay Otto founded World Famous Hot Sauce after getting married on Long Beach Island in 2013. Their first hot sauce, LBI Love Potion started out as a wedding favor and the positive feedback they received from their guests convinced them to get into the hot sauce business. Fast forward to 2015, they have three Long Beach Island branded sauces and one World Famous seasoning with plans to release a new line of premium sauces later this year. World Famous Hot Sauce
THE JAM STAND
Brooklyn’s happiest food company began in an apartment kitchen in Williamsburg when Jessica Quon and Sabrina Valle, breathed life into an original concept – create a food that’s a true reflection of themselves and their community. The Jam Stand give their products an imaginative personality allowing their “Jam Fans” to take initiative and get creative in the kitchen. Meticulous detail and thought is put into each element that comprises The Jam Stand and the sum of those parts are all meant to make you smile. The Jam Stand
Gemini Crow Sauce Company
“Evil has never tasted so good.” At some point soon, Gemini Crow will be using New Jersey grown peppers exclusively for their Scovie-award winning, all-natural, gluten-free, and vegan sauces. The Gemini Crow line up includes Blackberry Belle, (a 2014 Chili Pepper Magazine Award Winner) The Devil His Due, Burn, Geminiah’s Fiery Catsup, Mrtv, and Zivot with flavors ranging from ghost peppers and blackberry to Trinidad Scorpion and apple. Gemini Crow
FEELTHEFLAVOR – BONFATTO’S SPECIALTY SAUCES
Bonfatto’s aren’t just wing sauces, they’re hand-crafted, versatile marinades, sure to liven up any kitchen or barbecue. And they’re the reason Central PA keeps voting their wings the best around! Order your favorites online. Bonfatto’s is made in their historic 1910 grocery store-turned restaurant and lounge famous for Bonfatto subs. The fourth generation of this family launched the sauces – Original, Peaches & Scream, Hawaiian BBQ, Apple Pepper Jack, RazzHab, Fire-In-The-Hole, and Tongue Thai’d. Bonfatto’s Sauces & Marinades
MESSY BRINE PICKLES
“Get Messy. Be Happy!” Every jar of pickles is crafted by hand, using ingredients sourced from local farms. They want people to eat better and they’re not afraid to get a little messy in the process. Try the Caulikraut, Jalbeano Carrots, Rye Bread and Butter, Salt and Vinegar, and Spicy Caulikraut. With a goal to change the world around them, they’ve partnered with Concern Worldwide to donate a percentage of proceeds to fund and support clean water projects. Messy Brine Pickles
RIGHTEOUS FELON JERKY CARTEL
Criminally crafted for the unlawful appetite, Righteous Felon Jerky Cartel specializes in producing and trafficking high-potency beef jerky made with illegal combinations of unique, all-natural ingredients. Using the highest quality natural ingredients and great tasting Black Angus Beef grown naturally; without the use of growth hormones or antibiotics, Righteous Felon is handmade in small batches to ensure freshness, quality, and consistency. As they say, “Our product is pure. Our product is potent. Our product will blow your mind.” Righteous Felon Jerky Cartel
LORD DARNLEY’S BLOODY MARY MIX
As the legend goes, on the night of February 10, 1567 an explosion devastated the Edinburgh residence of Lord Darnley, husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. Those arriving at the scene of devastation found, under a tree in the garden, the naked corpses of Darnley and his valet. Neither had died, but both bodies bore marks of strangulation. At the time, Mary was conveniently away attending a wedding masque. Clearly a murder attempt had taken place, and the legend of Bloody Mary was born! This brand remembers Lord Darnley with a spicy Bloody Mary Mix fit for a noble king, or a devious queen! Non-alcoholic. Lord Darnley’s Bloody Mary Mix.
