As of 2020, Liberty Brew Tours is officially touring in South Jersey. The LBTSJ series shares our first experiences with our new brewing partners on our South Jersey expansion !
Overview
Just off main street in Marlton, NJ, is Zed’s Beer/Bado Brewing. Founder and brewmaster Geoff Bado hosted us for our first time at Zed’s – Zed is Geoff’s great-grandfather. As Legend tells, Zed used to brew beer for his fellow miners after a long day of work.
Zed’s taproom is remarkably inviting, with the atmosphere of a coffeehouse wrapped in brewery equipment. A long bench/couch adorns the main seating area, with New Jersey and beer memorabilia scattered throughout.
The Beer!
Zed’s boasts an enormous and varied taplist, with something truly unique. While the beers are excellent and have won numerous awards at the U.S. Beer championships, Zed’s also focuses on shandies and radlers. Both of these beer offshoots feature a mixture of lemonade with a lighter beer style. While we generally think of this as a summer drink, Zed’s spin on the style makes it clear they can be enjoyable in any weather. Instead of an overly sweet fruit cocktail, their house-brewed lemonade has a slightly bitter edge to it. This balances the brew in ways we hadn’t experienced with the style before. It’s also a great introduction – or gateway beer – for those not on board with craft brews just yet.
We grabbed some beers, too, of course –
Zed’s in Ireland – Dry Stout – A rich, roasty, heavily chocolate stout with a low ABV. In 2019, this beer won gold at the U.S. open beer championships.
Zed’s in the backyard – Copper Cream Ale – Light, malty, and crisp. This beer is an ideal every-day drinking option. Another medal winner at the beer championships.
Conclusion
Zed’s is a great stop for craft beer geeks and lighter drinkers alike. The choices run all the way from lemonade-infused lighter beers to medal-winning stouts. The photos below also show how cozy and inviting the space is, so come check it out !
— Jeff, South Jersey expansion professional
Brewery Info:
