New Realm Brewing

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Atlanta, Georgia

Posted in New Realm Brewing, Headlines, New Releases

Blackberry Smoke band has their own beer thanks to New Realm

Music collaborations are nothing new in craft beer but that doesn’t make each one unique. This is an either way it’s cool statement – New Realm Brewing is releasing a beer with the band Blackberry Smoke. If you know the band, you’re already excited. If you’re not there yet, their music is in the tv show Yellowstone. In yet? 

This collaboration comes from a mutual friendship between the band and New Realm Brewing that started back in high school. Here are New Realm, fresh cans of New Realm Blackberry Smoke Lager are being signed by Brit Turner, drummer. He greets me with a smile and a beard that literally says musican or craft brewer. 

Blackberry Smoke, a rock/blues/country band formed in Atlanta, Georgia 21 years ago. “The best way to celebrate your 21st is with a beer!” Turner jokes. “But really though, it’s the best way I can see. it.” He always hoped there would be a full scale band inspired beer, but getting one is harder than you think. Brewery capacity and distribution is a complicated thing. Turner says there was a small scale “Smoke” beer made in North Carolina a few years ago, that was available at one of their sold out shows. The band hoped the rest would be available in distribution later. Their rabid music and beer-loving fans managed to drink it all that night and there was none left over. 

“We knew a few of the New Realm Brewing folks as far back as high school,’ Turner says. We have basically have our own record label situation and making a beer with a craft brewer really made sense to us,” he adds. Blackberry Smoke started a year before the first iPod, a few years before YouTube and more than a decade before Spotify. “Our only choice was to tour,” say Turner. Craft beer has that “out of the garage” feel to it like a lot of rock bands. 

In preparation for Blackberry Smoke Lager, Turner sat down for a tasting session with brewmaster and co-founder Mitch Steele. “A lager just makes sense,” Steele tells me. “We made it with a touch of pilsner malt on top of 2-Row, so there’s a little bit of Europe in this lager.” It’s crazy how many bands we’ve interviewed lean towards the lighter side of beer like a pilsner or lager. Almost every time their reasoning is that they want to drink a few on stage and still be able to play. 

Over the course of a few hours with the band, Turner’s excitement was solely focused on what this beer means to their fans. Steele and Turner designed it with them in mind. “They got us where we are, and we wanted to do something for them,” Turner says. “I’m more excited to see them drink it then I am to have it.” 

Mitch Steele himself is a guitarist and music fan, making it easy to put a little extra musical passion into it. Both brewing and music require emotion and passion if you want it to be good. New Realm Blackberry Smoke is about both. 

Two decades ago Blackberry Smoke got together and started playing in bars. Not long after, they were performing with Guns N’ Roses, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eric Church, ZZ Top, and Zach Brown Band. 

Honestly, to Turner and the rest of the band, this might be more exciting. 

New Realm Blackberry Smoke Lager is available in 16-ounce cans and draft where ever New Realm is sold.  

Style: Lager
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. 
Debut: Late May, 2022

4.5% ABV

Posted in New Realm Brewing, New Releases

The “Martian style” imperial IPA from New Realm has arrived

New Realm Restricted Area Double IPA

New Realm Restricted Area Double IPA marks the second release of the brewery’s Monsters & Myths Series in 2022. 

Apparently, the secrets of the infamous Area 51 in Nevada include hops. Restricted Area Double IPA is a double IPA, brewed with a “paranormal” amount of Citra and Mosaic hops. According to New Realm, the brewery had yet to brew a beer using those two hop combinations together.

“Our Monsters & Myths DIPA series is a favorite among beer fans every year, and we can’t wait for Restricted Area to make its debut as our newest addition to the lineup. We joke that Restricted Area is a ‘Martian-Style’ DIPA, but really, it’s just out of this world! We cannot wait to see what our hop-loving beer fans think of this new release.” – Bob Powers, Co-Founder and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer

New Realm Restricted Area Double IPA is available in 12-ounce cans and draft in late April 2022. 

Style: West Coast Style Imperial IPA
Hops: Citra, Mosaic
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Limited Seasonal Release

Debut: Late April 2022

9% ABV

Posted in New Realm Brewing, Coming Soon

POG: New Realm Tropic Dream launches year-round

New Realm Tropic Dream, a fruited wheat ale, joins the brewery’s lineup year-round in March 2022. 

Tropic Dream is a “POG” beer – aka Passionfruit Orange Guava. If POG brings up flashbacks of the milk cap game from the 90’s there’s a reason. The POG drink dates back to creator and product consultant Mary Soon, who worked for Haleakala Dairy in Hawaii in 1971. The caps to the milk bottles spawned the 1990’s milk cap game. Interestingly, the original POG drink was never sold with cardboard caps, but the dairy gave the caps with the POG logo as promotional items in the 70’s. A teacher in the 1990’s was using the milk caps as a counting aid in the classroom, brought up this milk cap game she used to play, and well- it all really caught on. The 90’s kid fights over collectible POGs began. 

