Teddy Padussis and his family took over the former Coho Brewing a little over a year ago, and with that switch came a change in name and in direction.
“We bought it and saw it as an opportunity to grow it into something that we envisioned,” Padussis said.
The new name was Whale Tale Brewing Company, and the new direction was a focus on giving back to the community through partnerships with various non-profits.
“The brewery is more about community than it is just about providing beer,” he said. “We like to be involved with our customers.”
The main cause supported by the brewery is a fitting one given the new name. It’s ocean conservation and a portion of the proceeds from their beer sales goes to those efforts.
Padussis, originally from Baltimore, is a recent graduate of Salisbury University in Maryland.
He said his family has been vacationing in the area for about the past 20 years, and that his parents moved to Cape May full time after he finished high school.
Padussis said he moved to the area permanently as well after college, around the same time they bought the brewery in Cape May Court House, Middle Township last year.
Padussis said he runs the day-to-day operations at the brewery and it is owned jointly by him and his family, who have always made community involvement a priority.
“My family’s always been into giving back to the community,” Padussis said.
He said they’ve been involved in past efforts with giving to local theater groups and the Cape May Community Food Closet.
Along with ocean conservation, the brewery works to support local law enforcement agencies and over the winter they held regular events they dubbed “Saturday Socials” that served as fundraisers for a number of organizations. Some of the groups they worked with included the Cape May County Coast Guard Community Foundation, The Nature Center of Cape May, and Cape May Cares.
Apart from their charitable efforts, at Whale Tale you can find all of the other typical features you’d expect from a local brewery – an extensive list of beers in different styles on tap, a rotating roster of visiting food trucks, and events like live music, open mic nights and cornhole tournaments to keep you entertained.
Padussis said things have been going well since taking over the brewery and they’re gearing up for what will be their second summer season.
“We had a good off season and we’re expecting a really busy summer,” Padussis said.
He said they’ll soon be getting a canning machine to allow for another way for customers to enjoy their brews at home. But the best way to experience all that Whale Tale has to offer, Padussis said, is to spend some time there and see it for yourself.
“People need to just come out and visit the brewery,” he said. “It’s great to bring your family and great to just hang out. It’s not a place where you have to feel like you have to be a certain way. Just have fun.”
Leave a Reply