Amanda Cardinali busied herself with cleaning equipment while she waited for a batch of ingredients to boil among a row of stainless-steel tanks at the Tuckahoe Brewing Co.
Cardinali, of Galloway Township, is the assistant brewer at the Dennis Township brewery, which makes eight varieties of beer, including Anglesea Irish Red Ale and Chestnut Neck Pumpkin Porter. The beers are sold across Atlantic and Cape May counties.
At just 500 barrels per year, the company is the definition of small-batch brewing _ but maybe not for long.
Co-owner Tim Hanna, of Upper Township, said the company has a deal to buy equipment from an out-of-state brewery that could boost production tenfold within 18 months.
"I think there's room for growth where we are. It's only been in the past few years that we've seen a lot of growth in craft brewing in New Jersey," he told The Press of Atlantic City.
Cape May County freeholders are promoting the county's wineries and breweries with an eye toward boosting tourism jobs in this growing niche. They passed a resolution designating the last week of September as New Jersey Beer, Wine and Spirits Week and the Wednesday of the week New Jersey Dine-Out Day in Cape May County.
"We really think these industries are going to be significant in the future of Cape May County in providing jobs," Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton said.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
"We've been working with the wineries for more than a year and a half to find ways for the county to support that industry. Also, we recognize the success of the craft-beer producers at Tuckahoe and in the Cape May Brewery," he said.
Thornton spent his career in the wholesale-wine business. He sees room for growth in what has become a popular tourism draw.
The county publishes its own Wine Trail map directing visitors to each of the county's wineries.
"We think it has a great deal of potential," he said.
New Jersey ranks seventh in the nation in the value of its wineries, according to the Garden State Wine Growers Association, a trade group. But more wineries are opening each year, Director John Cifelli said.
More farmers are converting the raw commodities of their vegetables and produce into value-added products, such as wine, jam and eco-tourism that produce more revenue, he said.
"Wine-making and viticulture and technology are the fastest growing segments of New Jersey agriculture right now. It's really exciting," Cifelli said. "I expect three to five wineries to open every year for the foreseeable future."
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 8 percent annual growth in wine-making jobs through 2020.
And independent breweries in south Jersey are following the model of wineries by offering tasting rooms to draw customers and expand their reach.
"If you produce a good hospitality space to show off your product and you can get in front of people to share your story and present yourself in an authentic manner, it encourages people to support you," he said.
More visitors are incorporating a visit to a brewery or winery into their vacation itinerary, Tuckahoe Brewing Co.'s Hanna said.
"With everything happening in Atlantic City right now, South Jersey does need to reinvent itself a little as far as tourism and attractions," he said. "I think what's going on in this area with the growth of craft brewing, wineries and potentially distilleries will be a part of that movement."
