Knob Hill Hosts NJ Craft Beer Showcase

Manalapan resident Mike Kivowitz is a self-declared “beer nerd”.

A beer connoisseur, he shares his love of craft brews with anyone who will listen or read about it. A native North Jerseyan and newcomer to the Manalapan area, Kivowitz hosted a craft beer tasting event at Knob Hill on Friday March 18 to promote his website New Jersey Craft Beer.

Founded in Dec. 2010, New Jersey Craft Beer is “exploring the craft beer scene one pint at a time”. The website aims to connect people who share a common passion. It covers daily news, reviews, tap events, brewery specials, festivals, charity tastings, beer dinners and restaurants with good selections of craft beers. In the past three months, it has become a go-to for local beer bloggers.

“So I figured I can’t get the information I want, so let me get the information I can actually find and hunt down, etc., and post it so I can see it,” said Kivowitz. Since December, he’s posted 380 articles and has gained a solid following.

Kivowitz looks for creative beers with unique flavors that are made with passion. Through New Jersey Craft Beer, he acts as a middleman between brewers and restaurants to bring the beers to wider consumption.

According to his site, posting an article is free of charge, and advertising prices are competitive. Kivowitz also offers a service as a beer consultant and, as a career IT guy, he can help brewers market on the internet. More information is available by clicking here.

The showcase at Knob Hill was a promotional event to get the word out to his Manalapan neighbors and spark a conversation about craft beers.

Kivowitz said he’s tired of not being able to find craft beer when he goes out to dinner and noted that there are not many local options; he named Knob Hill as Manalapan’s only bar to offer craft beer.

Kivowitz recently had a launch party at his favorite bar, The Copper Mine Pub in North Arlington, to thank the supporters of his website. The party also served as a charity event. He raised about over $700 dollars in actual cash from the party and also collected about 350 pounds of non-perishable food.

“So it’s a New Jersey website, I had New Jersey beers on tap, and I gave to the New Jersey Foodbank which distributes all throughout New Jersey,” said Kivowitz.   

Among his supporters is Justin Harm, a beer blogger and founder of Craft Brewed Revolution which aims for “Better Beer, Better Community”.

“I’ve been emailing Mike since the site (New Jersey Craft Beer) opened up. He’s doing a great thing for craft beer,” said Harm.

 Like Kivowitz, Harm’s goal is to increase brand awareness and availability. He began Craft Brewed Revolution six months ago and has been working with local breweries on marketing. He also supports local, charitable causes like the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, The Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, and St. Peter’s University Hospital.

With their combined efforts and a common passion, Kivowitz and Harm hope to educate the public on craft beer and encourage diversity in selection.

“It’s difficult for small breweries to get involved because of the resistance,” said Kivowitz. His shirt reads "Resist Prohibiton" and is a promotion for one of his personal favorite brands, Victory Brewing Company.

He noted that craft brews typically cost more money than popular brands owned by mega-corporations like Coors and Miller. The price of craft beers sometimes prevents people from trying them.   

He was grateful to Knob Hill for hosting the event and for offering craft beer bottles for $2.

You can find out more information about Mike Kivowitz and his website by visiting NewJerseyCraftBeer.com. He can also be followed on Twitter and Facebook. 

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