Jersey Shore Magazine

j e r s e y s h o r e • S p r i n g 2 0 1 7 79 JERSEY SHORE FOODIE W hen it comes to Jersey Shore stories, there is no better example of the American Dream come true than the story found at Belmar's Beach Haus Brewery. What started ten years ago as an idea to craft the quintessential Jersey Shore beer between high school friends and Jersey Shore natives John "Merk" Merklin and Brian Ciriaco has evolved into a thriving shore icon. The site of Beach Haus Brewery alone is rich with Jersey Shore his- tory as it was home to the legendary Freedman's Bakery for sixty-four years. Beach Haus Brewery co-own- er and co-founder John Merklin explained how it was important to him and his partners that the legacy of old was not erased but instead blended into the brewery, which opened its doors in spring 2015. "We kept the building intact and wanted a transformation, not a renovation," Merklin said. The tap room in particular, which is on the Brewery's second floor, boasts much of the former bakery's legacy as its wooden tables were craft- ed using reclaimed wood from the original rafters, while the refinished wood floor is Freedman's original floor. Local artist Corey Hudson designed and crafted the custom Beach Haus Brewery sign that adorns the bar area in the tap room using reclaimed wood taken from the origi- nal structure. As Beach Haus Brewery celebrates ten years of business in 2017, the Jersey Shore has been the backbone of the operation since day one. "We wanted to make a beer that reflected the attitudes and style of the folks that live here, with that Jersey Shore feeling in every bottle," Merklin said. Both Merklin and Ciriaco have a passion for craft beer. As that pas- sion turned into a purpose, they started East Coast Brewery in 2007 with the intention of creating the perfect Jersey Shore beer. Thus, Beach Haus Classic American Pilsner was born. Over the past ten years, their operation has grown from a tiny garage-based brewery producing one beer, the original Beach Haus Classic American Pilsner, to contract brew- ing and distribution out of a small Point Pleasant Beach office with four different types of beer, to the current full-service brewery featuring on-site brewing and bottling of thirteen various types of beer and counting. Beach Haus Brewery's atmosphere Beach Haus Brewery A Little Bit of the Jersey Shore in Every Bottle continued on page 80 Left: Beach Haus Brewery in Belmar. Below: A flight of beer. courtesy of Beach Haus Brewery courtesy of Beach Haus Brewery

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