The beer will be flowing in Bay Village next summer, when Ship Bottom Brewery opens up a year-round, production-size brewery in the heart of Beach Haven. Owner Robert Zarko, who recently received approval for the brewery from the Beach Haven Land Use Board, expects to have beer available on draft as well as in growlers, six-packs and kegs.
This will be the company’s second location, which is expected to be bigger than the pilot brewery, which currently operates in Wallingford, Pa.
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| Photo via Ship Bottom Brewery The brewery in Beach Haven will have beer on draft and in growlers, sick-packs and kegs. |
“I wanted to start small because I have four kids at home, so I figured I’d see how it went. If it went well, the idea was to get it onto the Island. So I think we’re at that point now,” said Zarko, who began home-brewing in 1995. “We’ve been in production for over two years, and we’re building up a lot of momentum. We have full distribution in New Jersey and Delaware, and we self-distribute in Pennsylvania. It seems like people are really embracing our brand and enjoying the beer.”
To clarify, there is no brewery in Ship Bottom. Zarko, who grew up in Bucks County, said the company name is a tribute to his wife’s family, who had a summer home in that town for many years.
“I always went down to Wildwood or Ocean City, Md. When I met my wife, she introduced me to Long Beach Island, and I fell in love with it,” said Zarko.
After incorporating the business in 2011, Zarko went to numerous beer fests “to try to see what people liked.” He acquired licensing and began production a year later and then rolled out the brand in 2013.
The company currently has five beers in production as well as a variety of special releases that are available only certain times of the year. The Baconator Stout, made with maple syrup and bacon, comes out around Christmas, for example.
“We sell out of that real quick,” Zarko said.
Most of the beer names, however, focus on different LBI landmarks. The company’s first beer was the Shoobie Pale Ale. Others include Barnacle Bottom Stout, Wooden Jetty Whiskey Barrel Aged Stout, LBI PA, The Shack IPA, Stupid Paddle Boat IPA and Beach Patrol Hefeweizen Ale, among others.
The company also recently created a Killer Beesting IPA that was introduced during this year’s Hop Sauce Festival. The beer includes ingredients from The Chicken or the Egg restaurant’s signature wing sauce.
After Superstorm Sandy, a special Engine 46 Ale was created for the Ship Bottom Volunteer Fire Co.’s annual Summer Sizzle. The beer will be available during this year’s event, on July 11.
Shore Good Donuts, which opened a second location in Beach Haven this summer, also used the company’s beer in some of its batter last year. Zarko said he hopes to collaborate with the shop again this summer.
Of course, Zarko’s sights are now set on opening the new brewery, which he plans to have a soft opening for in March, before getting everything up and running for summer 2016.
“We still have to get some investment capital behind us, but we’re on our way. Everything’s going in the right direction,” Zarko said. “I think it’s something good for the Island, and if you look at breweries like Dogfish Head, they really drive traffic, especially in the off-season. So I’m hoping we’re going to be able to do that. I love the water, I love the Island, and it will be a nice place to start this up and get this going.”
— Kelley Anne Essinger
This article was published in The SandPaper.
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