As for this “POG,” New Realm’s Mitch Steele and brewing team brewed up something tropical, using fresh blood orange, passionfruit and guava juices. The final recipe was decided after eight different fruited wheat batches. POG goes together for a reason, apparently. 

Tropic Dream has a prominent tropical fruit character, with a slight tartness and smooth finish. It’s light, refreshing, and a beer that we are really proud of.” – Mitch Steele

New Realm Tropic Dream is available at all brewery locations now, with 12-ounce cans launching the first week of March. 

Style: Fruit Beer (w/ Passionfruit. Blood Orange. Guava.)
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Seasonal Release. 
Debut: March 2022

5% ABV

Posted in New Realm Brewing, First Line Brewing, Headlines

Two breweries leave 13 beers on reserved tables for service members killed in Afghanistan

At least two breweries – New York’s First Line Brewing and Georgia/Virginia’s New Realm Brewing have left tables set and poured beers for the 13 U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan during a terrorist attack this week. 

On Friday, First Line Brewing posted to their Facebook Page a reserved table with 13 beers for those that will never return. The brewery even re-poured the beers throughout the night to make sure they were fresh and cold, as if they were about to sit down. 

“13 glasses will sit un touched at this reserved table all night for the 13 American troops who were killed in Afghanistan on August 26th. These brave courageous individuals paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” the post from First Line Brewing says. Additionally, First Line intends to make a donation or donations on behalf of the 13 service members. 

Additionally. New Realm Brewing in Atlanta, their distillery in Savannah, as well as their brewery in Virginia Beach set tables for the fallen. 

This table will be reserved all night for the 13 military heroes we lost at the airport in Kabul, along with a round of beer for each of them.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families. In humble gratitude, we honor the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country, New Realm said in an Instagram post. The brewery set full dinner places in their Atlanta barrel room. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by New Realm Brewing Co. (@newrealmbrewing)

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families. In humble gratitude, we honor the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country,” New Realm writes, echoing First Line Brewing’s sentiment – ” God bless their families and loved ones. God bless the United States of America.”

The observance is also known as the “Missing Man Table,” a memorial that is set up during US Armed Forces official dining functions. The table is a focal remembrance of those that have fallen, or missing in action. Many restaurants across the U.S., especially by those owned by veterans, maintain such a table year-round. 

After this article was published, we’ve seen even more tributes in the same manner. Readers also pointed out Rustech Brewing, Catawba Island Brewing, and even the Atlanta Braves. 

The names of the 13 killed in the attack: 

Maxton Soviak, 22, Navy – Berlin Heights, Ohio

Kareem Nikoui, 20, Marines – Norco, California 

David Lee Espinoza, 20, Marines – Laredo, Texas

Rylee McCollum, 20, Marines – Bondurant, Wyoming

Jared Schmitz, 20, Marines – St. Charless County, Missouri 

Hunter Lopez, 22, Marines – Indio, California

Daegan W. Page, 23, Marines – Omaha, Nebraska 

Ryan Knauss, 23, Army – Knoxville, Tennessee

Darin Taylor Hoover Jr., 31, Marines – Midvale, Utah

Johanny Rosariopichardo, 25, Marines – Lawrence, Massachusetts 

Humberto Sanchez, Marines – Logansport, Indiana

Nicole L. Gee, 23, Marines – Sacramento, California

Dylan R. Merola, 20, Marines – Rancho Cucamonga, California

 

Ed Note: If there are other breweries that have paid tribute in similar fashion, let us know.

Posted in New Realm Brewing, Seasonal Return

New Realm Tyrannosaurus Flex turns 3, goes metallic

New Realm Tyrannosaurus Flex 3rd Anniversary

New Realm Tyrannosaurus Flex first debuted onHalloween week 2019. The dinosaurs may be gone, but this beer is back from seasonal extinction.

This imperial can of haze is rocking a sweet 80’s vibe and one of the largest land predators to ever exist. The New Realm team used all New Zealand hops for this release – specifically Moteuka, Wai-ti, and Rakau.

Brewed exclusively with hops from New Zealand…combined with Norwegian Kviek yeast gives this monster DIPA a cretaceous amount of juicy, fruity notes such as mango, pineapple, peach, apricot, and citrus.

To celebrate the 3rd release of Flex, the brewery created a special edition metallic label. 

New Realm Tyrannosaurus Flex is a part of the brewery’s ongoing “Monsters & Myths” Double IPA Series. Available in 16-ounce cans and draft at both the Atlanta and Virginia Beach, and new Charleston, South Carolina locations for a limited time.

Style: Juicy/Hazy IPA (Imperial IPA)
Hops: Motueka, Wai-Ti, Rakau
Malts: Proximity Pale, Flaked Oats, Wheat
Yeast: Kviek

Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. Limited Release.
Debut: Late October 2019
Latest Return: July 2021

8.5% ABV, 35 IBUS

Posted in New Realm Brewing, Don't Miss This

New Realm Brewing’s new Alpha Water is a fresh take on hard seltzer

New Realm Alpha Water Cans Final

Face it, hard seltzer is here to stay. We almost dismissed it as an odd summer trend a few years ago, and now the seltzer industry is valued over $4 billion dollars. Alpha Water is one of the newest boozy water brands hitting the market and it’s worth checking out.