THE OFFBEAT GOURMET
Accoutrements for cheese and cured meats, sandwich spreads, glazes, chops, steaks, and roasts, Offbeat Gourmet offers all natural premium condiments. From a simple Raspberry & Rose-hips jam (which has been gaining quite the following lately) to spicy and smokey grill sauces, all made from start to finish locally right in New Hope, PA. Owner/chef Scott Duncan insists on doing everything from scratch, starting with the raw ingredients. He smokes the peppers in a cherry and apple wood for the Grill Sauces, mills the dried organic rose-hips, keeping the focus on quality, and maintaining the integrity of the ingredients. You’re sure to taste the difference in their Savory Spreads, Premium Preserves, and Sauces. Offbeat Gourmet.
BUSHWICK KITCHEN
Bushwick Kitchen is the maker of Bees Knees Spicy Honey, Trees Knees Spicy Maple, and Weak Knees Gochujang Sriracha. Handmade in Brooklyn with deep connections to the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains, where they source the absolute best ingredients for sweet and spicy hot sauces with a surprising kick. Bushwick products have been featured on the Today Show, CNBC, and Food Network and in the pages of Esquire, Bon Appétit, Real Simple, and Giada de Laurentiis’ online magazine. Bushwick Kitchen.
DEFCON
Arm yourself with Defcon and blow your guests away! Defcon are award winning New Jersey-based Wing Sauces, Habanero Horseradishes, and Dry Rubs. Interested in packing heat and taste? The “Defense Condition” collection are all Buffalo Wing sauces, rated #1-3, with #3 being mild, #2 being medium, and #1 being hot, bringing the habanero to the party for the true kick. Then there’s the Deathmatch Mark IV, “Clockwork Orange,” a limited edition Extreme Wing Sauce that combines Cayanne, Habanero, Peri-Peri, and Trinadad Scorpion. And not for the faint of heart, they also offer the rare Defcon Zero, an all natural Habanero Extract. Defcon Sauces
ANGRY GOAT PEPPER CO.
Angry Goat Pepper Co. is the premier producer of award winning, small batch hot sauces and pepper jams from Vermont. We started making pepper jams a few years ago as a supplemental product to our farm raised meats that we sold at local farmers markets. We quickly decided that the spicy world is where we needed to be and we haven’t looked back since. We are constantly tinkering with new recipes and love to push the boundary with ingredients to achieve flavorful, mouth watering products that nobody else has. Because of this, we have flavor profiles and heat levels for everyone. “Don’t Make The Goat Angry!” Angry Goat
HABARITA HABENERO CRAFT MARGARITA MIX
“Taking the drink experience to a whole new level!” Introducing a new category of premium margarita mixers. Habarita is made with real fruit juices, natural flavors and the heat of habanero peppers. It’s the freshest, spiciest, most flavorful mix available. The combination of natural fresh flavors and spicy habanero pepper heat makes Habarita a perfect pairing with tequila or your favorite spirit. Check out the Original, Peach, and Watermelon mix. Habarita
St. Lucifer Spice Co.
Few things tempt the palate like the thrill of heat. Just a touch can turn even the simplest morsel into a merciless delight. Such is the promise of St. Lucifer Spice, a masterful blend of garlic, salt, vinegar and fiery habanero peppers. Together, they work to unleash the hidden pleasures of any food. St. Lucifer Spice #11 is a masterful blend of garlic, salt, paprika and fiery habanero peppers that works together to unleash the hidden pleasure of any food. Best on pizza, pasta, meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables and Bloody Mary’s. St. Lucifer Spice Co.
LIST OF CRAFT BEER VENDORS
Shore Point Distributing Co.
Shore Point Distributing Co. carries a wide range of domestic, imported and craft beers as well as a full line of wines and spirits. Based in Freehold, NJ, they distribute to 8 counties in New Jersey and are our title vendor for Hop Sauce!
FLYING FISH
In a state that once boasted 50 breweries, Flying Fish Brewing Company was the first microbrewery in Southern New Jersey and the first new brewery built in that part of the state in more than half a century. Located in Somerdale, New Jersey, the key word to describe all Flying Fish beers is “balance,” full-flavored, yet highly drinkable. Flavors harmonize, not fight for individual attention. Seeing beer as equal to, if not superior to, wine, Flying Fish beers, have been a favorite at the Black Whale in Beach Haven. Flying Fish will be serving their hop bitter/malt sweet Hopfish and the two-Row Pale, white wheat, cara-8, acidulated Farmhouse Summer.
