'Renegade' in Ireland: New Kensington brew crosses the pond for Steelers game

It probably won’t knock Guinness off the list of most popular beers in Ireland, but Renegade is giving Dubliners a taste of the Alle-Kiski Valley this week.

New Kensington-based Tortured Souls Brewing collaborated with Hope Beer in Dublin to brew Renegade in celebration of the Steelers’ game Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings at historic Croke Park in Dublin.

“Our little pub in New Kensington is on the international stage,” said Scott Wyman, who owns Tortured Souls with his wife, Angela.

Renegade is an American Pale Ale made with German grains and hops. It’s a little fruity, but not sweet, Scott Wyman said.

“It’s flying off the shelves,” he said of sales in Ireland. “It’s been well-received.”

Bernard Kennedy, owner/operator of The Bald Eagle/Crossed Rifles gastropub in Dublin, where Renegade is being sold, agreed, saying beer sales are “doing really well at the moment.”

“We have our team pushing it and explaining to our clientele the collaboration between Hope Brewery and Tortured Souls Brewery,” Kennedy said. “We are expecting big crowds over the weekend, as we are a 10-minute walk up the canal to Croke, and we are open at 10 a.m., serving a breakfast option.”

A long-standing friendship led to the collaboration.

When it was announced the Steelers would play in Ireland, Wyman talked with his friend, Rich Lubell, president of a homebrewers’ association in Ireland, Angela Wyman said.

“He and Rich had a pipe dream,” she said. “When it was announced the Steelers were playing there, it would be cool if we do a collaboration.”

Lubell connected the Wymans with Hope Beer to co-brew Renegade. Renegade was launched at The Bald Eagle, on tap, this week. It already was available in cans around Dublin.

There’s a lot of excitement in Ireland for the game, Kennedy said, especially with the connection of the Steelers being owned by the famously Irish Rooney family.

“It’s been fun. Hard to know what to expect, to be honest, and it’s the first NFL league game in Croke Park,” Kennedy said. “We generally do really well during the (Gaelic Athletic Association) season as we would have a good food trade and would sell a lot of craft beer normally.”

There was a huge demand for game tickets in Ireland, Kennedy said. He is unable to attend the game even though Croke is Ireland’s largest sports venue, but his brother will be going.

“My brother managed to get tickets for him and his son,” Kennedy said. “He took the day off work just to be able to concentrate on trying to get a ticket and spent hours, but he managed to get two.”

Kennedy said both locals and tourists are enjoying the beer.

“We get a lot of, for (lack) of a better word, craft beer nerds in with us, people who would essentially move around the bars trying different brews,” Kennedy said. “Feedback has been very positive. (Renegade) is a 6% IPA, similar to a Beavertown brew we have had sporadically over the years called Gamma Ray.”

What’s most impressive to Kennedy was a visitor from New Kensington, Stephanie Stewart, who was visiting Ireland for the Steelers game and stopped by his pub.

“She came over here just to try the Renegade, now that’s something else. She’s over for the game,” Kennedy said.

Renegade will debut at Tortured Souls at 8 a.m. Sunday. Evolution Grille, located inside Tortured Souls, at 715 Craigdell Road, will serve breakfast.

“It’s as exciting as our opening day,” Wyman said.

The brew is exposing Ireland to Steelers’ culture, as Renegade was named after the 1979 Styx song played to rally Steelers fans at every home game.

“We picked key words for Pittsburgh football and Renegade sort of popped off — it fit,” Wyman said. “(Ireland) now knows about Styx.”

Wyman hopes the collaboration can lead to bigger things for Tortured Souls, which opened in New Kensington in March 2024.

“It’s rewarding to see the general public’s reaction to the brewery,” he said. “They’re so excited, and I feel like our reach is growing.”