May 11th, 2012 - Brews and Tunes Goes Live with Beer Fire Death!

So late Wednesday night I was live, on the air pairing Epic Brewing Company's Rio's Rompin' Rye Ale with Bathory's 1988 album "Blood Fire Death." This all happened on the Maximum Distortion show with John Forgach and Cody D. on KRCL 90.9 here in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Rio's Rompin' Rye Ale pours very cloudy and fairly dark with a slight head.  The nose is malty with a hint of citrus and spice.  Epic uses Mount Hood, Sterling, and Tettnag hops, which along with the Rye Malt gives it a sharp and distinct flavor with a slightly peppery finish and aftertaste.  Rio's Rompin' Rye Ale is generously malty stemming from the use of the Rye Malt along with Brewers Malt Briess, Munich Malt and Rice Hulls.  It has a very distinct and complex flavor.

I paired Rio's Rompin' Rye Ale with Bathory's "Blood Fire Death" for several reasons.  First off, for the obvious Scandinavian imagery of the album and the history of rye in that region.  Also, as the ale is very complex and sharp in flavor, "Blood Fire Death" (although rough) comprises of complex, thoughtful lyrics built into complex and challenging melodies with terse and aggressive voice.  This is the fourth album by Bathory and the "band" for this album is comprised solely of founding member Quorthon (aka Tomas Forsberg) who composed and played everything.  Traditionally a black metal band, this album finds Bathory exploring Viking imagery and has been credited as the first Viking metal album ("Odin's Ride Over Nordland," "A Fine Day to Die," "Blood Fire Death").  Employing the use of acrostics on several songs ("The Golden Walls of Heaven, which was played on-air Wednesday, and "Dies Irae") and lines from a poem by Erica Jong on the song "For All Those Who Died", Bathory creates a complex and thoughtful album with notes of devilry, mayhem, and darkness... perfectly paired with a sharp and peppery rye ale!

I also think the Rio's Rompin' Rye Ale paired well with many of the extreme metal selections played that night by Forgach and Cody D. such as Shadows Fall's "The Unknown," 7 Horns 7 Eyes' "Divine Amnesty," a set of Meshuggah tracks and Coroner.

Check out all of Epic Brewing Company's great beers at www.epicbrewing.com.   And make sure you tune into Maximum Distortion every Wednesday night at 10:30 p.m. (MST) on KRCL 90.9!!