BROOKLYN BREWERY
Brooklyn Brewery makes beer. Good beer. Not only does it taste good and make your meal better but they like to think that since its founding in 1988, Brooklyn Brewery has brewed flavorful beers that enrich the life, tradition and culture of the communities it serves. Its award-winning roster of year-round, seasonal and specialty beers have gained the Brewery notoriety as one of the top craft beer producers in the world. While striving to brew the best beer possible (and make time for our growing families), Brooklyn Brewery promotes the proliferation of good beer and good food whenever it can. Check out Brooklyn’s reddish West Coast-style IPA, Brooklyn Defender, and the refreshingly flavorful pale Summer Ale.
MAGIC HAT
Magic Hat is the root of the mixture of life’s trippy elixirs that helped make Burlington, Vermont the town it is today. Colorful, whimsical, and started by Alan Newman with a handful of employees in 1994, the Magic Hat “Artifactory” grew to be the ninth largest craft brewery in the country. With creative marketing, relations in the music world, and different brews that drop every season, they have helped to define today’s craft beer scene. They’ll feature the grapefruit IPA known as Electric Peel and the dry, crisp, not-quite-pale-ale #9.
Kronenbourg 1664
It all started in 1664 when Jerome Hatt founded his brewery, the “Brasserie Du Canon,” in Strasbourg, in the Northeast region of France. Kronenbourg believes the “art of enjoyment” is spontaneous and effortless. They would like to put a bit of the magic back into daily life. And they are pretty sure that you’ll be won over by our firm attachment to quality through choice of ingredients, traditional brewing techniques and unique taste. You can enjoy Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc at Hop Sauce, a a fresh and fruity wheat beer dominated by aromas of citrus, lemon and coriander spices.
BOULEVARD BREWING
Founded in 1989, Boulevard Brewing Company has grown to become the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest. Their mission is simple: to produce fresh, flavorful beers using the finest traditional ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques. Be sure to try their Collaboration No 5 Tropical Pale ale with tropical fruits over pale ale and their Ginger Lemon Radler, Boulevard’s take on the summertime tradition of mixing beer with soda or lemonade .
CONEY ISLAND BREWING COMPANY (HARD ROOT BEER)
There is nothing like the classic American boardwalk. Straight from the brewery on this iconic stretch of coast, it’s the Coney Island Brewing Company. In addition to the their four bottled brews and the four brews exclusively on tap at the brewery, they’ve crated a hard soda for lovers of craft root beer. Try Coney Island Hard Root Beer at Hop Sauce, a new twist on an old favorite, with hints of vanilla, licorice and birch, this root beer will bring you back to the boardwalk.
HARPOON BREWERY
Harpoon was started in 1986 by Dan Kenary, Rich Doyle, and George Ligeti, three friends who loved beer but found the American beer choices at the time to be limited. Traveling and experiencing the rich traditions of European brewing and beer drinking enhanced their love of beer and inspired the rich beer culture they wanted back home. They opened up shop in Boston and last year became an employee-owned company. This year at Hop Sauce, look for their balanced New England-style Harpoon IPA and Camp Wannamango, a pale ale brewed with mango.
Long Trail
In 25 short years, Long Trail has weaved its way into the Vermont landscape and become as much a Green Mountain tradition as the Long Trail itself. A lot has changed since the first batch of Long Trail Ale rolled off the line at the original Mountain Brewers brewery – including the name – but one thing remains constant; Long Trail’s presence at ski hills, cookouts and get-togethers all over the East Coast. Long Trail will be pouring the mouth-watering Limbo IPA and the pine, resin and tropical fruit hop notes of Green Blaze IPA.
Otter Creek
Handcrafted in Middlebury, Vermont using Green Mountain water, Otter Creek uses three strains of yeast and the finest hops and malts available to ensure freshness and consistent quality. They brewed their first batch of Copper Ale in 1991 and now distribute 11 brews to 15 states. At Hop Sauce Fest, you can try Backseat Berner, loaded with Juicy Hops and the “chronically crushable” Over Easy ale.
