Photo Recap | Mashing In

Field Trip: Media Reception & Beer Launch at New Realm Brewing Company

Posted on January 10, 2018January 10, 2018 by mashingin

radegast Last week, we had the pleasure of attending a VIP Media Reception and Beer Launch event at New Realm Brewing Company (Atlanta, Georgia) and we have returned to supply you with a photographic account of our experience at this newly established craft beer institution that is sure to have a huge impact on Atlanta’s beer scene.

Established by Carey Falcone, Bob Powers and IPA whisperer Mitch Steele, New Realm Brewing Company is a 20,000 square-foot facility located on Atlanta’s Beltline. This game-changing destination brewery houses a 25hl, four vessel brewhouse and 50hl tank farm from Krones Steinecker, a stunning taproom and restaurant, multiple multipurpose rooms that can act as event space or additional seating, several bars, a dedicated growler station, and a rooftop deck featuring a breathtaking view of the Atlanta skyline. The brewery’s main system will be focused on creating world-class, regular rotation offerings while a pilot system will be dedicated to churning out a regular stream of creative and innovative one-offs and experimental batches. Helmed by General Manager Don Mioton and Executive Chef Julio Delgado, New Realm’s restaurant “[blends] global flavors and southern techniques” to offer a delicious menu that pairs beautifully with the house beers. Speaking of those beers, New Realm offerings will span the style spectrum, but you can rest assured that you will see many hop-laden brews from Mitch Steele.

New Realm Brewing Company officially opened to the public on Monday (January 8), but we were lucky enough to get a first look at the facility last week. Although part of me wishes that we returned home with a notebook full of technical data on the brewery and the beers, it was kind of refreshing to hear that this event was meant to have more of a relaxed, hangout atmosphere rather than that of a formal interview. When I say refreshing, I mean that more so from the perspective of the New Realm team that was facing an opening week that would be full of photo ops, interviews, and the intense scrutiny of being a new brewery and restaurant in a major U.S. city. This was the crew’s last chance to take a breath and a moment to celebrate before that coming storm. It was a needed break disguised as a soft opening and media event.

We wanted to respect that, so our conversations with Mitch Steele and everyone else at New Realm were limited to small talk about our personal lives, the beer industry in general, hobbies, and good food. Although fun for us, we realized that those discussions would not produce interesting copy. So . . . we adjusted our approach to the event and instead decided to document our experience through photos. We want you to experience this place through our eyes, and hopefully that will inspire you to visit New Realm, sample the beers, have a meal, take the tour, and experience something truly special. We hope that you enjoy the gallery and, above all, realize that you need to experience all that can be found in New Realm. Prost!

These two giants are happy to greet you as you approach the brewery.

The taproom’s decor is warm and inviting; rich in woods, glass and stainless steel.

The taproom also features a view of the brewery.

The space also includes several rooms that can act as private event spaces, conference rooms, or just added seating for the taproom.

The New Realm crew supplied gorgeous pours of beautiful beers all night long.

From Pilsner to Porter, here’s the dynamic tap list we enjoyed that evening: Commissioner Table Beer; Euphonia Pilsner, German-style Pilsner hop bursted with Noble and new-school German varieties; Zwickel Pils, Unfiltered Pilsner that is naturally hazy and fermented with an Augustiner lager strain; Perun Pale Ale, American Pale Ale featuring citrusy and piney hops with a touch of caramel maltiness; Hoplandia IPA, West Coast-style IPA with classic Simcoe and Centennial resinous character; Belgian Dubbel, featuring malt-derived dried plum and raisin with a hint of banana; and Pilot Coffee Porter, brewed with coffee from Firelight Coffee Roasters.

Gorgeous signage tastefully adorns the walls of the taproom.

Pilot Coffee Porter and Zwickel Pils.

Guests can view the entire brewery while enjoying a tour from the catwalk.

Mitch Steele leads a brewery tour.

The canning line is primed and ready to put in some serious work.

Radegast Triple IPA will soon see some time on that canning machine.

