The R ver

ESTABLISHED SEPTEMBER 2016

 

THE BUILDING, NOW THE RIVER OF BEER, LOCATED AT 133 MAIN STREET, BLOOMINGDALE NJ HAS BEEN IN OUR FAMILY FOR OVER 45 YEARS. NOW THE RIVER OF BEER, THE BUILDING WAS ORIGINALLY  A STORE FRONT WITH TWO APARTMENTS. THE FIRST GENERATION OF SOULE’S  “GRAMMY AND POP” (CATHERINE & FREDERICK SOULE)  PURCHASED THE BUILDING IN THE EARLY 70S. THE BUILDING WAS THEN PURCHASED BY  2ND GENERATION (FRED AND NANCY SOULE) AND, IN THIS SAME BUILDING, ALL FOUR OF FRED AND NANCY’S  CHILDREN  (3RD GENERATION) WERE BORN.  IN THE LATE  1970S AND INTO THE 80S, THIS WAS THE SITE OF FRED’S DELI-- WHERE PEOPLE LINED UP ON MAIN STREET TO GET A HOLD OF  FRED’S FAMOUS ROASTBEEF SANDWICHES.

 

THE BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1920 AND, DURING RENOVATIONS, WE TRIED OUR BEST TO KEEP AS MUCH HISTORICAL INTEGRITY TO THE STRUCTURE AS POSSIBLE. THE FLOORS, STRIPPED AND REFINISHED, ARE ALL ORIGINAL. TO ADD TO THE BUILDING’S HISTORY, WE GARNISHED THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR WITH PERIOD PIECES -- EACH THAT HAVE A HISTORY ALL THEIR OWN. THE STAIN GLASS WINDOWS THAT YOU WILL FIND ON YOUR WAY TO THE BATHROOM UPSTAIRS AND WHEN LOOKING OUT TOWARDS THE STREET DOWNSTAIRS CAME OUT OF A BAR THAT ONCE SERVED THE PATRONS OF PATERSON, NJ. THE FRONT DOOR THAT YOU WALKED THROUGH AND THE LIGHT FIXTURES THAT ILLUMINATE THE OUTSIDE OF THE RIVER OF BEER ONCE LIT UP THE ATLANTIC CITY BOARDWALK. THE CHANDELIERS RADIATING ABOVE YOU WHILE SITTING AT OUR UPSTAIRS BAR ONCE BRIGHTEN UP THE LOBBY OF A 1940’S HOTEL ON TYBEE ISLAND -- A SMALL SAILOR’S TOWN ON THE COAST OF GEORGIA, 20 MILES EAST OF SAVANNAH. THESE CHANDELIERS WERE ALSO RENTED BY A PRODUCTION COMPANY WHO USED THE ORNATE LIGHTS AS PROPS  IN THE MOVIE “MAGIC MIKE II” (WE KNOW THAT THE CHANDELIERS ARE WHAT YOU WILL BE LOOKING FOR THE NEXT TIME YOU RENT THAT MOVIE!)

 

AS  “GRAMMY’’ TAUGHT US, THE NUMBER ONE INGREDIENT IS “FRESH”.  SO, HERE AT THE RIVER OF BEER, WE LIKE TO KEEP THINGS AS FRESH AND LOCAL AS POSSIBLE. THAT MEANS ADJUSTING OUR PALETTE WITH THE WEATHER AND SEASONAL FOODS THAT SURROUND US HERE IN NORTH JERSEY. ALL OF OUR MENU ITEMS ARE PREPARED IN HOUSE, WITH UNIQUE AND FRESH RECIPES -BOTH FOOD AND DRINK - CONSTRUCTED AROUND ORGANIC, SEASONAL PRODUCE -- SOME OF WHICH WE EVEN GROW OURSELVES! THE MINT IN THAT MOJITO YOU'RE SIPPING ON, WAS PLUCKED STRAIGHT OUT OF OUR GARDEN. WHILE STAYING AS LOCAL AND FRESH AS POSSIBLE, WE ALWAYS MAINTAIN A BALANCE BETWEEN SOME OF YOUR PUB FAVORITES ALONG WITH HEALTHIER OPTIONS.

 

STAYING LOCAL, WE PURCHASE OUR BEEF FROM A RANCHER RIGHT UP ROUTE 23 IN VERNON VALLEY, NEW JERSEY WHERE THE COWS ARE GRASS FED AND GRAIN FINISHED.  TAKING LOCAL AND SUSTAINABLE DINING TO THE NEXT LEVEL - THE GRAIN THAT THOSE COWS ATE FOR DINNER WAS FIRST USED TO BREW THAT BEER YOU'RE DRINKING! HOW HIPSTER IS THAT? I’M NOT KIDDING!-- RAMSTEIN BREWERY, LOCATED RIGHT UP THE STREET FROM THE RIVER OF BEER, PASSES ALONG THEIR SPENT GRAIN TO OUR RANCHER FOR THE COWS! IN FACT, YOU WILL ALWAYS FIND A COUPLE OF RAMSTEIN BREWS ON OUR TAPS AND JUICY BURGERS ON OUR MENUS.

 

HERE AT THE RIVER, WE ARE AS SERIOUS ABOUT FOOD AS WE ARE ABOUT OUR SUDS. ALWAYS STRIVING TO KEEP THINGS FRESH, WE HAVE 20 ROTATING BEER TAPS. LIKE JACKRABBITS DURING MATING SEASON, THE CRAFT BEER SCENE JUST KEEPS POPPING OUT NEW BABIES. WE STAY ON TOP OF WHAT’S TRENDING, WITH AN EVER-CHANGING LIST OF THE LATEST AND GREATEST FROM CRAFTS BREWED AROUND THE CORNER TO AROUND THE COUNTRY.  WE MATCH OUR ARTISANAL CRAFT BEERS WITH OUR SEASONAL GRUB.  SEASONAL COOKING AND ROTATING TAPS MEANS OUR MENU WILL CONSTANTLY BE CHANGING, WHICH MEANS YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A REASON TO KEEP COMING BACK TO SEE WHAT NEW FARE AND LIBATIONS WE’RE SERVING UP!