PALM ALE
From the Latis family of imported beers comes Palm, the award-winning Belgian Ale. It has long been one of Europe’s top-selling specialty beers. Made with English hops, French Barley, and Belgian yeast, Palm represents the best of European beer-making traditions going back to 1686, when Theodoor Cornet, estate manager of Diepensteyn Castle, brewed beer and distilled jenever there for his guests, also brewing a heavier “Counts’ beer” for the Lords of Diepensteyn, Counts of Maldeghem-Steenhuffel. It’s the roasted Champagne Malt which gives Palm its amber color, but without being heavy. Palm is a great alternative to traditional pilsners and lagers for the beer drinker looking for something a little different.
SHINER
Since 1909, every drop of Shiner beer has been brewed at the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas. Today, that little brewery sends more than 6 million cases of delicious Shiner beer around the country. They think their founder, Kosmos, Spoetzl, would be pretty happy. Try their famous Bock, of rich roasted barley malt and German specialty hops and the summer seasonal Prickly Pear, made with a cactus of the same name, native to Shiner, Texas.
SCHOFFERHOFER
As an original – the first to combine Hefeweizen beer and grapefruit juice, Schofferhofer would like to introduce you to the “proper” pronunciation of their unusual and challenging name: Chauffeur + ah + (The) Hoff + ah! Got that? From the Schofferhofer Weizenbier Brewery, in Frankfurt, Germany, it’s brewed in the Bavarian tradition of using wheat malt mixed with the sweet tartness of grapefruit. Try Schofferhofer Grapefruit at Hop Sauce.
GREAT LAKES BREWING COMPANY
Great Lakes Brewing Company is a principle-centered, environmentally respectful and socially conscious company committed to crafting fresh, flavorful, high-quality beer. They aspire to maintain their status as the premier craft brewery in the Great Lakes region. With admirable sustainable practices, they’ll be pouring their Dortmuder Gold, which strikes a smooth balance between sweet malt and dry hop, in addition to Chillwave, double-IPA, inspired by the Great Lake’s dedicated surf community. We can relate.
Yuengling
It’s America’s oldest brewery. In 1829, David Yuengling established the Eagle Brewery in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Today, they run a balance of American six-row and imported two-row barley malt, with choice Cluster and Cascade hops giving each Yuengling beer its distinctive flavor. Time honored brewing, quality ingredients and longer aging times allow each of these craft-brewed beers to develop an appearance, aroma, taste and mouthfeel that are uniquely Yuengling. Try the IPL, a brew bursting with complex hop notes like an IPA but with a well-balanced lager base that allows the Bravo, Belma, Cascage and Citra hops to truly shine, and the Summer Wheat, brewed with a combination of wheat and barley malts, Hallertau hops and authentic Bavarian-style top fermenting yeast.
TRAVELER BEER CO
Driven by wanderlust and a desire for discovery, the Curious Traveler (Traveler Bear Co.) set out to explore the globe. Always fearlessly inquisitive, he relished opportunities to befriend other travelers and to experience cultures he had only previously imagined. He sampled their wares, their foods and most importantly their libations. Many years into his travels, his pace slowed on a particularly sweltering day. He sought refuge in a small pub to escape the oppressive heat. Before he could even finish wiping his brow, the bartender handed him a glistening glass of ale. The Traveler took a liking to the invigorating lemon shandy concoction. “Quite a refresher!” he said gratefully. Try Curious Traveler Lemon Shandy, their take on a classic European Shandy that has been brewed for generations, an American craft wheat ale, fresh lemon, and just a touch of lime to bring out a bright, juicy citrus aroma and flavor.
