High Point Brewing Company in Butler leads North Jersey in beer crafting

BUTLER – Are you a craft beer enthusiast or know someone who is? Well, look no further than the local High Point Brewing Company, located at 22 Park Place in Butler.

"We specialize is German-style lagers and wheat beers," said owner Greg Zaccardi. "Our award winning beers are brewed at our brewery located in Butler NJ. Our brewhaus produces 500 gallons of fresh beer per day. Our beers are all natural without preservatives or additives. We only use four ingredients to make our beer: malt, hops, water and yeast. The water comes from our local spring-fed reservoir, and the other ingredients are imported directly to us from farmers and suppliers in Bavaria, Germany."

Founded in 1996, the High Point Brewing Company is the first exclusive wheat beer brewery in America. Zaccardi worked as a brewer in southern Germany, and then he decided to return to the United States to open his own brewery.

Upon entering the brewery, you can see, smell and taste how the beer is made and while enjoying a pint, you can learn about the art and science of brewing beer by seeing firsthand how the beer is brewed, fermented, and bottled.

He added that recently, they built a taproom and gift shop to serve fresh glasses of their beer to patrons. Customers can also purchase packaged beer and brewery collectibles to go.

The beer brewed at this facility is not going unnoticed as their award-winning brews have been top-rated as one of the best in the New York metropolitan area by CBS News. And recently, according to Zaccardi, the brewery’s Ramstein Maibock was "selected as one of the best 100 beers in the world by Men’s Journal magazine."

With a staff of five, Zaccardi said that they primarily sell their product to beer wholesalers within the tri-state area. In turn, the wholesalers resell the beer to the better beer bars and stores in the local area.

For the genuine craft beer enthusiast, Zaccardi said there are limited memberships to their Prosit Society, which is a club that gets exclusive access to their "barrel-aged and icebock beers" as well as first access to their "limited seasonal and special brews."

Zaccardi added that with this membership, customers also receive a discount on draft and brewery items.

Are you interested in hosting a private party or event that would give all of your guests a first-hand look at the brewery? If this sounds like an event you would like to host, contact Zaccardi directly at 973-838-7400 as the rustic and industrial setting offers a unique and charming backdrop to any event.

The High Point Brewing Company routinely hosts events and an upcoming event is their Summer Bock Guided Tour. Please check the website, www.ramsteinbeer.com, for specific dates and times when these tours will be taking place.

All visitors 21 years of age and older will receive free samples of their beer and can purchase beer by the glass, as well as packaged goods and brewery merchandise to go. There will be live music entertainment and a ceremonial wooden barrel tapping of Maibock, said Zaccardi.

Other upcoming seasonal events include June 11, with the debut of Ramstein Summer Bock; Sept. 10, with the debut of Ramstein Oktoberfest; and Nov. 12 with the debut of Ramstein Winter Wheat Beer.

So, what does Zaccardi recommend as a beer of choice for this time of year?

"There’s an old expression – there is a beer for every season and a season for every beer. This time of year, I would recommend our Ramstein Maibock lager. I would also recommend sampling locally made beers, so check the labels."

For more information about the brewery or upcoming events, please visit them on the Web at www.ramsteinbeer.com or "like" Ramstein.Beers on Facebook and follow them on Instagram and Twitter @ramsteinbeer.

Hours of operation include Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 1 - 5 p.m.