The pilot system prominently displayed but subtly dwarfed by the brewery’s main brewhouse hiding in the background.

For perspective, this photo of the tour group was taken from the brew deck of the main brewhouse.

Head Brewer Tyler Downey pops in on the tour to chat a bit.

Kegs are wrapped and ready to go.

When Mitch Steele is involved, it is no surprise that an IPA is ready for those kegs.

Attendees enjoy beers and a vast array of app-sized portions of dishes that will be featured on the restaurant’s menu.

Radegast Triple IPA will also be available in 750ml. This one-time release will commemorate the brewery’s grand opening. Keep an eye on New Realm’s social media accounts for release details.

Commissioner, a Belgo-American Table Beer, was the first beer brewed on New Realm’s system.

The brewery store is fully stocked and even includes a dedicated growler bar.

Perfect place for a beer and a conversation.

Perun Pale Ale was easily my favorite beer of the night. One of the most beautifully composed and balanced American Pale Ales I have ever experienced.

The rooftop deck features a full bar, ample seating, and one hell of a view.

Speaking of that view.

A good place to spend an evening and end this gallery. Be sure to visit New Realm Brewing Company as soon as you can.

Click any image to enlarge

Field Trip: An Evening with Lord Hobo Brewing Co.

Posted on August 3, 2017August 15, 2017 by mashingin

On Monday, July 31, Cavalier Distributing welcomed Lord Hobo Brewing Co. (Woburn, Massachusetts) to the Florida beer scene with an industry-only event at The Dalí Museum. We were lucky enough to score an invite to the event, and you know we took plenty of photos to document the festivities for you.

Just last week, we let you all know the exciting news that Lord Hobo Brewing Co. was arriving in Florida with a series of launch events set to take place from August 2 to August 12 (click here to read that post). The party got off to an early start on Monday as representatives from Tampa-area breweries and craft beer establishments got together at The Dalí to introduce themselves to the crew and brews of Lord Hobo. The evening was filled with damn good beer, tasty eats, great tunes and even better conversation held against a backdrop of Salvador Dalí’s artistic masterpieces. It was a truly unique, craft beer experience that is probably best conveyed in a visual format. Check out photos of the festivities below, and be sure to hit up one of the remaining launch events so that you too can get to know the amazing folks of Lord Hobo Brewing Co. while they are in town. Prost!

**Click any photo below to enlarge, read descriptions, and/or view the gallery as a slideshow**

Florida hop heads, rejoice! Lord Hobo is here.

The Dalí served as an incredible venue for this industry Meet & Greet with Lord Hobo Brewing Co.

It just isn’t a party unless you have inflatable pink flamingo koozies.

Lord Hobo lights up the night.

The DJ successfully set a beach party vibe in a museum. Not an easy task.

Cans of Boom Sauce and Hobo Life were quick to greet us.

Consolation Prize DIPA joined the party as a meal fit for a Lord Hobo hit the table: Hobo burger sliders with road snacks.

Everyone in attendance was eager to try the three featured beers from Lord Hobo.

Cases of beer make for one hell of a Consolation Prize.

The entire Lord Hobo crew was stoked to meet their industry peers in Tampa.

The evening closed as we all enjoyed some s’mores while living that Hobo Life.

Field Trip: VIP Night at Noble Crust – Wesley Chapel

Posted on July 18, 2017August 15, 2017 by mashingin

On Saturday, July 15, the Noble Crust hosted a VIP Night and Preview Party for their new location in Wesley Chapel, and we were fortunate enough to receive an invitation to cover the festivities. Here’s your first look at this fantastic new restaurant taking up residence at the Shops at Wiregrass.

Serving as a benefit for The Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel Foundation, this VIP Night event acted as the perfect platform to introduce the community to Noble Crust and its philosophy that is clearly built on generosity and hospitality. From the hostess at the door to the proud ownership mingling with the crowd, the entire crew at Noble Crust does absolutely everything they can to make you feel at ease and at home when you visit their restaurant.

