Stumble Inn

We went to the Stumble Inn after hearing many good things through the rumor mill about its humble and home school atmosphere and friendly crowd. Upon entering the Stumble Inn, you’ll find yourself stepping back in time, into a bar where regulars know the ins and outs of the town, as well as the history of the bar, and lives of each other. The wall surrounding the bar is covered in police badges from police centers all around NJ, as well as some old collectible style beer Mugs that patrons only wish were on sale for purchase.

Our bartender was a kind older woman, who had bartended at “Stumble” for years. She welcomed us new comers with opened arms, and generously gave us each a free drink when she found out Mike was in the bar business (don’t except this from her regularly). We were told of an annual Shuffle Board Tournament that goes on during the month of March, something that has been going on for years, and something’s that the Stumble’s patrons look forwards to yearly. We were warned that if we tried attending the event, we would not be able to find parking, that people would be parked down the streets to find out who the winner of this years tournament would be… we never challenged that parking situation.

The atmosphere consisted of a crowd that would be familiar to the old timers of Jiggs and similar old time town bars, minus the college crowd. Although smoking was no longer allowed inside, you could smell the musk of Marlboro cigarettes off the walls, and see the stains of the many poured drinks on the original bar. There were no fancy drink menus, and the lemons and limes that were used for the drinks were almost as old as the location itself. Their liquor selection was unbeatable, offering a Cider flavored whiskey that even Mike hadn’t tried (until we went there), as well as many other old school and more modern style liqueurs.

If you’re looking for a quiet place to kill some time, where the usual college crowd and noisy house music won’t bother you, then check out The Stumble Inn. You won’t find any trendy drinks at this spot, but what you will find is a classic old-school bar feeling, with moderately priced drinks, great service, and townies that can clue you in to all of the ins and outs of Northern NJ. I sure spot that the 25+ crowds will appreciate!

Ambiance- *
Drink variety-***
Menu variety- *
Service-**
Value-***
Overall rating-***
Website- n/a

Bask Bar and Grill

Mike is partial to this bar, so I’ll primarily be the one that rates it to be fair. Run by the owner of 381 Main in Little Falls, Bask boasts 10 flat screen TV’s, 6 taps, over 40 bottled beers, great food, and great daily specials, Bask is a great option for those who do not want to wait at other local hang outs such as Fridays or Applebees. Its bartenders make an effort to remember you, and what you drink, and it’s bar patrons make an effort to remember who you are…and for this, you should tip them well.

Unique to this bar, is a single ski with 3 shot glasses attached. Patrons can take shots together on this ski (hopefully not missing their mouths), and later sample one of their many beers, such as their Grolsch, which has a champagne-like top that pops when you open it. Additionally, this bar has any and every possible beer or liquor related sign made to man on their walls and under their Plexiglas covered bar, as well as trendy license plates, and objects handing from the ceiling.
More attractions to this bar include an outdoor patio in which you can drink and smoke on, that has a wall plastered with the bar’s empty Patron bottles and limited seating. If outdoors isn’t; your thing, you can find a Jukebox inside with the most up to date and most on demand music, including a few oldies like Hungry Eyes, and
Time of My Life, for those Dirty Dancing fanatics.

If you’re looking for a chill place to grab a drink and catch up with friends, then you should check out Bask. Located within miles of the Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, it’s worth checking our and taking a shot on their ski!

Ambiance- ***
Drink variety-***
Menu variety- **
Service-**
Value-***
Overall rating-***
Website- http://www.baskbar.com/

Port 44 Brewery

Created by local retired Newark cop, Greg Gilhooly and retired deputy fire chief John Feely, Port 44 is the first brewpub of its kind in Newark that offers multiple beers with a 7.9% ABV. Their host four 15-barrel fermenters and five 15-barrel serving tanks, and serve their beer and food on both their first and second floor bars. Their unique bi-level brewing system allows us to brew some of the finest craft beers in the state, including our featured house beer, the Goldfinch Ale, as well as an array of IPAs and stouts.

They offer a decent selection of bar food, which also includes salads. But beware; If you come to this bar during prime time (5-9om Monday thru Saturday), you’re bound to be overcome by the smoke coming from their cooking kitchen, (apparently air circulation wasn’t number one on the list when designing this brew pub). The smoke was so thick that we actually had problems taking photos within the bar!
Other than that, the brewpub is easily accessible and offers a crowd of both college kids and business CEOS. They offer multiple daily deals for both beer and food, but their short staffed, but kind wait crew, isn’t likely to bring you your order or check before you’d like to leave.

Although this brewpub seems to be a popular spot among locals, we don’t particularly recommend it. It’s prices were fair, but we felt rushed and ignored by the bartenders, and the wait staff was ill-equipped to serve us or bring us our check at a timely fashion that allowed us to attend the Devils and Rangers hockey game. After finally paying our check, and drowning our contacts in rewetting solution from all the smoke, we were able to finally make it to the game where the Devils won!

Ambiance- *
Drink variety-**
Menu variety- *
Service-*
Value-**
Overall rating-*
Website- http://port44brewpub.com/

High Point Brewry

We went to High Point Brewery on whim. I had never heard of the brewery, but brew fans like Mike were already quite familiar with it. Founded in 1994, the High Point Brewing Company is the first exclusive wheat beer brewery in America, located right in Butler NJ. The founder and driving force, Greg Zaccardi, of High Point is award-winning brewer of German style beers.

We attended the brewery, and were just in time for the seasonal tapping of the keg of their Maibock Lager. We came across an unexpected crowed at the brewery. People were waiting for 45 minutes before they opened to get a prime seat for the keg tapping. I ran into an old high school friend of mine, who was coming to refill his growler as well as attend the monthly keg-tapping event (it was then we realized what a gem we found within our small town).

Upon entering, we were each given a few tickets, which were to be used to sample their beer. Don’t be fooled, this brewery gives you a full sample of the beers, not just a small shot! As if that wasn’t enough of a surprise, we found there to be local merchants within the brewery (such as picklers, hot sauce makers, and decorative wine bottle gifters), that boasted unique gifts find for family and friends! Additionally, the brewery lets you get up close and personal with their brew machines and brew materials, and gives you a background of their brewery as well as the beer that their brewing. That day we were also luckey enough to see a tapping of the seasonal keg!

With permission, Greg uses a special kind of brewer’s yeast used only by a small brewery in Bavaria, process cracks, but does crush, the grains to prepare them for the mashing process in the brew house.
The unique, complex character of Ramstein beers is a result of this private yeast and of course, High Point’s careful and proper brewing methods.
All tours are scheduled on the second Saturday of each month (except for January &
February). Other than that, brew fans can get their beer at their local Rosernes, Gary's Wines and Liquors, Mark's Village Inn, Valley Brook Liquors, Valley Wine and Spirits and Trackside Restaurant. Growlers can be purchased for $35 (which cost around $10 to fill), and tee shirts and other merchandise can also be purchased.

Ambiance- ***
Drink variety-***
Menu variety-n/a
Service-**
Value-***
Overall rating-***
website- http://www.ramsteinbeer.com/