August 30th, 2015 - A Strong Arm ESB

Good evening!  The Meista here this evening rockin' out with Saxon's compilation best of album "Strong Arm Metal" and a Redhook ESB from Redhook Brewery!  This pairing is dedicated to my pal Forgach from Maximum Distortion!!  Cheers buddy!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Saxon
• Title: "Strong Arm Metal"
• Recorded: Between 1979 and 1981
• Release date: 1984
• Record company: Carrere Records
• Production: Pete Hinton, Nigel Thomas, John V, and Saxon
• Album cover art: Peter Keller
• Personnel: Peter "Biff" Byford (vocals), Steve Dawson (bass), Pete Gill (drums), Nigel Glockler (drums), Graham Oliver (guitar), and Paul Quinn (guitar)
• Musical style: Heavy metal / hard rock
• Sound: One of the original New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) bands, Saxon helped defined metal in the late '70s and early '80s.  This is the real deal folks!  Heavy, rockin', and a hell of a lot of fun to play at full volume! 
• Major themes: The heavy metal / rock and roll attitude, fast cars and motorcycles, power, aggression, and fear.
• Tracks: 

1. "Strong Arm Of The Law"
2. "Wheels Of Steel"
3. "Never Surrender"
4. "747 (Strangers In The Night)"
5. "Frozen Rainbow"
6. "Motorcycle Man"
7. "Stallions Of The Highway"
8. "And The Bands Played On"
9. "Dallas 1 P.M."
10. "Denim And Leather"

  Brew Info:

• Brewery: Redhook Brewery (Portsmouth, New Hampshire)
• Website: http://redhook.com/
• Brew: Redhook ESB
• Style: Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB) / Amber Ale
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 5.8%
• IBUs: 28
• Pour: Hazy peach-amber hue with a frothy, white 1-finger head that dissipates quickly leaving only a think cap and very little lacing.
• Nose: The nose is sweet and malty, toasty and biscuity, and slightly fruity. There are aromas of caramel, sweet bread, Graham cracker, grains, apple, and pear syrup.
• Taste: The taste follows the nose... lots of sweet malts, hearty grains, fruit ester, and subtle spices.  There are notes of toasted bread, Graham cracker, burnt toffee, apple cider, subtle grassy hops and black pepper.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is slick and oily, but still crisp and refreshing.  The finish is fairly clean, but with a subtle sweet lingering note and some spicy bitterness.

Overall pairing: So I just saw Saxon a few nights ago and they sound as fresh, heavy, and kick-ass now as they did 36 years ago!  "Strong Arm Metal" highlights their early big hits and is heavy metal perfection in my humble opinion!  I paired it with the Redhook ESB to pay homage to that classic British sound and taste.  Those sweet flavors of the ESB go well with the killer melodies and harmonies of Saxon, while the bitter and peppery finish is great for the heaviness of the album!

Cheers!!