Memorial Day Weekend 2025 brought overcast weather across the Jersey Shore. While the rain that threatened to show up never quite did, the mild weather meant a bonanza for the Shore breweries.
Behr Brewing co-owners Steven and Catherine Wilson chatted with 141 Miles right after their “busiest Memorial Day weekend ever.”
The two were born and raised in Cape May, going to high school together, and starting home brewing in 2010, eventually leading to the creation of Behr Brewing (named after Catherine’s maiden name Behrens). They bought the building in 2020, but the pandemic delayed their official launch until Feb 2, 2022.
In their lifetimes, Cape May has grown from a seasonal town that picked up from the 4th of July until Labor Day to “more of a year-round hustling-and-bustling town now,” Catherine says.
Balancing a local establishment with the influx of tourists takes a deft hand. Locals used to getting front-row parking and their favorite seat at the bar might find themselves without either during the summer.
“We love and appreciate the tourists, but it’s a different vibe,” Catherine says.
They ran out of space at the picnic tables this weekend, but people know enough to bring chairs to ensure they have a seat.
“A lot of people coming to Cape May aren't first timers,” Catherine says.
It takes some tourists a bit of time to adapt to Beach Time. After all, if those people who are waiting an hour for a restaurant reservation, waiting five minutes for a beer isn’t the end of the world.
Behr has 12 taps, which it tries to keep filled with beers that appeal to tourists and locals alike.
“We try to have a rounded tap list, e.g. something fruity, sour, hoppy, lager,” Catherine says, with the main characteristic being “drinkability.”
The owners say they’re not just making beer for themselves, they’re making them for our customers, who may have different tastes.
A 14% barrel-aged stout doesn’t quite shout shore beer. In the slower months, they try to build up a reservoir of their popular summer beers. It takes about four weeks to brew lagers and two weeks to do the same with ales.
“We try to use local ingredients. If cucumbers aren’t in season, we don’t do the Rick (cucumber sour ale),” Steve says.
While Behr is open year round, the hours increase slightly during the summer. Owning its building and having a large backyard Behr opens up a lot of opportunities for the brewery, such as Friday night live music and food trucks on the weekend.
When not working at the brewery, the Wilsons are mostly spending time with their son, either at the beach or the zoo.
“We go to the beach once a week,” Steve says. Catherine recommends you get there before 10am so you can find parking.
For tourists, Steve says there are a lot of great local wineries and a distillery, all in all it’s a great place for craft drinks. They call Lucky Bones a “family restaurant” and try to visit their extended family of other local breweries.
