Is Cape May, NJ the Craft Drinks Capital of New Jersey?

New Jersey is a state full of great breweries, distilleries, and wineries that reflect the cultural history of their respective towns and communities.  Despite the lack of progress in Trenton to help these small businesses, many have thrived despite some of the unnecessary restrictions on them.  So where in New Jersey has the best variety of Craft Producers for you to sample and enjoy?

There is a good reason why so many winery and brewery tours start in the Cape May area and that is because there are a plethora of craft drinking options in the southmost section of the Garden State.  Within a few miles of the City of Cape May, there are four breweries, four wineries, and one distillery for a total of nine craft producers located in the immediate Cape May area.  That means 40 percent of all Cape May County Breweries and 66 percent of all Cape May County Wineries are located in the Cape May area.

But more than the number of Craft Producers in the Cape May area, some of the most popular Breweries and Wineries are located here also.  Here is the list of these Craft Businesses in the Cape May Area sorted by their popularity on social media and TripAdvisor rating:

Cape May Brewing Company: 90,8000 Instagram Followers, Tripadvisor 2023 Traveler's Choice Award
Located on Hornet Road inside the Cape May Airport complex, Cape May Brewing is one of the oldest and most popular Craft Beer makers in New Jersey. Some of South Jersey's favorite IPAs can be found at Cape May Brewing.

Willow Creek Winery and Farm: 30,300 Instagram Followers, Rated Number 12 Tripadvisor Things to Do in the Cape May Area
Located off Steven Street (County Road 607) in West Cape May, Willow Creek is the only Winery located on the Cape May Island. They are popular for their Live Music Entertainment, Tasting Room Food Menu, and variety of wines.

Cape May Winery: 19,000 Facebook Followers, Rated Number 8 Tripadvisor Things to do in the Cape May area
Located on Townbank Road in Lower Township, Cape May Winery features the oldest grape vines in Cape May County. Well-known for their wine selection, this Winery harvests grapes from 26 acres across 4 Cape May County Vineyards that are also farmlands that grow local beach plums, grape tomatos, squash, and kale.

Nauti Spirits Distillery: 11,000 Instagram Followers, Rated Number Five Tripadvisor Things to Do in Lower Township
Located off Shunpike Road in Lower Township, Nauti Spirits is one of New Jersey's largest distilleries. Based on a 60-acre farm, Nauti Spirits is popular for their farm-to-bottle handcrafted spirits that have won gold medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Hawk Haven Vineyard and Winery: 6,244 Instagram Followers, Rated Number One Tripadvisor Things to do in Rio Grande
Located off Railroad Avenue in Rio Grande, Hawk Haven is well-known for their Guided Wine Tastings and Events with Live Music. The farmland has been owned by the Wuerker family since the 1940s and today's Vineyard is operated by husband-and-wife team Todd and Kenna.

Gusto Brewing Company: 5,895 Instagram Followers, Rated Number One Tripadvisor Things to do in North Cape May
Located at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Bayshore Road in North Cape May, Gusto Brewing has grown to be one of the most popular Craft Brewers in Cape May County in just five years. They are well-known for always having new Craft Beers to sample and chill but fun tasting room.

Cold Spring Brewery: 2,466 Instagram Followers, Rated Number 6 Tripadvisor Things to do in Lower Township
Located on Seashore Road in Lower Township, Cold Spring Brewery is the first Non-Profit Brewery in the state of New Jersey. Inside an 1804 three-bay English-style barn, this brewery is a part of the Historic Cold Spring Village and all profits go to support the living museum.

Behr Brewing: 3,645 Instagram Followers, Rated Number 30 Tripadvisor Things to Do in the Cape May Area
Located on Seashore Road in Erma, Behr Brewing has been only open for a few years but has already become a staple of the Craft Beer Community in South Jersey. They are well-known for a "Quality over Quantity" Tap List of brews offering something for all Craft Beer lovers to enjoy.

Turdo Vineyards and Winery: 2,359 Instagram Followers, Rated Number Four Tripadvisor Things to do in Lower Township
Located on Bayshore Road in North Cape May, Turdo Vineyards is the only vineyard and winery operation that runs on solar energy in New Jersey. Well-known for making a unique variety of Wines, Turdo Vineyards has won awards at the Taster's Guild International Wine Competition and the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition to name a few of their honors.