With Halloween quickly approaching, I thought I'd go with a "spooky," pseudo-Halloween themed pairing: Iron Maiden's "Fear Of The Dark" and a Fermentation Without Representation Imperial Pumpkin Porter from Epic Brewing Company in collaboration with DC Brau.
"Fear Of The Dark" is Iron Maiden's 9th studio album and was released May 11th, 1992. Sadly, it would be the last album to feature Bruce Dickinson as lead vocalist until his triumphant return in 1999. It would also be the last to feature legendary producer Martin Birch (who retired after its release). The "Fear Of The Dark" album cover would also be the first not to feature art work from the amazing Derek Riggs, whose drafts were rejected in favor of artist Melvyn Grant. As always, Dickinson's voice is majestic, complex, and wonderful. The guitar work of Janick Gers and Dave Murray is fantastically aggressive, soaring, fiery. And the rhythm work of Steve Harris and Nicko McBrain is unmatched: thunderous, mighty, explosive - a galloping army in the heart of cannon fire! Songs like the incredibly fast "Be Quick Or Be Dead," the political "Afraid To Shoot Strangers," the haunting "Fear Is The Key," the painful "Childhood's End," the creepy "The Apparition," and the classic title track, "Fear Of The Dark" are complex, rich, bold, and bombastic metal monsters... fitting for such a brew as the Fermentation Without Representation Imperial Pumpkin Porter and the All Hallow's Eve holiday!!
The Fermentation Without Representation is a richly complex porter brewed with Muntons Maris Otter, Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt, Muntons Crystal, Weyermann Munic Malt Type I, Briess 2-Row Chocolate Malt, and Weyermann Carafa III along with Perle hops, Nugget hops, and Tettnang hops. For those tasty spiced pumpkin flavors, Epic/DC Brau employs fresh pumpkin, vanilla bean, Allspice, nutmeg, clove, ginger, and cinnamon. Regardless of all those spices, this is no "sissy" beer. This baby comes in at a hefty 8.1% ABV and packs a punch with dark flavors in a 22 ounce bomber. Don't "fear the dark" Fermentation Without Representation Imperial Pumpkin Porter as it pours an almost black mahogany with a thick mocha head with good retention. The nose is characterized by smokiness, rich soil, dark coffee, and dark chocolate notes with just a hint of spice and pumpkin goodness. Medium to full bodied, the mouthfeel is somewhat creamy and rather sticky. The flavor is big pumpkin, big spices, and big malts. There are big notes of clove right up front along with nutmeg, which I love! The organic and almost floral pumpkin flavor follows, which the mellows into lingering bittersweet chocolate notes and a nice vanilla bean finish.
Cheers, hails, and happy Halloween kiddies!! Be safe out there and keep it metal!!
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