NEW BELGIUM
New Belgium, located in Fort Collins, Colorado, is best known for its Fat Tire beer. It’s story began as the aspiring young home brewer rode his mountain bike with “fat tires” through European villages famous for beer. New Belgium Brewing Company was but a glimmer in his eye (or basement.) Jeff Lebesch would return to Fort Collins with an imagination full of recipes and a handful of ingredients, ready to embark on a whole new journey. In addition to making great beer, they believe in kindling social, environmental and cultural change as a business role model. Try the classic Fat Tire Amber ale at Hop Sauce and Citradelic, a kaleidoscopic wave of hoppiness brought to you by a mystical marriage of Citra hops and tangerine peel, which elevates each sip onto a plane of pure tropical, fruity pleasure.
BLUE MOON
Blue Moon, out of Denver, believes that brewing is an art. It’s been that way since head brewmaster and founder, Keith Villa first created Blue Moon Belgian White Wheat Ale, which has become hugely popular in the US. Today, they continue to experiment with new brews. On tap, they will have the lower-alcohol, sessionable Belgian-style pilsner brewed with mandarin orange peel and two row Moravian barley, and the Blue Moon White IPA, combining the citrus flavors of an IPA with the smooth, balanced malts of a Belgian white.
CRISPIN NATURAL HARD APPLE CIDER
The Crispin Hard Cider journey from orchard to bottle begins in the spectacular orchards of Washington and Oregon. During the fall harvest season, each apple and pear is hand-picked with care by growers, ensuring that only the best fruit goes into every Crispin cider. Once picked, apples and pears are fresh-pressed, naturally fermented, and then carefully blended at the Crispin cidery in Colfax, CA, to create an array of ciders that are always true to the fruit. The broad Crispin portfolio of carefully crafted ciders offers fresh yet complex flavors that pour beautifully over ice, pair tastefully with food, and mix effortlessly in signature Crispin Craftails, offering the perfect accompaniment to an evening with friends.
NARRAGANSETT
Narragansett Beer is New England’s oldest beer, founded in 1890, the official beer of the Red Sox for over 30 years. Narragansett’s family of classic American lagers and ales are brewed by guys who take pride in the beers they make, and joy in the beers they drink. Their brewmasters use the finest and purest ingredients to ensure that what ends up in your glass is Narragansett at its very best – flavorful, drinkable, and refreshing. Make sure to stop by and sample Del’s Summer Shandy, the perfect thirst-quenching balance of gold medal Lager with Del’s lemon concentrate as well as Narragansett Lager, with more flavor than other premium lagers, yet one of the most drinkable beers in the world.
INNIS & GUNN
INNIS & GUNN
Scotland, 2002 – a famous whisky distiller approached Innis & Gunn, seeking to season oak casks with the sweet, malty character of a full-flavoured beer. All the previous attempts had failed. Eager to assist, they created a custom-made recipe and the resulting brew was put to bed in their barrels.The beer was thrown out and the whisky went in. Months later and quite unexpectedly, Master Brewer, Dougal, received an exciting call – this time it wasn’t the whisky getting rave reviews. Some inquisitive souls at the distillery had sampled our beer after its time in casks and the taste was remarkable. It had been transformed by the oak into an unusually refined brew. Ever since, they’ve dedicated themselves to sharing the unique flavours of our oak aged beers with the world, proving that a little luck can go a long way. Try the Original with hints of toffee, vanilla and Oak at Hop Sauce.
ANCHOR STEAM BEER
San Francisco’s Anchor Steam Brewery is America’s oldest craft brewery, with roots dating back to the California gold rush. Today, their beers are handmade from an all-malt mash in a traditional copper brewhouse. The process combines the time-honored art of classical craft brewing with carefully applied, state-of-the-art modern methods. Look for their deep amber Anchor Steam Beer and California Lager made with two-row California barley on tap.
SHIP BOTTOM BREWERY
A Nano Brewery Currently located in Wallingford, PA, they will be moving to Bay Village in June 2016. Ship Bottom Brewery made the first batch of beer using a home brew kit in their Ship Bottom Summer House. For Hop Sauce, they will roll out kegs of the Shack IPA, Barnacle Bottom Stout, and Beach Patrol Hefeweizen Ale. They’ll also have a fantastic Hop Sauce love child in a collaboration with The Chicken or the Egg. A special (Ludicrous) version of the Chegg IPA will be available in a firkin with a tapping at 2 PM. We dare you to try this one!
SIXPOINT BREWERY
Even during the earliest civilizations, rich iconography had adorned various brewing vessels, and pictographs depicting the craft of brewing were rife with symbolism. One symbol has transcended and survived throughout the ages – the Sixpoint Brewers’ star. The shimmering light of the Brewer’s star started to shine once again in 2004 with its reincarnation as “Sixpoint Craft Ales.” This is when the Sixpoint Brew Crew not only resurrected the Sixpoint Brewers’ Star, but also breathed life into a patchwork of brewing equipment within an 800 square foot garage in a then-dilapidated neighborhood of Brooklyn, NYC called Red Hook. The original creations of Sixpoint Craft Ales were a mash-up of professional brewing experiences, global brewery influences, and unbridled homebrew proliferation. Out of this modest maritime enclave hundreds of delicious craft brews were concocted and disseminated, and the star had been reborn with core brews year-round and new selections that change with the seasons.
902 BREWING COMPANY
Starting with a three-gallon pot and a home brewing kit, the idea of 902 Brewing Company fermented into a business in August of 2012. Brew-stablished by Colby Janisch, Tucker Littleton, and Andrew Brown in Hoboken, NJ, 902 pays tribute to the apartment where they took it to the next level. The three found a place on Washington Street with enough room to grow into a 15 gallon, all-grain brewing system… and it’s about time to make the next upgrade.
BACKWARD FLAG
It began with the introduction to craft beer and turned into a desire to learn to brew it. Charlie and Torie Fisher began brewing in 2007. Today, Backward Flag is committed to quality, community, and education. They use the highest quality ingredients, foster the craft beer community, and help others to learn about the beer in their glass. With their military background, the company is based on the backward American flag worn on the right sleeve of American Soldiers, a flag that all three founders of Backward Flag Brewing have worn proudly for many years, a history dates back to the flag bearers who carried the stars and stripes into the chaos of battle.
TUCKAHOE BREWING COMPANY
From the ideas of three teachers and an architect, Tuckahoe Brewing Company was born in 2006. Each owner has strong connections to Cape May and Atlantic Counties. In 2006 they began brewing together and have worked up to eight exceptional beers inspired by the New Jersey Shore’s history, heritage and seasons.
LIVE BANDS
The Lonely Biscuits (5:20 p.m.)
We are proud to have such good people who share our spirit of community c0-headligning Hop Sauce Fest. The Lonely Biscuits have a special connection with Jetty, since they released a video for “Everybody,” after Superstorm Sandy and donated thousands to the relief effort. Blending soul, funk, and pop with laidback hip hop, the boys have created a chilled out sound that people across all musical spectrums appreciate. They started gaining attention on college campuses while still students themselves, headlining small clubs and opening for national touring acts. Playing Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, as well as SXSW, and were named MTV’s 2013 “College Artist of the Year.” Last year, they released the “Come Around” EP with a mature and honest sound, while still staying true to their playful and lighthearted personalities.
- Casual Vibes Audio Player
Craig Finn (3:35 p.m.)
Craig Finn knows how to tell a tale. Funny enough, he wrote a song called, “To Live and Die on LBI,” for his former Indie band, Lifter Puller. Most recently, Finn has cultivated his solo work, releasing Clear Heart, Full Eyes in 2012 and last year, Faith in the Future. At times stark and spare, at other times vibrant and dynamic, this is Finn’s most compelling collection thus far, each song a powerfully alluring and subtly nuanced composition wedded to his distinctive short story narratives. As the frontman of the acclaimed American Indie rock outfit, the Hold Steady, he’s become known for threading lively narratives through his lyrics that come to life within five studio a albums full of relatable situations and characters. Pitchfork called him, “a born storyteller who’s chosen rock as his medium,” and we are so grateful to have him at Hop Sauce Fest.
- Maggie I’ve Been Searching for Our Son Audio Player
Small Black (2:20 p.m.)
