Today finds me in me a bit of a pensive mood and what better way to approach this pensiveness than by pairing the genius that is Opeth and their latest album, "Heritage" with Bootlegger's Brewery's Rustic Rye IPA!
Departing a bit from their death metal leanings, Opeth's "Heritage" is a truly remarkable and progressive rock album. The musicianship is top-notch, the lyrics deep and brooding. There are a multitude of layers to this album - beauty, darkness, melancholia, intensity, passion, and subtlety. The song "I Feel The Dark" alone captures all of these emotions... and more! Other favorites on the album: "The Devil's Orchard," "Slither" (a Rainbow-esque tribute to Ronnie James Dio, "Famine," "The Lines In My Hand," and "Folklore." Hell, the whole album is fantastic!! Mikael Akerfeldt and his brethren really have created an amazing piece of work with "Heritage."
Combining the complexities of the spiciness of rye, and the sweetness and bitter/tart properties of north western American hops, The Bootlegger's Rustic Rye IPA is a refreshing and flavorful, well-balanced beer. The nose is very floral, but not overpowering as the rye aroma hides in the background. It pours a lovely amber color with a good, sustained head with pronounced lacing. Unlike most rye IPAs that I have had, Bootlegger's Rustic Rye IPA is a bit more subtle in flavor, both in the spiciness of the rye and the bitter hoppiness of the hops, but I think that works just fine in pairing with "Heritage." I wanted something a little less astringent, a little less pronounced to really emphasize the complexities of the music instead. Not to say that this isn't a flavorful beer mind you! It definitely is good drinking, but is a bit better balanced and more mellow than many rye IPAs I've encountered as of late.
Check out Bootlegger's Brewery at http://www.bootleggersbrewery.com and if you are a metal fan, prog-rock fan, or just a fan of complex and dark music in general, do yourself a favor and go buy Opeth's "Heritage"... today!! And make sure you purchase the extended version of the album with the bonus material! Cheers... good drinking and rocking to you!!
-The Meista
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