WOODBINE – William Topley, owner of Ludlam Island Brewery of Ocean View, was already contemplating a move when he heard that Mouse Trap Lanes, a popular bowling spot in Woodbine, was closing. The news hit the nail on the proverbial head for him. He soon thereafter closed the original Ludlam Island, purchased, gutted and renovated the Mouse Trap building, and reopened a new and much larger Ludlam this spring.
“We are so excited for everyone to see our new place,” Topley said. “We poured our hearts and souls into creating this new space for Woodbine and its surrounding communities.”
Right Up His Alley
Fans of Ludlam Island brews will be foaming at the mouth to know that, not only are they still brewing their own suds, but by renovating the original bowling lanes into a brewing area, they are making more beer – much more.
To begin, Ludlam Island went from a decently sized 2,500-square-foot building in Ocean View to the 12,000-square-foot home of the former bowling alley. Topley gutted the entire place with the help of a great general contractor who, “knocked it out of the park.”
It was, according to Topley, “the biggest project” he ever worked on. But it was well worth it. The 18 lanes that used to house bowling balls and pins, is now where the new, state-of-the-art brew house is located.
Though Ludlam Island still makes the 50 varieties of beers that it made at the previous location, it’s all about volume now to accommodate much larger crowds in-season and off.
“The real reason we had to leave Ocean View? We grew out of the space. We became too popular,” said Topley, who fully understands that that is a good problem to have.
Cheers to Beer, Spirits, and More
At any given time there could be at least 20 drafts available at Ludlum Island, all spearheaded by Head Brewer Joe Laluke. The most popular is “Water Guns and Rainbows,” a soft, fluffy, slightly bitter American IPA with tropical and orange notes. According to the website, this beer, packed with oats and pale malt, is “smoother than a Sam Cooke song.” Now that’s smooth!
Others may include “It’s 6:30 Somewhere,” a New England IPA with fruity esters like banana and peach that lead to sweet notes of cherry and raspberry, or for those who can take the heat, the “Devil Went Down to Maui,” a pepper beer collaboration with the folks at Hank Sauce.
Now, however, Ludlam Island serves booze, thanks to the liquor license that came with the building.
“It was never my dream to own a full bar,” Topley said, “but it’s a nice transition.”
Topley, though, is committed to having only local spirits and wine at his bar. He’s always told his customers to support local businesses–this was his opportunity to lead by example.
Rums, for example, come from just up the Parkway at Little Water Distillery of A.C.; ryes from Dad’s Hat of Pennsylvania; bourbon from Asbury Park Distillery, wines from Kennedy Cellars in Hammonton, Sharrott in Blue Anchor, and more.
“I love that I can see what I’m buying–that I get to meet and get to know the people who make Asbury Park or Dad’s Hat,” he said. “It’s more fun. And it’s all about relationships.”
On top of this, the folks at Ludlam Island wanted to make something kid-friendly, since so many families were now patronizing the business. So they developed their own birch beer, reminiscent of the popular Pennsylvania Dutch brand.
Of course, it’s not strictly for kids. In fact, Topley says that there is a growing population of non-alcoholic drinkers, so he and his staff have been working on some tasty mocktail recipes for those who don’t wish to imbibe on the hard stuff.
BBQ? Yes Please!
Something else that the former Ludlam location could not have is food, which Topley always thought should be a priority when drinking beer.
Head Chef Kirk Pederson’s entire menu is loaded with barbecue options, like “The Mess,” which is very much named appropriately. It’s pulled pork, Carolina style, on a toasted brioche with cheese sauce, bacon and a fried egg. Pass the napkins, please!
If you’re really hungry, you can also order BBQ by the half pound, such as smoked kielbasa and St. Louis-style pork ribs. However, the big favorite among customers is Pederson’s take on a Philly cheesesteak—a Texas-style brisket cheesesteak topped with caramelized onions and lots and lots of melted American beer cheese.
Bigger parties can order “The Shoebox,” a BBQ feast that should satisfy a party of four to six. It includes ribs, kielbasa, pulled pork, brisket, and six each of sides, rolls and cookies.
Topley likes having food options for his customers. “People can stay longer to enjoy themselves.”
On Mondays, however, the kitchen closes, but that’s when the food trucks show up to fill customers’ empty tummies.
Ludlam What?
When Topley was in the process of opening his business–which turned 8 years old in June–he was looking for a name that had a local feel but wasn’t too omnipresent so as to be confused with other business monikers.
Through research, he discovered Ludlam Island–the barrier island on which Sea Isle City and Strathmere are located.
“I’ve been coming here my whole life and I never heard of it,” said the Philly-born Topley, who moved permanently to the Jersey Shore in 1993. “I figured if I hadn’t heard of it, neither had others. It was a unique tie-in to our area without sounding like everything else.”
With Ludlam Island the brewery, now in Woodbine, Topley wants folks to know that he is fully committed to the community, and conversely, he is thrilled that the community has been embracing Ludlam Island.
“People are super excited about this new space,” he said. “And now, it’s not just dads coming in once a week for a few beers. We’re getting entire families!”
