New Jersey’s craft beer community has packed an unusually full calendar into the stretch running from Thursday, July 9 through Sunday, July 12, 2026, with major brewery milestones, a long-awaited South Jersey reopening, and a full slate of summer festivals and taproom events unfolding across the state all at once. Whether the appeal is a decade-plus of brewing history being celebrated in one afternoon, a fresh reopening under new ownership, or something as unexpected as a Yankees legend signing autographs inside a taproom, this weekend gives beer drinkers across New Jersey plenty of reason to plan a road trip.
Major Brewery Milestones and Big Releases
The weekend’s biggest anniversary celebration belongs to Icarus Brewing Company in Brick Township, which kicks off its Brickaversary celebration Saturday, July 11 at 11 a.m., marking both its second year operating out of its current Brick location and its ninth year in business overall. The brewery is marking the occasion with exclusive canned releases alongside two limited barrel-aged bottled beers, backed by a full afternoon of live music, giving fans of the highly rated brewery, which currently holds a 4.7 rating across 644 reviews, a genuine reason to make the trip out.
Screamin’ Hill Brewery in Cream Ridge is hosting its own milestone celebration the same day, marking 11 years of brewing with an event beginning Saturday at 1 p.m. The afternoon combines farm-fresh pours with food trucks and live music from local favorite The Williamsboy, rounding out a celebration built for a brewery that has already earned a strong 4.7 rating from nearly 300 reviewers. On Friday, July 10, enjoy an evening of live music from Sean Cox from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The celebration continues on Saturday, July 11, as the brewery hosts its 11th Anniversary Party from 1:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., marking 11 years of “Growin’ Beer” while also celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. The family-friendly event features an Antique Tractor Show, live music by The Williamsboy, delicious food from the Sweet Carolina BBQ food truck, and additional festivities throughout the afternoon. Later in the month, on Friday, July 17, guests can experience a different side of the farm during a Sound Bowl Meditation in the Field from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Set against the peaceful landscape of Bullock Farms, participants are invited to bring a yoga mat, towel, or blanket and unwind as the calming sounds and vibrations of crystal singing bowls create a relaxing outdoor wellness experience designed to quiet the mind and promote relaxation.
Perhaps the most significant development of the weekend for South Jersey drinkers is the return of Brotherton Brewing Co. in Atco, which is officially reopening this weekend under entirely new ownership after closing last year. Operating out of a refurbished former fire station, the reborn taproom is debuting a refreshed guest experience alongside a rotating lineup of ten craft beers that blends established classic styles with brand new creations, giving a brewery that already carries a strong 4.8 rating a real chance to rebuild its following under its new leadership.
Summer Festivals and Pop-Up Events
Beach Haus Brewery in Belmar is hosting its Second Annual Summer Belmar Bazaar on Sunday, July 12, running from noon to 4 p.m. inside its Main Street Beer Hall. The free-admission, all-ages event brings together more than 20 local artisans alongside a mobile bookstore and handcrafted goods, all paired with the brewery’s own craft beer lineup, giving families and beer lovers alike a reason to spend a Sunday afternoon on Main Street.
Beyond individual breweries, the Randolph Freedom Fest at County College of Morris runs Thursday through Saturday as a genuinely massive community celebration, marking its 50th anniversary with mechanical carnival rides, games, nightly fireworks, and a large outdoor community beer garden, making it one of the more family-friendly, all-ages entries on this weekend’s calendar.
Flounder Brewing Co. in Hillsborough Township is pairing wellness and craft beer directly, hosting its popular Beer and Yoga event in its private loft space on Sunday, July 12 from 11 a.m. to noon, followed immediately by a Breakthrough Bakery pop-up market running from 1 to 4 p.m., giving visitors a full morning-into-afternoon reason to stick around a brewery that has built a strong 4.7 rating across nearly 400 reviews.
Unique Taproom Events and Live Music
Woodbridge Brewing Co. is hosting one of the weekend’s more unexpected draws, welcoming New York Yankees legends Joe Torre and Scott Brosius for an autograph signing and fan meet-and-greet on Sunday, July 12 at 5 p.m., giving baseball fans a reason to visit a taproom alongside their usual beer drinkers.
Jersey Girl Brewing in Hackettstown is running a genuinely varied lineup this weekend, opening with a Craft and Sip candle-making night Thursday evening before shifting into Plant Bingo with Roots and Rivers on Sunday, July 12 at 1:30 p.m., where participants play for a chance to win live plants, rounding out a weekend built around hands-on, craft-focused activities rather than beer alone.
MudHen Brewing Company in Wildwood is turning its taproom into a genuine sports-viewing destination, hosting a World Cup watch party on Friday, July 10 at 3 p.m. using its large-scale taproom projector and big screens, complete with a dedicated kids’ activity area that lets parents actually enjoy the match without splitting their attention.
Departed Soles Brewing Company on the Waterfront is offering a free, kid-friendly indoor show Friday, July 10 at 6:30 p.m., featuring live music from Gregory and Max of the Lemonade Band, giving families a low-key, all-ages evening option heading into the weekend.
Newly Announced: A Succulent Workshop at Buena Connection Brewing Company
Rounding out the region’s calendar is a freshly announced event further south in Atlantic County, where Buena Connection Brewing Company is hosting a Succulent Workshop on Thursday, July 30, 2026. The brewery, located at 112 Wheat Road in Buena, has built a reputation across Atlantic County for pairing its craft beer offerings with interactive, community-driven weeknight programming, and this hands-on planting workshop fits squarely into that established pattern. Given the brewery’s normal Thursday taproom hours running from 5 to 9 p.m., workshops like this one typically get underway around 6 or 6:30 p.m., leaving guests plenty of time to complete their planter before the taproom closes for the night.
Guests attending the workshop can expect a genuinely hands-on crafting experience, with organizers providing a custom planter, a selection of live succulents, soil, and decorative toppers such as colored moss, stones, or sand, all under the guidance of an instructor who walks participants through proper planting technique and long-term succulent care. The workshop fee covers those plant materials specifically, while craft beers, hard seltzers, and beer flights remain available for purchase directly at the bar throughout the evening. Because Buena Connection does not operate its own in-house kitchen, the brewery maintains a straightforward bring-your-own-food policy, and guests looking for a hot meal alongside their crafting session can pack their own snacks or grab takeout from nearby local spots like Maurizio’s Pizza Express just down the road. Given how these interactive plant-and-pour workshops depend on organizers ordering a specific quantity of materials ahead of time, advance ticket registration is essentially mandatory, and these sessions have a strong tendency to sell out before the day of the event arrives.
Taken together, this stretch of programming offers something for nearly every kind of New Jersey beer drinker, whether the plan is chasing down a rare anniversary release, welcoming back a beloved South Jersey taproom under new ownership, catching a World Cup match on a big screen, or spending a Thursday evening potting succulents with a cold beer in hand. With breweries across North, Central, and South Jersey all leaning into their own distinct version of summer programming this month, the state’s craft beer scene shows no sign of slowing down as the season heats up.