Hailing from Brooklyn, Small Black are a noisy, yet wistful electro-indie pop group. Founders Josh Kolenik and Ryan Heyner were joined early on by Juan Pieczansky and Jeff Curtin and released their self-titled five-song EP on their own CassClub label in October 2009. Jagjaguwar Records reissued the band’s debut EP with two bonus tracks in 2010. Small Black, touring relentlessly. 2015’s Best Blues finds the band in their sweet spot: the smoky intersection of considered and vulnerable songwriting and loose, almost nonchalant ambience. The addition of piano flourishes, trumpet (Darby Cicci of The Antlers), hidden acoustic guitars and Kaede Ford’s ethereal vocals provide new dimensions to the band’s already expansive sonic palette.
- Boy’s Life Audio Player
Black Flamingos (1:10 p.m.)
Blistering surf rock. What would a festival at the beach be without some good surf music? The Black Flamingos have honed a relentless, and purely instrumental sound full of reverb-drenched electricity in New Jersey. Formed in 2014, they were already voted best surf/garage band of the year at the 2015 Asbury Music Awards. With Robbie Butkowski’s style of classic guitar, Declan O’Connell on bass, and Vincent Minervino (also of the Brigantines, who graced the Hop Sauce stage two years ago) the boys dropped the self-titled EP on Little Dickman records earlier this year.
- Devil’s Punchbowl Audio Player
Funk Shway (12 noon)
It’s been a long time since Long Beach Island had an original music scene. But that’s changing rapidly thanks to bands like Funk Shway. Fusing rock, reggae, and funk, these Island locals have created a unique sound that gets people moving on the “Funktastic revolution that comes riding into town on a three-headed turtle.” Comprised of Aaron Budd on guitars and vocals, Mike Konya on drums, Anthony Capriotti on bass, Sam Lasso on trumpet, Tyler Sprague on the sax, and Chelsea Wozniak on vocals and tambourine, Funk Shway is the perfect way to kick off Hop Sauce Fest. They can frame a house pretty well too….
LOCAL FOOD VENDORS
El Swell
For far too long, LBI was in need of an authentic, Mexican fish taco. And while we had a few options, the brand new El Swell took it to the next level in 2014. Created by the owners of Howard’s restaurant, El Swell features Baja Shrimp, Cochinita Pebil, and Pork Carnitas tacos, “beach food for the soul,” the kind of amazing food you find when traveling to Latin America or the Caribbean. What took so long?
Serving Swell Fish Tacos, Tempura Fried Avocados, and Horchata @ Hop Sauce
The Black Whale Bar & Fish House
The Black Whale opened in 2005, right around the time Jetty arrived on the scene and instantly the two combined forces for great events and fundraisers. Part of the Ship Bottom Shellfish, Mud City Crab House, and Old Causeway Steak & Oyster family, “the Whale,” just off the docks of Beach Haven, is a neighborhood-style bar for those ducking the loud club scene known for outstanding seafood, cocktails, fresh atmosphere, late night fun, surf slide shows, and Jetty Hop Rock on tap.
Serving Crab Cakes @ Hop Sauce
The Chicken or the Egg
Known for their signature wings and sauces, funky customer service and staying open 24 hours through the summer, the Chicken or the Egg is a Beach Haven Institution for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but their wing sauce is famous ‘round the world. The Chegg has made well-deserved appearances on Man vs. Food and Good Day.
Serving Wings @ Hop Sauce
Country Kettle Chowda
The Bay Village staple store offers the best home made chowda and their sister store, Country Kettle Fudge serves up chocolate treats to die for. It’s one of those longtime LBI traditions. John Maschal opened a tiny cubbyhole of a fudege store in Beach Haven in 1961 and then expanded to his famous chowda, opening stores through New England. They’ll be serving their signature Chili, and what goes better with chili than hot sauce?
Serving Chowda & Chili @ Hop Sauce
Buckalew’s Restaurant ~ Tavern
Buckalew’s Restaurant ~ Tavern embodies LBI history. When people traveled by ferry to the Queen City, one of the first hotels was built on the corner of what is now Buckalew’s Restaurant and Tavern in 1847. Open year round and famous for it’s “tomato pie” and soft shell crabs, it became a meeting place for generations. They also put a heavy emphasis on craft beer and wine.
