Brewery Review: Flounder Brewing Co
I FINALLY got a chance to go to Flounder Brewing Co, a brewery I’ve seen at some beer festivals, back in early October. They are not open on a consistent basis (yet) for tours and tastings, so I watch their Facebook waiting for tours to be set up.
Like most breweries, it was set up in an warehouse space. The tour and the tasting was in their brewery (you can’t drink in the taproom unless you’ve taken the tour), and it was really nice and hands on. While you drank each beer, you got to chat with someone about how it’s made.
We got to try 4, 5 oz samples of beer for $8, plus we got to try one extra beer.
– Hill Street Honey American Ale – 4.85% ABV approx
– Saison du Flounder – 5.4% ABV
– Session Lemon Drop IPA – 4.2% ABV. (pilot batch)
– “Dank” Ipa – 6.8% ABV (pilot batch)
– Floundering Pumpkin – 5.5% ABV (seasonal)
Enjoying a flight at @FlounderBrewing #njisntboring #njcraftbeer pic.twitter.com/vLNSdyPJ6X
— NJ Isn’t Boring! (@njisntboring) October 3, 2015
The Hill Street Honey American Ale and their Saison du Flounder are two of their flagship beers. The Hill Street Honey American Ale was my favorite of the 5. I really appreciate that it was made with local honey, and I loved the citrus taste of it. You can easily drink this beer any time of the year. I got to try the Saison du Flounder before at the Big Brew Beer Festival, where it won the People’s Choice Award in 2014. It’s a Belgian-like beer, very smooth.
The two pilot batches were…interesting. The Lemon Drop IPA was very bitter, but if you like IPA’s you will like it. It’s actually made with lemon hops, so it had a nice lemon smell. The “Dank” was quite possibly the weirdest beer I’ve ever tasted – it was made with onion and garlic. It definitely got a mixed reaction from our tour group. Personally, it’s not my thing.
We got to try the Pumpkin Saison straight from the tank which was nice. I personally loved the Pumpkin Saison, it wasn’t too pumpkin-y and it was great for Fall.
Overall I had a very pleasant experience at the brewery, got to chat with the owners, and tried some great beer. We left with another growler to add to the collection (filled with the Hill Street Honey American Ale). Thanks to my NJ Craft Beer Membership we got a discount too. Huzzah!
About Flounder Brewing Co:
(From their Website) It started when three brothers would hang out in a tiny apartment brewing beer. We’ve moved a little…but our principal stays the same. From hanging out in a driveway in Lyndhurst NJ, brewing beer with friends and family, listening to some good tunes, grilling up some mean food and just enjoying the experience to savoring every moment as we build the brewery in Somerset County. We want everyone to do 
the same who drinks our beer. It’s about savoring those small moments and enjoying life. What’s our hope? It’s that every time you crack open our beer; you’ll have a good time, take a moment for yourself and enjoy the people around you.
We’re family, friends and sometimes even strangers. We want to bring you into our family. We want you to tell us your stories while you’re kicking back relaxing and sharing your best BBQ (we really like ribs by the way). We want you to bring us to your next family function, your friend’s party or to welcoming a new neighbor in town.
We are proud to brew in New Jersey and love calling this our home. Each and every time you have a Flounder Brewing Co.’s ale, lift your glass, soak it all in, and experience your beer!
Address: 1 Ilene Ct Ste 16 Bldg 8, Hillsborough, New Jersey; (908) 396-6166
Hours: Rotating Schedule. See Facebook page!
Check out more info on their Website!