DONATE TO MAKE ASBURY PARK BREWING COMPANY A REALITY

By Jenine Clancy

Coffee in hand, Kevin Sharpe, the owner of the hopefully, soon-to-be Asbury Park Brewing Company was looking for somewhere to sit. Puzzled that there weren’t any public benches in front of the many shops and restaurants on Cookman, we found seating along Wesley Lake. With the city producing and consuming more of its own culture than ever before, something was still missing (besides the benches): a craft-brewery.

Sharpe has a new Indiegogo campaign, hoping to raise funds to bring a brewery to the increasingly bourgeois city. The 26 –year-old began to home brew three years ago as a hobby because, at the time, he was “unemployed and desperately needed (something to do).” Friends, family and even strangers began to compliment his palate-pleasing original recipes. For the past six months Sharpe has been doing research, writing business plans, making important phone calls and of course, brewing.

Kevin Sharpe of Asbury Park Brewing Company

Thanks to the recent overhaul of the state’s archaic brewery laws, Sharpe has the potential to open up a brewery and sell pints of beer to be drunk on site. Like many entrepreneurs, Sharpe has faced some hurdles, like financing the project.

“It’s really tough to do, by myself working one job and trying to fund it through the internet, ” said Sharpe who is also trying to perfect recipes that customers will want to drink, and drink often.

Sharpe had spent his summers in Asbury and wants his beers to reflect the city’s eclectic population and rich history.

“I am going to name them all after popular streets and famous landmarks. The only one set in stone right now is the Paramount Pale-ale, named after the Paramount Theatre. I used to go to concert’s there and have a lot of really good memories and I am sure a lot of other people have memories that they would like to think about while they drink.”

Sharpe in front of the iconic Convention Hall entrance

The D.I.Y process will resonate with the people of Asbury, he added, “if you are going to make it yourself why not make it interesting and different.” He also has been working on heavier, darker beers for the wintertime for residents who are strong enough to brave the cold months.

Ideally, Sharpe would like to set up shop by next summer and has been putting the feelers out and looking for spots with an existing kitchen. If he reaches his $50, 000 goal to set up a micro-brewery, he wants to eventually open up a brewpub.

From there he wants to take the spent grains from the beer and tie it all together, making the grains into flour for pizza dough and breads for sandwiches. “It’s reusing the ingredients and I feel Asbury would be behind that.”

Sharpe hopes his customers will take a tiny piece of Asbury Park and the history of the town with them.

Sharpe salutes those who are down for the cause while sipping down at The Anchor’s Bend

“When I get the location, I want it to be large enough for live entertainment because it’s such a big thing in Asbury to support local arts and display their work on the walls. Maybe after naming one of the beers after a landmark people will learn something. Put it in their head that it existed. Put the creativity of Asbury on the map in liquid form.”

If you would like to see a brewery open up in Asbury, donate at http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/support-the-asbury-park-brewing-company/x/3083948

All photos by the amazing and talented John Herr, an Ocean Grove and New York City resident.