And what a beautiful restaurant it is. Before you enter the restaurant proper, you easily glide through a cozy patio space that has been designed with the ability to tame the Florida heat with breezy fans and a gentle misting system. As you walk through the front door, your eyes feast on a gorgeous space that includes comfy social dining areas, an immaculate open kitchen, clever lighting that provides a warm ambiance, and one of the most stunning bars in the area.

Take a seat and your attention suddenly shifts to the alluring aromas wafting from the kitchen. With a menu comprised of seasonal Italian dishes that retain a Southern soul, your options are many. You can nosh on tasty appetizers such as Deviled Crab Arancini and Ricotta Gnocchi before selecting a main course that could range from one of several of Noble Crust’s incredibly balanced and delicious pizzas to Rigatoni & Short Rib Ragu or some Southern Fried Chicken. After polishing off your first two courses, be sure to look over the dessert menu because you are definitely going to want to finish off your meal with a slice of Lemon-Buttermilk Pie or a jar of Warm Chocolate Budino. Finally, and this goes for your entire meal, your Noble Crust experience is not complete unless you pair these delectable dishes with something from the bar. It could be a of glass wine, a tasty brew from their carefully curated beer list, or one of their many ambrosial house cocktails. Just find the flavor that best suits you, settle in, sip away and fully savor the complete dining experience that Noble Crust provides.

We could go on and on about our time at Noble Crust, but it is probably best to let our photos do the talking from here on out. Check out the photos below and, most importantly, be sure to check out Noble Crust – Wesley Chapel as soon as possible. The restaurant opens to the public this week, and their staff is polished and ready to go. Make it happen and enjoy what may just be the finest dining option now available in Wesley Chapel. Prost!

**Click any photo below to enlarge, read descriptions, and/or view the gallery as a slideshow**

The Noble Crust impresses before you even walk through the door.

Guests settle in at the bar.

We kick things off with some refreshing cocktails: P.C. Shrubbery and Blue Basilito

House Meatballs and Deviled Eggs hit the table.

The Crispy Grouper Sliders are both beautiful and delicious.

Crooked Thumb Brewery’s Trippel was a gorgeous paring for the Ricotta Gnocchi

Eye catching lighting softens the atmosphere, creating a wonderfully comfortable environment.

Created specifically for the event, the Noble Cure was incredibly popular all night long.

Deviled Crab Arancini.

An impressive array of fine spirits behind the bar.

Relaxed vibe at the bar.

The Noble Manhattan

Fresh pies in the window! The Country Ham and Noble Pig.

Guests were all smiles.

Managing Partner Will Perez talks with guests.

A plate of Whipped Ricotta destined for a nearby table.

Pisco Punch was a popular selection on our end of the bar.

A bar that absolutely drips with class and elegance.

The bar selection at Noble Crust has a little something for everyone.

Wines flowing on tap.

The Noble Manhattan was also a popular selection throughout the evening.

Cycle Brewing’s Cream and Sugar, Please Stout and the Lemon-Buttermilk Pie proved to be a magical pairing.

The list of bottled and canned beers is well thought out and has options for all tastes.

The alluring presentation of Changes in Latitude.

Brandi hard at work behind the bar.

An experimental Faux Filet dish from Chef Rob Reinsmith.

I closed out my evening with a finger of High West Campfire Blended Whiskey alongside a jar of Warm Chocolate Budino.

The line meticulously assembling perfect dishes.

The F.G. B.L.T.: fried green tomatoes, Tabasco-honey glazed pork belly, pimento cheese

Decisions, decisions. Banana-Coconut Cream Pie backed by Bad Blood and a Hibiscus Sling.

Field Trip: Cavalier Distributing Trade Show – Tampa

Posted on May 8, 2017August 15, 2017 by mashingin

Just a few weeks ago, Cavalier Distributing (Lakeland, Florida) held a fantastic and informative trade show at The Vault, a beautiful venue located in the heart of Tampa’s Downtown Arts District. Cavalier used this industry-only event as an opportunity to introduce the area’s restaurants, bars, retailers, and media members to their vast portfolio of fine craft beers, meads, ciders and spirits. The best way to capture all that this event had to offer was through a visual medium, so check out the photos below (click to enlarge) so that you too can get the inside scoop on the exciting beverages headed our way this year from Cavalier Distributing. Prost!

