Jughandle Brewing company is ready to go!

Jughandle Brewing Company, and owners Pete Artherholt and Mike Skudera of Tinton Falls and Chris Hanigan of Red Bank are ready to open their new Tinton Falls microbrewery on Saturday at noon.

The brewery in the Tinton Falls Centre Plaza on Asbury Ave. held a “soft opening” on Thursday evening to identify and work out any kinks.  The beer is fresh, cold and delicious.

Your favorite blogger sampled the Imperial Stout and English Bitter, both of which are excellent.  The opening menu of beers also includes IPA, RyePA, Saison, and Hefeweizen.

Visitors to the brewery may take home bottles and cans and fill larger growlers (32 or 64 ounces of beer). “Our craft beers are made using natural and high quality ingredients and we are looking to use local products when in season,” said Hanigan who has been brewing for more than a decade and works as a corporate art director. “Customers can expect to sample a diverse style of beers, which will rotate with the seasons.”

“We offer 6 craft beers on tap and plan on expanding to 14,” says Artherholt, a former chemist with over 15 years of brewing experience. Through Artherholt’s wife Darlene, who has a master’s in microbiology, the group has access to knowledge and skills that are usually acquired only when breweries expand and become better established. “Having a strong science background will help drive consistency and quality control in the craft beers that we sell.”

Located a half-mile from Parkway exit 102 and just minutes from the Jersey Shore Premium Outlets, Jughandle Brewing  occupies over 3,000 square feet of space in mall located at 4057 Asbury Avenue. The facility is able to produce up to 4,000 barrels (31 gallons per barrel) of high-quality craft beer annually and will be open to the public for tours and tastings, starting on Saturday, June 18.

“We will be open to the public for tours and tastings on Fridays and Saturdays with plans to add additional days in the future,” said Skudera, the company’s business strategist who is a corporate technology manager. “We also plan on having our craft beers served in local restaurants and bars.”

NJ breweries are not permitted to sell food; however the microbrewery is in a plaza that has pizza, wings, sandwiches, Chinese and Mexican foods and even a bakery, so visitors will not go hungry. Instead of BYOB, bring your own food.