Gusto Brewing Company
3860 Bayshore Rd
North Cape May, NJ 08204
Reported by: Pretzel
Reviewers: Pretzel, The Stoutmeister, The Mole Slayer, JohnMacBeer
So the Beer Posse took a break from our Holiday celebrations to check out Gusto Brewing Company. JohnMacBeer brought a couple Gusto growlers (Shady Caramel and Ultra High Frequency) to The Beer Posse Christmas party, and we were hooked, so we moved a Gusto review to the top of our list.
I want to applaud Gusto for their efficient use of their limited outside space. They are located in a strip mall, but have managed to provide outside private little booths with flower boxes. Now if being December and all, it was a little cold to be sitting outside, so I’ll have to come back in the Spring to enjoy their outside seating. Inside seating consisted of 11 bar seats, 16 window seats, 1 small table, and 2 big tables. The bar and window were stools, so no back support, but the tables all had more comfortable seating for us older folks such as JohnMacBeer. (I’m sure I’ll get some nasty feedback on that one!) Plenty of choices for even the most finicky beer-lover. There is ample parking, given that it’s in a strip mall. There are 2 nice-sized clean (very important!) unisex backrooms.
2 beertenders were pretty busy, as thirsty holiday shoppers were drifting in and out, taking a break from the hectic holiday rush. Since they were pretty busy, we did not request a live tour, so we studied the virtual beer process map outlined on a floor to ceiling chalkboard wall. So we studied that beer menu, and made our selections. I had The Stoutmeister go up to the bar to get my drinks, as I’m currently hobbling around with a cane, until I can get my knee replacement surgery in mid-January. It’s a bitch getting old, but at least I qualify for a temporary handicap placard, so I get primo parking spaces! To my shock and dismay, Gusto does not offer flights! Egad you say! But there is a logical explanation, or at least I thought it was logical. Adriana, one of the beertenders and part-owner said logistically it takes more manpower to keep washing all the small glasses, and poses more of a risk with the whole pandemic thing going on. Also, she argued that Gusto wants its patrons to enjoy the beer at its optimal taste, and that with a flight, by the time you get to the last beer, its warm, and has lost some of it’s deliciousness. You can however, buy sample-size beer, but only 2 at a time. I can appreciate their sincerity with this explanation, however from my point of view, I still prefer flights. The Stoutmeister and I share our flights, and this allows us to get enough flights to try every beer a brewery has to offer. Plus, I drink kinda fast, so I wouldn’t worry about any of them getting warm. But to ensure we had everything covered, The Beer Posse divided and conquered, so we covered most of the brew menu. We liked most of the beers, which says a lot. The only one that got a negative review from us was the Saison Nouveau which according to The Mole Slayer left a bad after-taste in his mouth. The favorites of the day, which you can see below ran a gamut of styles and AVB’s.
Gusto also has a nice assortment of merchandise available. Tee shirts with many different design graphics, and in a variety of colors. Custom Gusto ceramic mugs, hats, glassware, and stickers.
I would also like to give Gusto a shout-out for having their current beer list available on their Facebook and website page! So many of the breweries these days refer you to untappd for their beer menu and reviews, but you can’t tell exactly what are the current offerings. So kudos Gusto!
It was very pleasant to spend the afternoon at Gusto, sipping delicious beers and chatting with the staff. The Beer Posse will have to make another trip down the shore in warmer weather to check out the outside seating ambiance. So see you later Gusto, and thanks for the hospitality!
Beers on Tap:
- Shady Caramel – Smoked Beer (ABV: 5.7%)
- Cosmic Doodles – Double IPA (ABV: 7.5%
- 2021 Saison Nouveau – Farmhouse-style Ale, Collaboration with Cape May Winery (ABV: 7.5%)
- Birdspeed – Session IPA (ABV: 4.2%)
- Rumble Pak – citrus IPA (ABV: 6.5%)
- Follow The Weather – lager/ale hybrid (ABV: 4.3%)
- Gusto’s Beer That Built The House – fruited sour (ABV: 5.5%)
- Everyday Balloons – Czech-style Pilsner (ABV: 5%)
- Experience Machine – American IPA (ABV: 6.1%)
- Grip Tape – Black IPA (ABV: 7%)
- Glimpse of Me – English Pale Ale (ABV: 5.2%)
- Ultra High Frequency (UHF) – Imperial Double Stout (ABV: 9%)
Favorite Beers of the Day:
- Pretzel – Ultra High Frequency Imperial Double Stout. “Dark, smooth, chocolatey, and delicious!”
- The Mole Slayer – Cosmic Doodles Double IPA “hoppy with a good citrus balance”, Rumble Pak IPA, Grip Tape Black IPA “a smooth dark beer, good hints of rye and chocolate.”
- The Stoutmeister – Ultra High Frequency Imperial Double Stout
- JohnMacBeer (Mac) – Experience Machine American IPA “Very similar to, if not, a hazy. Yay, hazy!”
- JohnMacBeer (John) – Cosmic Doodles Double IPA “It was doodley enough!”
Additional Posse Comments:
- JohnMacBeer – Nice place to hang out!
- The Stoutmeister – The website is not intuitive on a cell phone – they should at least have a button to their menu at the top where it can be easily found
- The Mole Slayer – The staff members were attentive and friendly
Website(s):
- Gusto Brewing Company – https://www.gustobrewco.com/
- Gusto’s Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/gustobrewco
Final Scorecard (click to open): GustoBrewingCo
Overall Pretzel Score (8.0 out of 10): 
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