Serving Cured and Smoked Ribs @ Hop Sauce
BARRY’S DO-ME-A-FLAVOR
Barry’s, is a Beach Haven staple of 30 years with a massive menu of delicious options and a relaxed atmosphere, steeped in local fishing lore. It’s simply a perfect eatery to roll in after a day at the beach or fishing, a part of Beach Haven and a part of so many family’s traditions. From cheese steaks to salads, hoagies and fish tacos to pizza, they have it covered with quality. That’s not to mention – 24 flavors from Arctic Ice Cream in Trenton.
Serving Cheesesteak Sliders and Iced Coffe @ Hop Sauce
The Arlington
In 2013, the Sabarese brothers, Paul and Bryan, renovated an outdated restaurant and opened up for a new generation with a minimalist aesthetic, exciting menu, and consistent rotation of 20 craft beers through their taps. Doing the full twelve months on a sandbar like LBI isn’t easy, but they have opened their arms to community events and fundraisers, providing a new option with quality food, drink and young entertainment in an area that really needed it.
Serving BBQ Pork Belly Sliders @ Hop Sauce
Living on the Veg
Hop Sauce 2015’s vegan and vegetarian option is Living On the Veg. Celebrating their tenth season on LBI, this casual spot in Beach Haven Gardens has a solid following of both vegetarians and non, for their amazing meatless sandwiches, soups, wraps, muchies, and dinners as well as fresh presses juices and smoothies. LBI locals and vistors have developed a taste for natural, organic, and delicious. Owners Rob and Lauren Ramos pride themselves on the fact that everything is made fresh to order.
Serving Raw Tacos @ Hop Sauce
THE SEA SHELL
“Distinctively Extraordinary.” That’s the Queen City’s famed Sea Shell, the sprawling beachfront restaurant, beachfront motel, event venue, and nite spot. Of course you’ve heard of the epic Thunder Thursdays, but the Shell is so mich more. As longtime partners of the Jetty Rock Foundation, from the Martini Lounge and Wine Bar to the saltwater pool, the Shell has everything you need for an LBI “Stay-cation.”
Serving: Florida Keys Fish Dip, “Shell Shocked” Salsa, and Smoked Tuna Spread @Hop Sauce
TUCKER’S TAVERN
An LBI favorite is back in Beach Haven, better than ever… thanks to a spirited restoration inspired by the best American Taverns and English Pubs. With a new gastro-pub menu, raw bar, and an ever-changing selection of craft beers, Tucker’s Tavern will satisfy your appetite for great food, friends and good times. Not only do they serve many of the beers from Hop Sauce Fest, but they serve World Famous Hot Sauce as well.
Tuckers will be serving: Roasted Lamb Tacos @Hop Sauce
SHORE FIRE GRILLE
Shore Fire Grill has become a go-to for LBI and the mainland, with the year-round operation in Barnegat and the seasonal location in Surf City. Owner Tim Kohlheim ran a successful catering business for year before opening his Barnegat restaurant in 2012. He and his wife, a couple of local foodies, saw that they could fill a niche for really good, creative food at a reasonable price. Today, they are well known for fun versions of old favorites with all kinds of good time ingredients. It doesn’t require a special occasion to dine at Shore Fire Grille. All you need is a couple bucks in your pocket and excitement about a good meal.
Serving Pulled Pork and Mac & Cheese @ Hop Sauce.
THE WOO HOO
Fresh, casual beach food. Owners Megan and Shaun opened the Woo Hoo in 2015 to add to Beach Haven’s mdelicious fare and sweet treat scene. Serving breakfast lunch and dinner, the creative choices includes an entire menu of hand cut french fries, Egg Sammies, and the Woo Hottie burger. Lovers of their community, salt air, adventure, and mint chocolate chip, they are spreading positivity one burger at a time.
Serving Ice Cream @ Hop Sauce.