USA, NJ: Angry Erik Brewing waiting for its brewery to be built in Lafayette by the end of the year

With ground-breaking ceremonies over - split over two weekends - Angry Erik Brewing has moved into the waiting stage for its new brewery to be built with a move-in hopefully by the end of the year, the New Jersey Herald reported on June 4.

"They're excavating now," said Heide Hassing, wife of brewmaster/owner Erik Hassing.

On May 20 and again on May 26, a total of about 160 patrons gathered at the brewery's future site on Camre Drive in Hampton, and many of them picked up the Nordic theme of Angry Erik and dressed as Vikings, complete with shields and swords. A small gathering at the site took place on May 20 and on May 26, 110 people marched the two-mile stretch from the current location on Millpond Drive in Lafayette to the new site.

Heide Hassing said the new facility will be 7,000 square feet, compared to the current 2,400 square feet in Lafayette.

"We'll have three times the space and three times the fermenting equipment," she said. "We can increase (brewing) capacity up to 10 fold."

The math works, she said, because the additional equipment allows multiple brews to be fermenting and aging at the same time.

And with the additional equipment, Angry Erik's will be able to add different recipes to its line.

At the current location, there are seven taps serving, while the new location will have at least a dozen taps.

With only a brewery license, the Lafayette location doesn't serve food, but does have arrangements with local restaurants and pizzerias for delivery.

The company will retain a brewery license at the new location, but will be adding an outdoor seating area.

Hassing said that Lafayette Township does not allow food trucks, but Hampton Township does allow them, so food trucks might be brought in to have food available for Angry Erik's customers. At this point, it's unclear if the trucks will be allowed to park on brewery property or nearby.

"Having been a patron since the beginning, being a part of the march to the new location was a must do," said Dan Holdt, of Hampton, who attended the groundbreaking. "Erik's has been a place to meet friends old and new, and enjoy a pint with them. I really look forward to continuing the great times with the brew crew at the new location."

The march from the current site to the new one went through the woods along the Paulinskill Valley Rail Trail.

This coming winter will see Angry Erik's celebrating its fifth anniversary and she said "we hope to celebrate in our new building. We might have a special anniversary brew or maybe even a holiday brew."

When Angry Erik opened in 2014, it was the only production brewery in Sussex County.

Hassing said the business currently has about a 40-60 split between customers coming to the on-premises tasting rooms and sales to retail outlets.

She said the brewery has between 85-90 accounts with retail outlets, ranging from liquor stores to restaurants.

She expects about the same ratio when the new brewery is operating.Angry Erik Brewing is moving from this location in Lafayette to Camre Drive in Hampton. The new facility will be nearly triple in size and will have an outdoor seating area.

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