Two New Jersey based businesses collaborate to create a unique custom tile for Bloomfield, NJ’s first brewery, Varitage Brew Works! “I wanted to tie in my European heritage with both the branding and the décor inside the brewery. Inspired by a traditional Portuguese Azulejos tile design, we contacted Imagine Tile to bring our vision to life. Imagine Tile created a custom 8 x 8 black and white wall tile featuring our signature Hopdrangea design, which is a focal point of the interior providing a custom tiled backdrop for our taps and front of the bar. The flower petals found within our branding are Hydrangea petals, which blanket the landscape of the Azores from where my family immigrated. It was only fitting to include this distinctive design concept within our branding to pay homage to a piece of heritage that defines us,” stated Mark Costa, Founder/CEO/Head Brewer Varitage Brew Works.
Varitage Brew Works owners, Mark Costa and Neil Levine, longtime friends, next door neighbors and local residents, recently opened Varitage Brew Works located at 58 Washington Street in historic downtown Bloomfield, NJ. A culmination of more than a decade of work, perseverance and constant tinkering from Mark Costa. Varitage has a cozy taproom in the heart of a revitalized downtown area. Just under 1,500 sq. ft., you are literally drinking in a brewery. With about 40 seats and ample standing space, the 22 foot ceilings and beautiful stainless structures bring your eyes up making for an open airy space. On the walls you’ll find pictures of their families’ villages in Portugal and Italy, an abundance of soccer scarves and the unique custom wall tile from Imagine Tile.
As for the beer, they have a small system where they’re brewing on a 5 barrel system, which is big enough to keep up with their current demand and brew a variety of beers. They focus on classic styles, but they also brew Hazy IPA’s, Sours and heavy stouts too.
“Locks & Planes is our flagship IPA. It’s becoming a fan favorite very quickly. It’s got a great nose to it thanks to the Idaho 7 and Mosaic hops. Locks and Planes also touches on an important part of New Jersey history. Its namesake pays tribute to the Morris Canal which actually ran through Bloomfield,” stated Neil Levine, Co-Founder/CFO/COO Varitage Brew Works.
“The name Varitage is a word made up by combining ‘Variety’ and ‘Heritage’. It represents the story behind the brand perfectly. I like to tell stories with each beer, about the local history in Bloomfield, NJ, where the brewery is located, stories that pay tribute to my family and heritage and of course stories about my life too. Family has always been important to me and over the years I realized how much they sacrificed and I wanted Varitage to be a tribute to that, making a better life for generations to come,” stated Mark Costa.
Lynda Portelli, VP of Sales + Marketing at Imagine Tile, Inc. stated, “It’s an incredible story, Mark held a 9-5 day job while testing his recipes in his garage home brewery and Neil was Mark’s taste tester and right-hand man. Mark has won multiple home brewer awards in national competitions and now Mark and Neil own their very own brewery, right here in New Jersey. Although we work with clients all over the world, it was especially rewarding to work with another local business. We are honored to have our custom tile featured in their brewery taproom and what a great play on words for their signature logo, “Hop-drangea”!
About Varitage Brew Works:
Varitage Brew Works pays homage to the generations that have come before us. The inspiration behind each beer is a culmination of the variety of heritages that make us who we are. Co-owner Mark Costa’s inspiration includes family traditions established from growing up in North Jersey, his ancestors hailing from a small island in Portugal’s Azores, and the rich past of Bloomfield dating back to 1812.
About Imagine Tile:
Imagine Tile is a leading manufacturer of commercially-rated custom ceramic & porcelain wall and floor tiles engineered for all industries including corporate, hospitality, retail, healthcare and more. With decades of experience in the printing and application of glazes, Imagine Tile employs all-natural minerals and ores (not inks or dyes) combined with patented glazing technologies to produce vivid high-resolution photographic imagery in durable ceramic and porcelain tile. Turn ordinary tile into a tool for creative expression, a powerful medium for conveying themes, communicating moods and building brand identity that will both catch the eye and withstand the wear and tear of a commercial environment. Imagine Tile collaborates with Architects, Designers and Corporate End Users (Brands) to capture their design vision in durable ceramic and porcelain tile that will stand the test of time. From unique patterns and textures to custom color-matching and photo quality imagery, these tiles are commercially rated for high traffic, suitable for indoor and outdoor applications, resistant to strong chemicals, unaffected by UV light, scratch-resistant, freeze/thaw rated, low maintenance, VOC-free and eco-friendly too!
Terry Bunch
