Hightstown is Happening Thanks to Old Hights Brewery
When you think of Hightstown you don’t necessarily think of it being a “hot destination”, but what you don’t know is that Hightstown is definitely happening. It’s become a great downtown area filled with indie shops and restaurants, plus Old Hights Brewery which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary.
New Jersey Isn’t Boring spoke with co-owners Lisa and Alex Costantino who wanted to open a brewery in their hometown. The name of the brewery comes from an old theater in town (which was supposed to be their original location). You can find the brewery on Ward St, a short distance from the Hightstown Diner.
The brewery started when a group of neighbors came over to their house and tried Alex’s beer. Their next-door neighbor at the time owned a restaurant downtown and encouraged them to move forward with finding a location. In total four local families with a passion for craft beer and community collaborated on the creation of Old Hights Brewery. Their goal was to establish a place to gather with friends and entice people to come and visit the amazing town that they love so much.
Three years later they successfully opened their brewery during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Luckily they have been extremely fortunate that they have a supportive town and community that helped them open their doors.
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Alex is the co-brewer along with Brian Woodward, both men are professional musicians as well as brewers so they are super into the nuances of the styles of beer. A great example is their beer “Forms”, which is a Grissette. A grissette is not a popular style, it’s actually nearly extinct, but the brewers researched it and made a style that is their own. It has been a crowd favorite since day one.
The brewers continue to create flavors and find styles that are both unique, while still remaining balanced. A town favorites have been their Porch Tour – a cream ale and their West Ward Abbey ale – a Belgian Tripel. They are also known for their different versions of a Hazy Imperial Pale Ale called Fence Sitter.
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My personal favorite was a Racket Jamz, a smoothie sour ale which I had back in September 2020.
Old Hights Brewery stands out due to its commitment to being community-centered and focused. They always have at least one beer on tap that a portion of the proceeds is donated to a specific group in the area.
Be sure to stop by the brewery or their outdoor beer garden for a good time with smooth-tasting beers. The brewery also features nights with live music and trivia.
For more information visit their Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
For more information on NJ Breweries, click here.
