Fire damages Toms River Brewery, Bacchus School of Wine following Oktoberfest festival

There were no reported injuries at the scene.

Lanette Espy and Jim Murdoch

Sep 18, 2023, 11:28 AM

Updated 355 days ago

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Toms River Brewing will likely be closed again Monday after a fire damaged the local landmark on Route 37 over the weekend hours after their annual Oktoberfest celebration.
There were no reported injuries at the scene. According to the Toms River Police Department, multiple fire companies arrived on scene and extinguished the blaze. Firefighters were seen cutting through the roof of the building and ventilating after the fire broke out around 2 a.m.
A message posted on the brewery’s Instagram page says the brewery was closed for maintenance over the weekend and customers should check back this week for updates when it reopens.
The fire travelled to the front of Bacchus School of Wine causing significant damage to the exterior of the building, according to the Toms River Police Department. The fire did not impact the tap room or any of the brewing equipment and beer distribution remains on schedule.
Matt Hynes, the Vice President of Toms River Brewing, says the fire began in a mulch area outside of the building, possibly from a discarded cigarette earlier that night.
There is no word on how the fire started. The Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention is investigating the cause of the fire.
Cleaning crews are on site and the hope is to have the brewery back open by Thursday.