Collaborations

Posted in Beer News, New Beers, Wild Heaven Craft Beers

Wild Heaven Neon Roses

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Wild Heaven Craft Beers, Headlines

Wild Heaven & Bulliet Bourbon release 5th collaboration

Wild Heaven Beer and Bulliet Bourbon release 5 Points Doppelbock, the fifth installment of their ongoing barrel-aged series.

Recapping the project, Bulliet Bourbon was always stingy with their barrels in the past. As Tom Bulleit told Beer Street Journal during an Atlanta launch event more than a decade ago, all the distillery’s barrels were sent to Scotland for whisky aging. At the time he seemed almost confused at the notion that America’s breweries would want empty bourbon barrels. That would all change in 2020.

Bulliet did a little quiet research, looking for breweries with not just a robust barrel program, but breweries that really cared about barrel aging. Georgia-based Wild Heaven stood out to the Bulliet team and ultimately the Beer and Bourbon Series was born.

The idea behind this project is simple. Wild Heaven creates a beer and Bulliet overnights freshly emptied (wet) barrels from the distillery 437 Miles South to Avondale Estates, Georgia. Fill the barrels, and wait for the magic to happen. During one of the worst years in human existence, 2020, 95 Shilling Scotch ale kicked off the series. The alcohol by volume in that beer could never have been high enough for us considering the times.

RELATED: WILD HEAVEN’S BULLEIT COLLAB WAS WORTH THE WAIT

As fall descends upon Atlanta, the latest emergence is 5 Points – a German-style Dopplebock, aged in Bulleit Rye barrels. Let’s get straight to the point, this beer- much like this series- just keeps getting better and better. A Doppelbock may be a rarer style in the craft brewing world, but Wild Heaven’s head brewer Josh Franks has created a perfect reminder of how damn good they are. “I think it really turned out quite well,” Franks tells us. You’ll never hear the guy brag, but the smile on his face after a few sips of 5 Points tells us everything.

The fresh barrels from Bulleit really make all the difference world here. Vanilla flavors from the rye bourbon-soaked oak in 5 Points are fresh and bold, almost to the point of decadence. The creamy toffee and raisin flavors notes the dopplebock round out this cool weather sipper. More proof that this duo knows what they are doing.

Wild Heaven 5 Points Dopplebock debuts this week in 16-ounce cans and draft. Wild Heaven and Bulleit are already working on their next project.

Style: Dopplebock (Barrel Aged. Rye Bourbon.)
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft.

Debut: October 2022

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Realm Brewing, Don't Miss This

Fall Kickoff: Georgia Tech Athletics now have their own beer

Thanks to Atlanta’s New Realm Brewing, Georgia Tech Athletics has its first official beer. The beer launches today ahead of Tech’s first football game against Clemson. 

New Realm Helluvienna Lager debuts today, an amber lager suitable for mass consumption at tailgates, at home or bars during any and all of Georgia Tech’s sports programs. The launch of this beer on the first day of Tech’s football season was intentional, according to New Realm’s co-founder and CEO Carey Falcone. “We have enjoyed the support of the Georgia Tech community since we opened in 2018. “We are looking forward to being on-campus and a part of Tech history,” Falcone says. “From our first meeting with Angel Cabrera (GT President), Todd Stansbury (GT Athletic Director), and the leadership team at GT, it was clear that this was much more than a sponsorship, it was a partnership,” Falcone adds.

“The style of beer that comes to mind when we think sports is a lager,” Jeff Chassner, the brewery’s Chief Sales Officer tells Beer Street Journal. “We’ve brewed a lot of German-style beers over the last two years, so an amber lager similar to our Bavarian Prince festbier was pretty much where we wanted to be,” he adds. ” New Realm sent a few beers over to their friends at Tech to try, and the Vienna lager won hands down. 

READ MORE: NEW REALM & BLACKBERRY SMOKE TEAM UP

Helluvienna Lager features pilsner, Vienna, German Munich, and Carared Malts, along with German Hersbrucker hops making it about much of a European -style beer as possible, minus the location. As for the name? Helluvienna Lager is a play on the (I’m a) Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech” fight song. Interestingly, that fight song started as a Scottish drinking song in the late 1800s. Naturally. 

Here in the 21st Century, this New Realm/Georgia Tech collaboration hits shelves this week in 16-ounce cans and draft. It’s already on tap at Atlanta-area Taco Macs, and on shelves at Total Wine, Tower, and Mac’s Beer and Wine.  Over the next few weeks – metro Atlanta QT, Kroger, and Publix locations.

Tonight the #4 ranked Clemson Tigers travel to Atlanta to play Georgia Tech for a rare Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Clemson is favored by 22.5 points.  This beer might go from “fun” to “medicinal” quickly. Let’s hope New Realm brewed enough of it. 

Style: Vienna Lager
Hops: Hersbrucker

Malts: Pilsner, Vienna, German Munich, Carared Malts

Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. Year-Round
Debut: 9/5/22

5.2% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
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

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Pravda Brewery, Headlines

Ukrainian brewer releases recipes for international collaboration

Last week, Pravda Brewery, located in Lviv, Ukraine shifted from making beer to Molotov cocktails. As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, the brewery has opened up their recipes and artwork to the world’s craft brewers. 

Pravda Brewery has made available the recipes and artwork of their award winning beers. The recipes include – Syla (Belgian tripel), Frau Ribbentrop (Belgian witbier), From San to Don (Ukrainian imperial stout) and Putin Huylo (a dry hopped strong ale). Incidentally, that beer name translates to Putin is a Dick. 

“Brewing in Lviv now sounds like a non-priority,” the company wrote on its website. “The city is bracing for a fight. Alcohol is forbidden, and we once in a lifetime support it. But brewing now – like giving birth or a marriage – is hope. Beer takes several weeks to be ready. We hope we win by then.”

Pravda Brewery hopes that a few of America’s nearly 10,000 breweries will brew some of Pravda’s beers. All the brewery asks if they do, they would make donations to their relief fund efforts. 

“As peaceful craft brewers, we want to return to the normal life asap and enjoy brewing and drinking. But first we must kick the cockroaches out of our land. No more Gulags, Holodomors and oppression. It’s a decisive moment for Ukraine, Europe and democracies of the world.

Soon will win this war and have a good beer. The Beer of Victory,” the post on their website ended. 

As of March 10th, the Russia invasion of Ukraine is now in its 15 day. According to Reuters, the death toll is more than 13,000, with 100 billion in property damage. 

Lviv, the home to Pravda Brewing is in western Ukraine near the border of Poland. The city has become a transit point for refugees fleeing the fighting.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Second Self Brewing Company, New Releases

Second Self Totally Twobular Beermosa Sour is coming 2/22 at 2:22pm

Second Self Totally Twobular, the brewery’s 7th Anniversary beer debuts on February 22nd. 

The Atlanta-based brewery created a Beermosa-style (juice and beer) sour India pale ale and added fresh peaches. The release is a collaboration with BottleShare, a non-profit organization supporting the craft beer industry. 

Second Self hosts their 7th Anniversary party on February 26th. 

Style: IPA (w/ Peaches)
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. Limited Release. 

Debut: 2/22/22, at 2:22pm

6.22% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, New Releases

Wild Heaven Terminus Tripel

by Reid Ramsay