7 Mile Brewery in Rio Grande: Review
7 Mile Brewery‘s motto is “Great Beer for Great People”. Since I appreciate great beer, and some people might think I’m a great person I decided to check it out when I was hanging out in Cape May.
Located on Route 9 South, this brewery is settled in a shopping center across from a Walmart. They opened their doors Labor Day weekend 2016 and had people lining up before they even opened their doors. They continue to be a hot spot for the community, and are open weekly for craft beer enthusiasts. If you’re hanging out in Cape May County, it is the perfect place to visit on or off season.
The brewery was started by co-founders Pete Beyda and Chris Collett. Pete and Chris met through a real estate transaction and bonded over their love for beer. They started by co-investeing in a small home brewing system. After homebrewing together and sharing their beer with friends and family, they were encouraged to start their own brewery. They decided to register 7 Mile Brewery as a corporation, a name that reflects the location that they love. About a month later, they found their space in Rio Grande and found it to be a perfect fit.
While I was there I got to chat with Pete and their head brewer Alex Paul, who is also a Cape May County resident. Alex is a brewer and craftsman who has been brewing beer for a long time. As a craftmen he has also helped build some of thing you’ll find in the brewery. Both the beer and the brewery are of high quality.
Before taking a seat at the bar, visitors must take a guided or self-guided tour of the brewing facility, learning all about the process and experiencing it firsthand. While you are taking the tour be sure to sign their wall. I know I did…
While I was at 7 Mile Brewery I tried 8 of the 14 beers that were on tap:
– Skinny Dipper; a Blonde Ale 5.5% ABV
– Neck High; An American Pale Ale focusing on Nelson Sauvin Hops 6% ABV
– Bosco’s Revenge; A Nutty Chocolate Bacon Porter 5% ABV
– Octoberfirst; an Octoberfest that’s been lagered for 60+ days 6% ABV
– Tripel 7; a Tripel with 11(!)% ABV
– I Saw Red; A Tart Belgian Style Saison Paired with Local Cranberries 6% ABV
– Nit Wit; a Belgian Witbier 5.5% ABV
– Beach Bubbles; a Belgian Witbier that tastes likec champagne 6% ABV.
In addition to loving the beer, I also loved that they sell novelty “7 Mile” beach tags, and 100 percent of the proceeds go directly to a charity of the month. They also donate spent grains to a local farm, to provide food for local farm animals.
Overall, I had a great time drinking beer at 7 Mile Brewery. If you’re looking for a great place to hang out and grab a beer in Cape May County…this is definitely the place for you. Plus they’re dog friendly!
Additional Information on 7 Mile Brewery:
Address: 3156 Rte 9 S, Rio Grande, NJ; (609) 365-7777
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