Mudhen Brewing Co: Joy Through Beer

The quality of a Jersey shore town experience is certainly measured by many metrics. But one increasingly key feature today, in fact, nearly a requirement—is the presence of at least one quality craft brewery. Curiously, most of our area’s microbreweries are not on the barrier islands proper, but just outside of them, dotting the map up and down Route 9 and the Garden State Parkway.

But! There is one brewery that truly stands out, big and bold, situated in the very heart of Wildwood. This is our next brew stop, so join me in meeting the brew crew and getting a dose of the exceptional hospitality at this major force on the Jersey Shore brewing scene. We’re off to Mudhen Brewing Company.  

Using my usual reference point of the Exit 0 Bridge in/out of Cape May, this brewery and restaurant multiplex is a mere eight-mile drive. Mudhen’s expansive footprint comes into view on the left as you pass just a few traffic lights into Wildwood over the Route 47 Bridge. If you think it looks like an old Harley-Davidson dealership building, that’s because it is. On arrival, we are relieved to find three free dedicated parking lots, complete with an attendant to guide you. This can be crucial in Wildwood, particularly in season.  

Earlier I used the word multiplex to describe the collection of venues within the Mudhen umbrella. In total, the brewery and restaurant cover a city block. It is appealingly varied in its combination of rooms and open areas, each with their own ambience. There is the 200-person capacity main Pub, which is bright and airy and tastefully appointed. There is an outside Biergarten, an adjacent Patio, a Garage Bar, and the 175-seat Station House—a “semi-separate” restaurant and music venue in itself. There is truly a seat for everyone, and the variety of room segments provides an appealing choice for patrons seeking differing experiences on return visits.

Mudhen is the brainchild of successful local restaurant entrepreneur Brendan Sciarra, who took a significant risk (as successful entrepreneurs do) in conceiving this hospitality destination. Sciarra enlisted help from family members and industry veteran and consultant Scott Morrison to advance the facilities planning the acquisition and commissioning of the brewing equipment. In 2017, head brewmaster Tony Cunha was recruited to get the brewing operational at their quality requirement levels. A Lower Township native with a B.S. in Hospitality Management from the University of Central Florida, Tony brought years of industry experience from prior positions at Rock Bottom Brewery, Sterling Pig Brewery, and the Blue Pig Tavern at Congress Hall. As with so many we cover here, his passion for quality brew began with homebrewing.

When I asked him about his philosophy, he replied, “[It] is to challenge ourselves in making an engaging spectrum of beer at a consistently high level, remaining true to each style we brew. At Mudhen, we honor and appreciate the rich history of beermaking, and we believe that lazy brewers make lazy beer. And you know what? Lazy beer just doesn’t taste good.”  An unofficial motto for them, he said, is “Joy through beer is the essence of what we do.” Hard not to like the sound of that, and it provided a perfect segue from talking about beer to tasting it!

I was impressed but not surprised by a count of 11 beers on tap including a Pils, Belgian Witbier, a Porter, three IPAs and one Double IPA. So, I saddled up to the long, impressive bar and was treated to six 4-ounce pours, or a “flight” as brew folks know. My tasting muse advised going mainly for Mudhen’s core brands, which included:

• The Mudhen Original, ABV 4.5%- which is a great start; very light, clean and crisp
• The Mudhen Pils, ABV 4.8%, brewed with American noble type hops and German malt
• The 1883 IPA, ABV 6.5%, balanced with citrus, pine and a dry finish
• The Holly Beach Wheat, ABV 5.5%, a quintessential Belgian Witbier, hints of citrus and ginger
• Captain Doug’s Porter, ABV 5.4%, true to style is a smooth dark with the proper chocolate malt
• The Wildwood Haze, ABV 7%, highlighted with a New Zealand hop and with tropical fruit and lemon lime notes

These are the core brands, but Mudhen also brews a fruited sour series in the summer along with a fruited Blonde Ale. The rest of the lineup features rotating styles including IPAs, lagers, and of course, pumpkin in the late fall.

Mudhen is distinctive relative to most microbreweries we’ve visited in several areas. First, there is the scope and variety of the dining options. If you can imagine it, they likely have it. Salads, bowls, tacos, burgers, BBQ platters, pizza, jambalaya, salmon, shrimp, even prime cut steaks. The fare is southern inspired but with “hints of local flare” from the heart of Wildwood. They also cater and offer take-out and delivery.  There is live music every day of the week as well on both the Biergarten stage and the Main Stage located in the Station House. To round it all out, Mudhen also has a full liquor bar and extensive wine selection, so there is truly something cold and tasty for everyone.

I asked Tony where beer fans can find their wares in distribution to area establishments and such. Not surprisingly, Mudhen brew is available at most package stores, like Joe Canal’s in Rio Grande. On the restaurant front, you will find Mudhen draft at Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille, The Rusty Nail, and the Lobster House in Cape May. But their distribution footprint covers all of the Garden State, as well as the Philadelphia Metro area.

Mudhen Brewing is a vibrant scene, a multi-visit kind of place. Its magnitude, a decided strength, allows for multiple venues to appeal to a wide range of patrons, from solo to couples and families, locals and vacationers. The menu’s variety is exceptional and a key differentiator. And all this action is smack dab in the middle of the storied Doo-Wop Wildwood scene. Who doesn’t need just a little “joy from beer” now and then? At Mudhen, that’s a guarantee. It’s the essence of what they do.