New Jersey Turnpike Inspires Microbrews

Those East Coasters traveling the New Jersey Turnpike this Memorial Day weekend should be sure to check out the piece on All Things Considered today about a microbrewery with an interesting gimmick, producing beers inspired by the turnpike's many exits which as, one who traveled that highway many times can attest, always seem too far apart.

NPR correspondent Robert Smith talked to Gene Muller, founder of the Flying Fish Brewery, and gets him to describe the special taste of the beer called "Exit 4" which is the exit you take it you're headed to Camden and Cherry Hill, N.J. or Philadelphia.

Here's a little taste, if you will, of the report:

MULLER: When you sip Exit 4, you'll get banana and clove in the nose, you'll get beautiful hop character to it, little bit of sweetness to the malt and some nice hop bitterness as a closing note to it.

SMITH: Hey bitterness is how I feel when I drive the turnpike. So I guess they nailed it. Gene Muller, founder of Flying Fish brewery says he's heard all the wisecracks and really that was the point of their new series of beers.

 

Muller told Smith that Flying Fish initially thought it would match the alcohol content to the exit number but quickly dropped that idea since the exit numbers on the turnpike, one of the nation's busiest highways, go up to 18. That would make for some seriously potent beer.

Instead they just came up with flavors that to the Flying Fish people were evocative of the destinations related to the exits. They tried for a "summery" flavor for the exits leading the the Jersey Shore and a stout for the North Jersey exits where the air smells like the inside of an oil drum.

Anyone who's been stuck on the turnpike behind the inevitable accident knows it can drive you to drink. Which is where, I guess, the beer comes in. So long as you only do the drinking after the drive.