Hot food, cold beer and blistering metal
I don't pay a whole lot of attention to modern-day traditional metal. My tastes have gradually gotten more and more extreme over the years, and I honestly don't have much interest in anything but death metal, black/hybrid stuff and a bit of thrash anymore, unless it's an album that I grew up loving. Nothing against... Continue Reading →
Every year, Sierra Nevada releases an Octoberfest beer that is a collaboration with a German Brewery. This year, the collaboration is with the mighty Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan, the oldest operating brewery on the planet and brewers of Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier, my favorite beer for the last 25 years. This year's offering is a 6% ABV Märzen,... Continue Reading →
This complete re-work of FNI's 2005 debut LP, Fellatrix Discordia Pantokrator, is another frontrunner for 2018 Album of the Year. As soon as the first track starts, you know exactly what you're in for. If you draw a triangle between the black/thrash of Nocturnal Breed, the black/speed of Midnight, and a strip-club house band that... Continue Reading →
People's Porter pours to a thick, lingering creamy light-tan head atop an effervescent, turbid deep-brown body with dirty ruby highlights; lacing consists of moderate rafts and swoops. The nose is fairly assertive for the style: a nice blend of dark roasted malt flavors, predominately cocoa, dark toffee and bitter chocolate. Up front, the palate is tart, thinnish bitter milk chocolate; mid-palate, a significant toffee presence and a hint of sweetness build in, joined at the back by faint alcohol undertones. The finish is a brief flash of molasses and toffee, followed by the onset of a moderate chocolatey bitterness that lingers awhile. Mouthfeel is appropriate for the medium body, and the texture is slightly creamy and peppery from the fizzy carbonation.
Wrathrone's most recent release, Reflections of Torment, is my current frontrunner for 2018 Album of the Year. This is the second full-length release from these Finnish death metallers, and it is an ass-kicking ten-track slab of old-school death metal. In style, it reminds me more of early 90's Swedish death metal than the typically-more-chaotic older... Continue Reading →
It's halfway through 2018, and a few albums have emerged to lead the race for Album of the Year. Beyond the Reach of Flame, the latest offering from Wisconsin's Micawber, is one of them. On 2015's The Gods of Outer Hell, they were a three-piece with a take on technical death metal that reminds me... Continue Reading →
Hopsecutioner is a slightly hazy, pale amber beer that sports a thick, lingering fluffy just-a-bit-off-white head that leaves moderate amounts of lacing. Its nose is big: mostly pineapple, resinous pine and floral notes, with lesser amounts of bright citrus and some boozy undertones. Up front, the palate is bitter pineapple and citrus; by midpalate a slightly-toasted, slightly-sweet bready malt foundation shows through, balancing the flavor through the end; the hops flavor broadens to include the pine and floral notes from the nose. The finish is quite clean, with just a hint of pine left behind; this is quickly joined by a moderate hoppy bitterness that lingers a few moments. Mouthfeel is a bit bigger than might be expected from the light/medium body, and the texture is creamy and smooth. This is a very well-balanced, drinkable IPA.
We stopped at NoDa's North Tryon Street location about opening time (noon) on a holiday weekend Saturday. The taproom itself is pretty good sized, and nice enough; there is a good bit of seating outside as well, which was really nice as it was a beautiful day. Parking was also plentiful, which is not the case at every taproom in Charlotte.
Heist Brewpub is a fairly large, seemingly well-established place. Located in Charlotte's NoDa neighborhood, Heist has become well-known for the quality of their beer; Heist is also known for their massive whiskey selection and their kitchen, which turns out a nice selection of shared plate offerings, woodfired flatbreads, sandwiches and Charcuterie boards (note that the brunch, lunch and dinner menus are different). When I visited about 2 PM on a holiday weekend Saturday, it was predictably busy but not over-crowded.
A thin, brief-lived pebbly tan head sits atop a dark brown body with ruby highlights; lacing is fair, consisting of slabs and caverns. The nose is light in intensity, but attention-getting: a seamless, punchy blend of bitter coffee, oak and booze backed by hints of smoke and black-strap molasses. The palate shows a sweeter and much richer dark malt character than the nose would predict; it's a smooth, seamless melange that includes milk chocolate, cocoa, toffee and molasses, and ends up just slightly on the sweet side of the balance. Like the aroma, there is just a hint of smoke. The finish is toffee/caramel, with a bit of carbonation bite, and ends dryish; the linger is a subtle coffee/oak bitterness that sticks around for a minute or two. Mouthfeel is on point for the full body, and the texture is stoutish: viscous, sticky, creamy, and just faintly peppery from the restrained carbonation.
Old Man Metal's Musings 