Atlanta-based New Realm Brewing opened in early 2018 with a state record-breaking 20,000 barrel annual capacity. That same year, New Realm purchased Green Flash Brewing’s Virginia Beach location, renovating as New Realm Virginia Beach early that fall. Within the first year, the brewery was operating at near capacity across the board.

Taking tanks away from beer to make anything else would have seemed like a bad business move, but you can’t ignore hard seltzer anymore.

“I didn’t know what the heck I was doing,” Mitch Steele, brewmaster & co-founder says, mid-chuckle.

That’s pretty much the response we’d expect from Mitch. His brewing has had such an impact on craft brewing in America and the last thing we thought we’d be asking him about is fermenting fruity dextrose water. The man literally wrote the book on brewing IPA.

New Realm Brewing’s foray into hard seltzer wasn’t just done because it’s a hot new trend.

“Demand for something that wasn’t beer was in high demand in the restaurant, but Georgia law prevented us from selling anything else but what we make,” Mitch says. Ultimately that means you have to make a cider or a seltzer.

So how do you switch gears from IPAs and pilsners to hard seltzers? Well, when Google didn’t help, Steele asked around. “One of our suppliers had an employee that worked in hard beverages in Wisconsin for years,” he tells us. “After a 2+ hour phone conversation with him, I had enough direction to get started.”

From there, it was test batch after test batch, trying to get the yeast right and the flavoring on point. Plus, figuring out what flavors to run with. All in all, New Realm tested over 15 different hard seltzer flavors. The most popular, which was the first chosen to be packaged, is Acai & Blueberry, along with Citrus Punch, Cucumber and Lime, and Black Cherry.

Lemon Hopburst, while loved by the brewers- apparently failed to impress amongst taproom attendees.

Unlike some seltzers, these flavors are quite memorable. The cucumber doesn’t walk a fine line with tasting like pickles, the blueberry aroma is fresh and bright, and the Citrus Punch over ice is simply a win. Honestly, that flavor could and should be in its own 12-pack.

Hard seltzers were a weird notion from the start, but as we have come to find out, are here to stay. Just like IPAs, hard the seltzer world is becoming the “wild west” of flavors.

Alpha Water gets it right.

Oh yeah, we took it to Vegas too. PICS: Beer Street Journal

New-Realm-Alpha-Water-Las-Vegas

Posted in New Realm Brewing, Don't Miss This

New Realm Hoptropolis, & a reminder how much we’ve missed draft beer

New Realm Hoptropolis Can

I’ve missed draft beer. That’s a phrase I never thought I would say unless I accidentally stumbled back in time to 1930.

Now, there is nothing wrong with packaged beer. But a pint fresh from the taps is a thing of beauty I had probably taken a little for granted until COVID-19 basically killed draft beer in America for a while. New Realm Brewing’s Hazy Like a Fox IPA was a staple during quarantine, and sitting down at a bar this week finally have a fresh pint felt a little bit like a hoppy Christmas.

Except that’s not what I got.

Every beer drinker has had that internal debate whether to say something to the bartender about a miss-poured beer, and look a little pretentious in the process, or say something. If you say something, the beer will just be poured down the drain. Such a waste. What was sitting in front of me wasn’t Hazy Like a Fox, but equally if not more delicious. It’s been a shit year, so I decided to stay the course and be grateful I’m sitting in a bar and not on a Zoom call.

As it turns out, it was New Realm Hoptropolis. This “juicy” IPA debuted back in 2018, and honestly, that was the last time I had it.  As of late the beer has been popping up everywhere. Jeff Chassner is New Realm’s VP of Business Development and a good friend, so I asked him what was up. As it turns out, New Realm is “leaning in” on Hoptropolis as spring and warmer weather sets in.

“Hazy Like a Fox is now our number one selling beer both inside and outside of the brewery, and Hoptropolis isn’t far behind,” he says. “We figured it’s time to remind folks don’t forget about our other favorite IPA.”

It’s built on Loral, Citra, El Dorado, and Azacca hops which are all headliners in juicy IPAs in these days. Georgia is lucky to have an IPA god like Mitch Steele working his brewing magic with Tyler and team.

Covid lulled me into a bit of a rut. Same safety beers during a turbulent time – until the wrong pull of a tap. I very literally proved New Realm’s point without even knowing it.

On the same topic, that’s another unintended problem beer has dealt with during the ongoing pandemic. It’s not just a loss of volume to every brewery in America. It’s the loss of the variety and exploration you get sitting down in front of a tap wall. Trying something new by the pint is much less daunting than 6 pack commitments.  A notion I nearly forgot after playing it safe so many months now.

Thanks, Hoptropolis.