‘The Many Saints of Newark’ and NJ Beer Pairings

The city of Newark, NJ has a long history with ‘The Sopranos,’ but it has an even longer history with beer.

The Movie: Mobster Crime Drama / 2021 / HBO – Chase Films

The Beers: All local New Jersey treasures.

*Spoilers*

Few TV shows in history have the clout that The Sopranos has. Running for six seasons from 1999 to 2007, the critically acclaimed series is considered one of the main catalysts to the Second Golden Age of TV. Lead character Tony Soprano has spurred a wide range of television antiheroes, from Walter White to BoJack Horseman. Long after the New Jersey mobsters’ world cut abruptly to black, the show’s legacy lives on.

So, where does its new prequel movie, The Many Saints of Newark, stand?

The much-anticipated film dropped this month (both in theaters and on HBOMax), and it’s worth a watch for any Sopranos fan. Set decades before the show’s events, we get to see the world of Newark’s mobsters from 1967 to 1972. But while a young Tony Soprano is present (played in part by James Gandolfini’s son, Michael Gandolfini), this is not his story. We instead get to follow Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola) in his final years, concluding with the reveal of how his murder really went down.

This is The Many Saints of Newark, after all. For those who don’t remember, Moltisanti means “Many Saints” in  Italian.

As Sopranos viewers may have guessed long ago, Tony’s account to Christopher (who serves as a ghostly narrator for the movie, by the way) that Dickie was murdered by a police officer isn’t exactly true. The real culprit is one of their own, and the reasons are shockingly petty. Though in this world we’ve come to know, that’s to be expected.

Speaking of which, it’s not totally necessary to see the show before the movie. Still, those who don’t will be left in the dark when it comes to the numerous references. “He doesn’t have the makings of a varsity athlete,” comments Uncle Junior (Corey Stoll) in one scene.

Even with its past setting, the whole thing feels kind of like one long episode. At two hours running time, the ending came far too soon. Is it on par with a movie like Goodfellas? No, but it’s a welcome addition to The Sopranos universe that steers clear of gimmicks while still delivering some surprises.

NJ Beer Pairings for ‘The Many Saints of Newark’

Surprise, surprise — the setting for The Many Saints of Newark is almost entirely in the Garden State, specifically Newark. But before selecting some New Jersey beer pairings for the movie, it’s worth delving into the state’s brewing history.

Thing is, Newark actually hasn’t had much of a beer scene within city limits since Prohibition. Before the legal crackdown, the Northwern NJ city was actually one of the nation’s largest brewing centers.

That all went away once the production and sale of alcohol became illegal in 1920, but organized crime thrived.

Of all the New York and New Jersey operations who had their hands in Newark’s channels, the DeCavalcante crime family and the Genovese crime family were (and still are) two of the most prominent. These families also happen to be the main sources of inspiration for The Sopranos, as stated multiple times over the years by show creator David Chase.

Modern Newark’s beer scene still isn’t what it used to be. But with craft brewing alive and well, there are plenty of Garden State beer options to choose from. In the spirit of the movie, here are some of the best from North Jersey:

Black Market Bitter – Four City Brewing (in Collaboration with Alementary)

Four City Brewing is located in Orange, NJ, a city located near Newark (you’ll hear the Oranges brought up in the movie). The brewers have a strong following across the region, and their Black Market Bitter is even more of a Northern NJ powerhouse because of a collaboration with Hackensack’s Alementary Brewing Co.

To make this English bitter ale, the brewers wove in a nice malt backbone and gentle bittering hops. Then they gave it an American twist by dry-hopping with Mosaic and Amarillo. It’s delectably bitter, with surprising fruit complexity from the extra hop additions. Time to toast to the movie’s criminals with some ‘Black Market’ goods!

Baobiere Golden Ale – Montclair Brewery

Much of the movie revolves around Giuseppina Moltisanti, an immigrant from Italy hoping to open her own business. At Montclair Brewery (less than 10 miles outside of Newark city center), the owners weave their own international roots into their creations. Leo Sawadogo is from West Africa, while his wife, Denise Ford-Sawadogo has roots in Jamaica.

For our beer and movie pairing, we’ll pick Montclair’s Baobiere Golden Ale simply because it’s so darn good. Brewed with baobab tree fruit imported from Africa, it’s smooth, uniquely flavorful, and just all-out delicious.

In Blind Sight IPA – Brix City Brewing

Head 20 minutes Northeast of Newark, and you’ll wind up in the small urban town of Little Ferry. This is where Brix City Brewing works their magic. Hop Culture named Brix City one of the top NJ breweries in 2021, and it’s well-deserved acclaim. The brewers are perhaps best known for deliciously complex IPAs and sours modeled after pastry flavors.

For this movie and beer pairing, we’ll go with an NEIPA double dry-hopped “heavily” with Citra and Galaxy. It tastes like a combo of pineapple, citrus, and underripe papaya, and it’s super succulent on its fluffy oat base. Named “In Blind Sight,” the brew’s like a nod to Dickie not suspecting a thing when he starts unloading those Christmas presents from the car.

Vine Shine IPA – Magnify Brewing

Located about 25 minutes West of Newark in Fairfield, NJ, Magnify Brewing is another one of Hop Culture’s Best Breweries in NJ. They release limited small-batches almost weekly, but the ideal choice for this movie and beer pairing is Magnify’s flagship Vine Shine IPA. Essentially a combination of juicy East Coast and piney West Coast IPAs, Vine Shine offers smooth, light bitterness with quenching fruity hop flavors. It’s emblematic of the combination of emotions you’ll feel watching Many Saints.

Good Old Fashioned Budweiser

No, Budweiser is not craft beer. But for The Many Saints of Newark, it does make for a good movie and beer pairing. That’s because Anheuser-Busch runs their second-oldest brewery in the city of Newark. It opened in 1951, so Budweiser was definitely around during the cinematic time period.