September 27th, 2014 - Killing The Dragon, Embibing With The Hobgoblin

Evenin' my rocker and artisan brew brethren!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here with another kick-ass metal and ale pairing... Dio's "Killing The Dragon" and a Hobgoblin Dark English Ale from Wychwood Brewery Company Ltd... hell yes!!

Hobgoblins are friendly but often troublesome creatures of the Seelie Court in the fairy tales and myths of legend. Probably the most commonly known hobgoblin is Shakespeare's Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream as well as the super-villain Hobgoblin in the Spider-Man comic books.  Anyway, the brew of the hobgoblin lineage from Wychwood Brewery Company Ltd. is a traditional dark Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB) ale brewed with chocolate and crystal malts, English Fuggles hops, and Styrian Goldings hops.   It pours a reddish mahogany with a thin, mocha head that dissipates quickly and leaves virtually no lacing.  The nose is a nice caramel/cocoa aroma... like a Tootsie Roll!  There are aromas of sweet bread, dark fruit, and a touch of spice as well.  Light-bodied, the mouthfeel is very smooth and inviting.  It goes down real easy, but as some good kick... just like Dio!  The flavor is rich and delicious... notes of raisin bread, burnt toffee, sweet cocoa, black cherries, rich vanilla, and roasted malts abound!   The Hobgoblin Dark English Ale finishes nice and meaty... just like the song structure in  "Killing The Dragon"!

"Killing The Dragon" is the 9th studio album by the one and only Ronnie James Dio's band Dio.  It was released on May 21st, 2002 through Spitfire Records and is the first Dio album to feature guitar acrobat Doug Aldrich of House of Lords fame on lead guitar.  (Guitarist Craig Goldy contributed to some of the songwriting before leaving the band prior to when recording began.)  The rest of the band was made up of the amazing Jimmy Bain on bass and keyboards, the powerful Simon Wright on drums, and self-taught phenomenon Scott Warren on keyboards as well.  One of the major themes on the album was the dangers of society totally reliant on technology.  Of the album's title track, RJD was quoted as describing it thus, the song is about "those who perpetrate injustices and what the world is doing to stop them. In fantasy tales, dragons were notorious for stealing children and feeding them to their babies. During the first part of the song, I sing 'Someone has taken a child.' The second part is about a cruel feudal lord. The third part is about 'electronic serfdom.'"  Other themes include rock and roll, insanity, fear, runaways, and good and evil.  Here's the wonderful full track list:

1. "Killing The Dragon"
2. "Along Comes A Spider"
3. "Scream"
4. "Better In The Dark"
5. "Rock & Roll"
6. "Push"
7. "Guilty"
8. "Throw Away Children"
9. "Before The Fall"
10. "Cold Feet" 

 Hails and cheers!!  Raise those horns and glasses for RJD!!