March 30th, 2017 - Instinctus Bestialis Gruit

Good afternoon and hails!  The Meista here today pairing "Instinctus Bestialis" by Norwegian black metal legends Gorgoroth and a Gruit Belgian-Style Dubbel Ale Brewed with Herbs from Proper Brewing Company!


Album Info:

• Artist: Gorgoroth
• Title: "Instinctus Bestialis"
• Recorded: September through December 2013 at Monolith Studio
• Release date: June 8th, 2015 (9th studio album by Gorgoroth)
• Record company: Soulseller Records
• Production: Infernus and Asklund
• Album cover art: Jan Glans
• Personnel: Asklund (drums), Atterigner (vocals), Bøddel (bass), and Infernus (guitars)
• Guest musicians: Chris Cannella (lead guitar on track 5), Henrik "Typhos" Ekeroth (lead guitar on track 6), and Fábio Zperandio (lead guitar on track 5)
• Musical style: Black metal
• Sound: Primal, aggressive, and very complex, the sound on "Instinctus Bestialis" is both insanely powerful as well as mesmerizing!
• Major themes: The occult, evil, Satanism, death, darkness, revenge, anti-religion, etc.
• Notes: Sadly, bassist Bøddel (Frank Watkins) died from cancer on October 18, 2015.
• Tracks:   

1. "Radix Malorum"
2. "Dionysian Rite"
3. "Ad Omnipotens Aeterne Diabolus"
4. "Come Night"
5. "Burn In His Light"
6. "Rage"
7. "Kala Brahman"
8. "Awakening"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Proper Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.properbrewingco.com/
• Brew: Gruit Belgian-Style Dubbel Ale Brewed with Herbs
• Style: Gruit / Abbey Ale
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 8.5%
• Ingredients: Yarrow, sweet gale, and Labrador tea
• Pour: It pours a very cloudy (almost opaque) dark amber with a very thin beige head that dissipates quickly, leaving a thin ring and sparse lacing.
• Nose: The nose is herbal, floral, and sweet.  There are aromas of bitter and sweet roots, black tea, mountain flowers, and honey.
• Taste: The taste is bitter and herbal with sweet and boozy notes lingering as well.  There are notes of licorice, herbal tea, sweet honey, and homemade booze.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with low carbonation the mouthfeel is smooth, somewhat thick, and somewhat bitter with a slightly dry, sweet, and boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The old-world charm and paganistic flavors and aromas the Gruit from Proper Brewing evokes is perfect for the Norwegian black metal brilliance of Gorgoroth's heavy-hitting and infernal "Instinctus Bestialis"!!

Skål!!  HAILS!!