New! Jersey's breweries get book treatment

Fourteen years in the making ... 1994, that's the headwaters of the Garden State's era of microbrewing, with the founding of Climax Brewing in Union County and High Point Brewing in Morris County.

The taps were opened, and more would flow, whether pub or production brewery. And they're all in Lew Bryson and Mark Haynie's freshly poured book, New Jersey Breweries (148 pages).

We got our hands on a copy a little sooner than the July 27th kickoff at the Grey Lodge (thanks, Mark). We've read it once and are taking another spin through it.

It's a fun read and makes you wish brewing in the Garden State were more vibrant, especially when you tally up the brewery attempts that turned bitter and toast the successes that make you say "I'll have another."

But more than anything, it guides you through what New Jersey brews, from North Jersey, across to the Skylands, down the Shore and back to the Delaware, as it says, "New Jersey and beer, perfect together."

Put that in your pint glass and drink it, Tom Kean.

Cheers!