Get Hoppy and Happy in Hunterdon County this Winter

January 20, 2020January 13, 2020 newjerseyisntboring

Looking for a day trip that involves craft alcohol and local wine? Hunterdon County is not only a beautiful area, but it’s booming with a craft beer, craft alcohol, and vineyards!

With the scene as booming as it is…I recommend this be a 1-3 separate day trips OR make this a long weekend. These are perfect for bachelor/bachelorette parties, friend getaways, and romantic weekends. A lot of these locations are kid friendly, and some are even dog friendly!

DAY 1

Stop 1: Old York Cellars
80 Old York Rd. Ringoes, NJ
Old York Cellars boasts 25 beautiful acres of preserved farmland and 13 acres of rolling vineyards. Planted in 1979, these vines were the first to produce wine under the New Jersey Farm Act of 1981. You can find traditional reds like Malbecs, Cabernets, Syrahs and Merlots and traditional white wine like Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc and Pinot Gris. Be sure to try their riesling and fruit wines like their award winning Southpaw Red. The winery also holds lots of events and festivals, wine and cheese pairings, and comedy and live music.

Stop 2: Unionville Vineyards
9 Rocktown Road, Ringoes, NJ
Unionville Vineyards offers walk-in tastings and reserved private and group tastings seven days a week.They also hold several food, wine, and music events each month! They have award winning wines like their Chardonnay, Mistral Rose, Syrah and much more.

Stop 3: Lone Eagle Brewing
44 Stangl Rd, Flemington, NJ
Lone Eagle is Flemington’s first craft brewery! They offer twelve to fourteen beers on tap with a balanced board of IPA’s, Saisons, Stouts, Porters, Lagers and Ales. They feature a local artist’s art work for sale in the brewery which rotates out every few weeks, every 1st Friday of the month is “Firkin Friday”, and they can 2 styles of beer the first week of every month. Plus they’re dog friendly! For more info, check out my Review.

Stop 4: Skunktown Distillery
12 Minneakoning Rd #110b, Flemington, NJ
Skunktown distillery focuses on locally grown, non-GMO ingredients to ensure a clean, eco-conscious product so you can enjoy your drink, and know you are helping keep the world cleaner for future generations. Dedicated to keeping things local, all of their water comes from their hometown of Sergeantsville, and their grains and vegetables are locally sourced as well. Spirits you can enjoy include potato based vodka, a spicy vodka made with Carolina Reaper peppers, rum, and an apple pie moonshine.For more information check out my Review.

DAY 2

Stop 1: Ironbound Cider Works
360 Co Rd 579, Asbury, NJ
Instead of ordering apple concentrate from weird foreign industrial auction sites, Ironbound Cider Works spent a lot of time finding small-scale orchards because it makes for far more flavorful cider, and allows them to spend their money on useful things like strengthening our regional economy and keeping American farmland from being taken over by McMansions. The Tasting Room at Ironbound Farm showcases both their core ciders and limited edition ciders, which capture the seasonal flavors of the Garden State through their rare and hyper-local ingredients (like spicebush berry and Harrison apples). They also offer a full menu of food with locally sourced ingredients, making it the perfect place to grab lunch! Plus they’re dog friendly!

Stop 2: Sunken Silo
1320 US-22, Lebanon, NJ
At Sunken Silo you can expect to find anywhere between six to twelve beers on tap with options like East and West Coast IPAs, American wheats, porters, pilsners, kolsch, lagers, and more.Additionally the brewery is located next to a local hot spot, Metropolitan Seafood, a seafood and gourmet food market. Customers can purchase seafood and other snacks to enjoy while you enjoy their brew. For more information, check out my Review.

Stop 3: Highrail Brewing Company
20 Main St, High Bridge, NJ
This dog friendly brewery is a great place to meet up with friends, grab a beer, play some games, and pick up some local food on Main St in town. A lot of their beers are named after the history of the town they reside in. High Bridge is active with deep ties to the American Revolution and the Central Railroad Company. The Taylor-Wharton Iron and Steel factory made munitions for the Revolutionary War. For more information check out my Review.

DAY 3

Stop 1: Beneduce Vineyards
1 Jeremiah Lane, Pittstown, NJ
Brother and Sister team Mike and Justen Beneduce are two of the youngest winery owners in the state and they have a true passion for creating a unique, authentic experience for all their guests. For more information check out my Review.

Stop 2: Mount Salem Vineyards
54 Mount Salem Rd, Pittstown, NJ
Mount Salem Vineyards specializes in the use of Austrian and Northern Italian grapes. Wine is produced from Albariño, Barbera, Blaufränkisch (Lemberger), Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner, Merlot, Riesling, St. Laurent, Traminette, Viognier, and Zweigelt grapes. It is the only winery in New Jersey that produces wine from St. Laurent, which is a vinifera grape indigenous to Austria.

Stop 3: Descendants Brewing Co (Formally The Ship Inn Restaurant & Brewery)
61 Bridge St, Milford, NJ
Located at the Old Ship Inn, Descendants Brewing Company continues the story of New Jersey’s first brewery since prohibition.Descendants Brewing Company is inspired by the stories and paths of our ancestors as well as the stories of their old building and of NJe. And as the Old Ship lovingly crafted British Ales reflecting their heritage, they continue that tradition as well as crafting great brews reflecting our their ancestry in the 3 other great beer nations…America, Belgium and Germany.

Stop 4: Alba Vineyard
269 Route 627; Village of Finesville, Milford, NJ
Celebrating 20 years of farming, Alba Vineyard is New Jersey’s most award winning vineyard. For the wine beginner or connoisseur, Alba offers a down to earth approach to a wine experience that shares their passion of farming and wines reflection of the land. The vineyard also hosts lots of great events throughout the year.

I would also recommend Conclave Brewing , but as of this post they are temporarily closed while they move to a new location.

More Ideas of Things You Can Do this Winter: