Barrier Brewing Co.
3001 NEW STREET, UNIT A2
OCEANSIDE, NY 11572
My friend and I went to Barrier Brewing (Website coming soon!) on February 10, 2018. I am slightly behind I know. However, I am still documenting on Instagram so if you follow me, you already know what’s up. I had to include the logo because I just love it. Bright and colorful but simplistic, in a good way! We took the train and getting from our respective apartments to Jamaica, Queens took both of us 2 hours. It normally takes me 40 minutes, this should give you an idea of how the trip started and that wasn’t the only snag of the day. We finally made it to Jamaica and boarded the LIRR to go to Oceanside, that train ride was easy, so easy and so inexpensive I might make this a monthly trip, after my tour is done that is. The brewery is a short walk from the train station. I can’t say how short because we walked down the wrong street first.
No kitchen in this brewery but they have a popcorn machine in the taproom and there was a pizza truck in the parking lot. I tried to convince Chris to get Thai food from a little place I saw when we were on the train but he was not inclined to do so. So we had pizza. It was pretty good. The taproom itself in on the small side, kid and dog friendly. Servers were pleasant, order at the bar like most breweries. I also learned what happened when a keg kicks while your growler is being filled. Beer geyser.
Besides getting my growler filled, they had bottles of stout so I got a couple. I love my stouts. The dark beer above is mine, Chris’s is to the left. Prices are good, ambiance is comfortable. Nice place to just kick back for an hour or two. Which we did, it was nasty weather that day and the brewery was warm and inviting. Almost cozy. We actually started out at the bar and then switched to a table. Then another couple came in and asked if they could join us since it was a four-person table. I love this about New Yorkers, if you have to share a table they are cool. Tourists give you a look like you asked for a kidney. We had a nice, short conversation, much less awkward than sitting across from someone in stony silence.
This sign was in the bathroom. I wondered if they would accept knitted ‘artwork’ for the artist of the month competition.
And I really wanted to ask this gentleman where he got his shirt.
And lastly, my growler and my last beer.
This brewery is a short walk from the NJT Rahway stop. As noted before, breweries in New Jersey are not allowed to sell people food, unlike Departed Soles, Wet Ticket doesn’t have a restaurant right next to it so I had to order from Grub Hub. After a few mix-ups ‘dear GrubHub, I am not in Jersey City!’ I was able to get some take out – which was rather bad. The tap water also tasted bad. Neither of these statements should be taken as a knock on the brewery or the beer, the brewery is roomy, clean, and well lit with a welcoming ambiance, staff was attentive and knowledgeable and the beer was tasty (they must filter their water). They are not dog friendly, but are family oriented, as in the crowd is older and generally well behaved. I had to take a tour before I could be served, and when I got my growler filled, they taped around the cap with what looked like yellow electrical tape. The tour is New Jersey law, I didn’t ask if the tape was NJ law or their policy.
Not angry because they were closed, angry that they didn’t post it anywhere but on their door. They have a website, they have Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. In none of those places was there there a notice, “We are closing because of a private event on 1/7/2018.” A friend said, “You should be incredibly pissed.” Yes I am and I am never going back, I bought some Peekskill beer in NYC, at a bar, and paid twice as much as I would have at the brewery, because I wanted to have pictures of Peekskill Beer in this post, but these are the last Peekskill beers I am drinking. The beer is fine, it’s the principle of it.
And the first stop was 
This is the brewery dog, Bogen. He barked at me when I came in. Maybe he sensed I wasn’t a Jersey Girl? I mean, I am Short, Fat, and Ugly …. but he also, didn’t get up when he barked so …. maybe he was just grumpy.
They have flights, but they were so nice about samples that I didn’t get a flight, just kept sampling, and just got a full glass of beer. And such a pretty glass! So I just kept sampling and chatting up the bartender about the brewery and the alcohol laws, which vary state to state. For instance: in New Jersey, they can fill any growler, in Massachusetts the growler has to come from the brewery. Also in New Jersey, breweries are only allowed to sell beer. They are not allowed to sell any human food (not even chips or popcorn) or other alcohol including cider. Brewpubs are allowed to sell food and other alcohol, it’s a different license, but the beer is not as good since they are focusing on the other aspects of their license. However, Departed Soles shares a store front with 
These are the skateboards the flights are served on. As stated previously I didn’t get a flight. I did observe Brant, (you can see part of him in this picture), writing on the skateboard the beers in the flight. As I mentioned before, if I’m wrong, I welcome corrections, just please be polite.
The tour starts in Yonkers at the 
First up was a flight, there are specific flights here, I got the Yonkers Ave Flight which was Squeaky Clean, Tilting Trolly, Descendant Cider, and Moral Turpitude. Except I asked to get the sour ale instead of the cider. Which they had no problem doing. I was not a fan of the sour ale and the imperial stout. The stout tasted like your typical stout and I guess I have gotten used to stouts with a little extra oomph to them, like milk stouts or Chipotle Porter. Still they were all rather drinkable, except the sour ale. I didn’t expect that. After the flight I had a glass of 914 which is their ‘flagship’ beer, a Viennese lager. Pretty good, then I got a growler (32 oz, so some would call it a crowler, filled with Squeaky Clean, which leads to why this brewery got 5 stars. 
city girl drinking craft beer 