Lagers

Posted in 3 Sheeps Brewing, Beer News, Headlines, New Releases

Piggly Wiggly Beer Is Real, Brewed by 3 Sheeps

Piggly Wiggly officially has their own house craft beer brand with the help of 3 Sheeps Brewing. The beers started hitting stores over the past few weeks.

Grant Pauly, founder of 3 Sheeps in Sheboygan, Wisconsin first started going Piggly Wiggly as a kind in nearby Manitowoc. Family shopping trips to the “Hoggly Woggly” aka “The Pig” left an impression all the way through adulthood. Piggly Wiggly might at one point be synonymous with The South hailing from Arkansas, The Pig brand is strong in the Badger State.

Piggly Wiggly already sells Pauly’s 3 Sheeps brands all over Wisconsin. Now, 3 Sheeps Brewing and The Pig have a new partnershp, Piggly Wiggly beer.

Three house-branded beers are available exclusively at Piggly Wiggly stores across Wisconsin. And unlike the typical grocery store beer play—slap a new label on an existing product and call it a day—3 Sheeps actually created each of these beers from scratch. No rebranding some beer sku here. 3 Sheeps is all in on some Pig originals.

The lineup includes a Midwest IPA, German Pilsner, and Amber Lager— three styles that are refrigerator staples. Triple dry-hopped gummy bear lactose imported vanilla bean rare coffee quadruple barrel-aged beers with a Saturday morning cartoon trademark infringed label need not apply.

Shop the Pig

If you think about it, the partnership makes perfect sense. Especially for Wisconsin. The land where their Kwik Trip gas stations are 30% beer cooler. Bars open early for knitting circles so grandma can have a beer before noon. The Midwest loves beer. So does Piggly Wiggly.

The first look at these beers, the branding is on point, but the expectations were low. Until you turn the can and see the 3 Sheeps Brewing branding on the side, dispelling any fears that this is a marketing stunt. The pilsner is crisp with a touch of bitterness, the Midwest IPA leans hard on the (Mid)West Coast, and our personal favorite – the Amber Lager is everything the style is supposed to be.

For now, the Piggly Wiggly beers are only available across Wisconsin. While the demand might be tempting to expand beyond the state, Pauly and Piggly Wiggly are happier than a pig in… beer to keep in local for now.

Next time a Wisconsinites are at The Pig grabbing a milk and some donuts, you can toss in Piggly Wiggly beer too. It’s probably the most Wisconsin thing you can do in the morning short of drinking it in the parking lot before you drive home.

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

SweetWater launches “Dive Beer” 4% Lager

SweetWater Dive Beer, a 4% alcohol-by-volume lager, has hit shelves to kick off 2025.

Nothing is better than hitting a seat at the local dive bar—with its weird smells and sticky floors—and grabbing a cheap beer. Your expectations are already low, so the situation always over-delivers. SweetWater Brewing Company wants a piece of this action too, with new Dive Beer.

SweetWater Dive Beer follows the emerging trend of the simple, cheap, no-frills lagers hitting shelves. It’s just 4% ABV, making it easy to “Dive into long nights and short tabs,” according to the brewery.

Dive Beer has already made its mark in blind taste tests, outpacing top competitors in drinkability, refreshment, and overall preference. Its affordable price point ensures that premium taste is within reach for everyone, from craft beer enthusiasts to casual drinkers alike.

SweetWater will feature Dive Beer at their upcoming 28th Anniversary Party on February 22nd.

Look for Dive Beer in 12/16/19.2-ounce cans year-round.

Style: Lager
Hops: Crystal, Hallertau
Malts: Pilsner

Availability: 12/16/19.2oz Cans
Debut: Late-Jan 2025

4% ABV

Image: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Monday Night Brewing, New Releases

Monday Night Atlanta 404 Lager hits the Peach State

Monday Night Atlanta 404 Lager, a new lower alcohol by volume lager will debut soon from the Atlanta-based brewery.

Monday Night Brewing is prepping a new lager- namely Atlanta 404 Lager, for release in the near future. For context – “404” is Atlanta’s area code. (Think NYC’ s famous 212 area code.)

The lager mot only carries the “404” area code, but is purportedly is also brewed with primarily Georgia grown ingredients.

PIC ARCHIVE: MONDAY NIGHT BREWING

It is the intention of Monday Night to make Atlanta 404 Lager more than a beer. It is important to note that finally plans/details haven’t been finalized- the brewery wants to see a portion of the sales of the 404 set aside to create a “404 Fund” intended to be a financial vessel to give back to the city.

Monday Night Atlanta 404 Lager will be available year round in cans and draft. A release date has not been set.

Style: Lager
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Year-Round
Debut: April 2024

4.04% ABV

PIC: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Beers, Three Taverns Brewery

Three Taverns Beeps Beer

Three Taverns Beeps Beer

Style:
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Year-Round
Debut:

3.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Sierra Nevada, New Releases

Sierra Nevada adds Crisp & Tropical Little Thing

Sierra Nevada’s “Little Things” Series expands with the addition of Crisp Little Thing a summer approaches.

The series started with Hazy Little Thing, which is the first nationally distributed hazy IPA in the U.S. For summer 2023, the brewery is releasing a lager- Crisp Little Thing, as well as Tropical Little Thing, the second in their limited rotating IPA series.

Crisp Little Thing is described as “crushable” as most lagers tend to be, 4.7% alcohol by volume and a smooth 18 IBUs. Only found the the “Little Things Party Pack” – 12 pack variety pack.

Tropical Hazy Little Thing is available in 12oz/6 packs, now through August 2023. The IPA features Cascade, Sabro, Sultana, El Dorado, and Amarillo hops, built on the back of oats, Two-Row malt and wheat.

Crisp Little Thing (4.7% ABV)
Style: Lager
Availability: 12oz Cans, Mixed Pack Exclusive

Tropical Little Thing (7% ABV)
Style: IPA
Hops: Sabro, Sultana, El Dorado, Cascade, Amarillo

Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. May-August.

Debut: Summer 2023

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