Ross Brewing One-Year Birthday Party Cooking Contest This Saturday

BELFORD, NJ — It was last April when Ross Brewing first opened its doors to serve the thirsty residents of the Port Monmouth/Belford section of Middletown.

Since then, the brewery overlooking Raritan Bay has held apple pie contests, patriotic-themed dessert competitions on July 4, an Irish Soda bread-making contest on St. Patrick’s Day and much more.

Now this weekend, April 27, the brewery hosts a new competition to celebrate their one-year anniversary:

Make anything you want, be it food or dessert, with one caveat: Somewhere in your recipe you must use a Ross beer as an ingredient.

That's it! Will it be beer-battered fish & chips? A lager-braised roast? A stout-infused dessert? It’s entirely up to the contestants.

Bring your best dish to the brewery at noon this Saturday, April 27; Ross Brewery is located at 909 Main St. in Port Monmouth. Dishes will be judged on taste, appearance and creativity, and prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places, as well as a People’s Choice Award.

Contestants can register at https://qrco.de/bf0DMj

Ross will have two Monmouth County-based bands playing on Saturday: First, the legendary Pat Guadagno, followed by high-energy band The Pontiacs. Other music acts during their one-year anniversary weekend include indie artist Kelli Bruno on Sunday and singer-songwriter Jon Zayle on Friday.

Nip n’ Truck and Taste of Napoli food trucks will be there, photo and video booths by Red Sky Entertainment, the Autocades video game bus on Saturday (for both kids and adults), a karaoke contest and cornhole tournament on Sunday, as well as a "Dogs of Ross" group photo on Sunday. Bring your dog Sunday for a group photo.

"We are celebrating one year since we opened our doors to the public here on the Bayshore, and have been overwhelmed by the Monmouth County community’s response to us," said owner John Ross Cocozza. "We are going to have a weekend of celebrations to commemorate all our great memories and times together!"

1st, 2nd And 3rd Place Winners In Middletown Apple Pie Contest (Nov. 2023)