A new realm of brewing
New Realm Brewing may be a new name, but the leadership team are anything but rookies: Partners Carey Falcone, Bob Powers, and Mitch Steele have nearly a century of combined experience in beer and brewing. In their new project they not only rely on a MicroCube but maintained a complete Krones brewery including the fermentation and storage cellar.
When they first decided to form New Realm Brewing seven years ago, they considered it a culmination of their life’s work. “For us, it wasn’t about hitting a revenue target, barrel output, etc. It was about creating something special and doing it differently,” says Falcone, President and co-founder. He and Powers had both come up through the ranks with major US beer companies, and were tired of the corporate culture.
Mitch Steele, formerly the brewmaster for Stone Brewing, was attracted to the idea of starting something from the ground up, focusing on the concept of community in a thriving southeastern US metropolis like Atlanta.
“The best one that we’re looking at’’
For Mitch Steele, a renowned brewmaster, automation became a key factor in brewhouse selection.
He had brewed with a Krones system in his previous role as brewmaster for California-based Stone Brewing Co. “The quality of the equipment is top notch. The consistency of the processes is top notch. The engineering support that Krones has is amazing – much higher level than I’ve seen with a lot of other companies over my career,” says Steele. So when Falcone asked for his input on what brewhouse to select, Steele did not have to deliberate. “Carey asked me point blank: ‘What’s the best one that we’re looking at?’ And without hesitation I said, ‘a Steinecker brewhouse,’ and I stand true to that sentiment,” says Steele.
For Falcone, that was enough for him to choose Krones. “I felt like we have one of the best brewmasters in the world, so let’s put him on the best brewhouse in the world,” says Falcone.
A reliable partner
In addition to meeting their technological and production demands, CJ Putnicki, Director of Brewing Engineering, says Krones showed tremendous responsiveness and commitment to getting the job done right. “The guys who showed up for installation were very impressive. They really know their stuff, and they were committed to getting a solution in a timely manner,” he adds.
Taking all things in consideration, when asked what was the best part of working with Krones, Putnicki noted the quality of service. “The best thing about Krones is the people – they are responsive, committed to going above and beyond.”
Falcone uses the word “partner” in describing his relationship with Krones. “Krones has been an amazing partner,” he says. “We were looking for a long-term partner, not just a one-time vendor. Krones, with its extensive experience and breadth of products and solutions, became the obvious choice for us.”
If you want to find out more interesting information about New Realm Brewing, please watch our Youtube video about the brewers:
