What's The Best Craft Beer Bar in Passaic County?
- Amazing Grapes, Pompton Lakes
- The River of Beer, Bloomingdale
- The Shepherd & The Knucklehead, Haledon
Passaic County has become quite the craft beer bar scene, stepping up its suds game and offering residents a host of “hoppy” options. We asked for the best in the county; you gave us your picks. Now, three finalists are competing in our “DVlicious Best Craft Beer Bar in Passaic County” contest. Each is being profiled this week.
Raise your glass and drink in the following; then click on your favorite. You can vote multiple times, albeit once per day.
Voting ends 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24. The winner will receive a framed DVlicious certificate as well as the pride in knowing it has raised the bar in Passaic County.
The Shepherd & The Knucklehead, Haledon
Number of Craft Beers: 90 microbrews on tap. Among there are: Rumpkin, a yam beer from Avery Brewing Co. in Colorado; Peter Brown Tribute Ale, a malty beer made with molasses and brown sugar by the Bear Republic Brewing Co. and Delirium Tremens, a Belgian golden ale with a pink elephant on its label; Sweet Baby Jesus!, a chocolate-peanut butter porter made in Baltimore and Smokey and the Brett, a sour farmhouse IPA from the SweetWater Brewing Co. of Atlanta.
Why It’s Liquid Gold: The Shep has a state-of-the art nitrogen and carbon dioxide system and glycol machine that mix gases perfectly, pump the beer from its keg room and keep each microbrew cold and fresh. Its knowledgeable bartenders pick customers’ brains to find out what they like before making recommendations and then letting them sample before they buy.
The pub fare includes pork poutine, Angus steaks, giant German pretzels, Polish kielbasa from a local butcher, veggie wraps, chili and grilled shrimp. According to one Yelper, its owners work on its relationships with breweries like Anderson Valley and DuClaw to have specific offerings only at The Shep. Having served everyone from college students to beer geeks to families for 18 years in Haledon, it opened a second location in Hoboken about a month ago.
Cheers to Beers: 529 Belmont Ave. (973) 942-8666, http://www.theshepnj.com/
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