Constructed in 1923 as The Exchange National Bank, The Vault is now a unique and versatile venue located in the heart of Tampa’s Downtown Arts District.

Driftwood Brewery (Victoria, British Columbia) was on hand to showcase their Fat Tug IPA, an intense Northwest-style India Pale Ale brewed with the hop aficionado in mind.

New to the area, Forbidden Root sampled their line of botanical-themed offerings: Sublime Ginger, Money on My Rind, & Wildflower Pale Ale (WPA).

Blavod, the original Black Vodka, was on hand to create beautiful and inventive cocktails for attendees.

M.I.A. Beer Company (Doral, Florida) brought their core lineup along with several small-batch and limited brews.

View of a happy crowd from above.

Duclaw Brewing Co. (Baltimore, Maryland) treated the crowd to tastes of decadent ales like Sweet Baby Jesus! Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter and Dirty Little Freak Coconut Caramel Chocolate Brown Ale.

The beautiful Farmhouse Ales of Blackberry Farm Brewery (Walland, Tennessee) were in attendance.

The folks at B. Nektar (Ferndale, Michigan) were nice enough to share bottles of Episode 13 Mead Aged in Bourbon Barrels alongside several other beautiful meads.

Crafted Artisan Meadery (Akron, Ohio) dazzled taste buds with Jinja Dragon, a Honey Wine dosed with “generous additions of hibiscus and ginger with a touch of black peppercorn.”

Harris Meadery (Orange Park, Florida) absolutely nailed their Key Lime Pie Mead.

We can’t think of anything more awesome than a bandolier of Underberg.

The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery (Farmville, North Carolina), the Dark Beer Specialist, poured up their classic Milk Stout alongside Hoppy Bunny American Black Ale.

Maeloc Hard Cider, a cidery from Galicia, Spain, will soon be hitting the area with their line of delicious ciders.

Town Branch Distillery, an extension of Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. (Lexington, Kentucky) sampled their line of spirits: Town Branch Bourbon (pictured), Pearse Lyons Reserve, and Town Branch Rye.

Shmaltz Brewing Company (Clifton Park, New York) discussed and shared their Year-Round brews with attendees.

Maui Brewing Co. (Kihei, Hawaii) brought the Aloha spirit to the trade show.

Good times were found throughout the event.

Key West Distilling (Key West, Florida) broke out a full array of rums along with their Spyglass Vodka.

Nothing but quality on ice here, but the Grevensteiner from C. & A. Veltins was a delightful treat.

The eye-catching can artwork of Central 28 Beer Company (DeBary, Florida).

Original Sin (New York, New York) Extra Dry and Elderberry Cider.

New Planet Brewery (Boulder, Colorado) supplied some gluten-free goodies.

Beyond their delicious brews, Heavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) came to the trade show prepared with a full-sized skeleton and hook for their display.

Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. (Lexington, Kentucky) also shared their wildly popular Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.

Two Brothers Artisan Brewing (Chicago, Illinois) Pinball Juicy Hop Pale Ale and In the Flesh American Sour Ale Brewed with Real Peaches.

Field Trip: SweetWater Brewing Company 20th Anniversary Party

Posted on February 27, 2017August 15, 2017 by mashingin

On Sunday, February 19, SweetWater Brewing Company (Atlanta, Georgia) celebrated “20 Years of Heady Beers” with a 20th Anniversary Party that featured a ridiculously awesome tap list and a musical performance from moe. We were fortunate enough to receive an invite to cover this event, and the only way to do this spectacle justice is to provide a visual account of the day. Check out the photos below, and be sure to raise a glass in the near future to recognize SweetWater Brewing Company’s two decades of brewing excellence. Prost!