May 4th, 2017 - "Time" For Some Bifrost And Wintersun... or... Winter In May?

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight pairing "Time I" by Finish symphonic metal band Wintersun and a Bifrost Winter Ale from Elysian Brewing Company! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Wintersun
• Title: "Time I"
• Recorded: May 2nd, 2006 through July 2012 at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Finland
• Release date: October 19th, 2012 (2nd full-length studio album by Wintersun)
• Record company: Nuclear Blast
• Production: Nino Laurenne
• Album cover art: Cameron Gray
• Personnel: Kai Hahto (drums), Jukka Koskinen (bass and backing vocals), Jari Mäenpää (vocals, guitar, computer, and keyboard programming), and Teemu Mäntysaari (guitar and backing vocals)
• Choir: Sami Hinkka, Heri Joensen, Jukka-Pekka Miettinen, Mathias Nygård, Mikko Salovaara, Markus Toivonen, Alpha Valtias, and Olli Vänskä   
• Musical style: Symphonic metal, folk metal, progressive metal with elements of black metal, melodic death metal and ambient electronica
• Sound: Bombastic, symphonic, cinematic, melodic, and oh so powerful!  Jari Mäenpää stated in a 2004 interview, "Right now I'm exploring some Japanese style melodies, so beautiful and magical. You can probably hear some..."
• Major themes: A concept album, "Time I" deals with the passing of time, winter, isolation, loneliness, solitude, death, darkness, etc.
• Tracks:

1. "When Time Fades Away"
2. "Sons of Winter And Stars" (I. "Rain of Stars",  II. "Surrounded by Darkness",  III. "Journey Inside a Dream",  IV. "Sons of Winter and Stars")
3. "Land of Snow And Sorrow"
4. "Darkness And Frost"
5. "Time"
6. "Hidden Track"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company (Seattle, Washington)
• Website: http://www.elysianbrewing.com/
• Brew: Bifrost Winter Ale
• Style: Winter Warmer
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 8.3%
• IBUs: 58
• Ingredients: Pale with small amounts of Munich and Crystal malts, and bittered with Magnum, finished with Chinook and Styrian Golding hops
• Pour: The Bifrost pours a slightly hazy deep bronze with a thin, bright white head with good sustain and moderate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is sweet, fruit, malty, and spicy.  There are aromas of caramel apples, pear, orange zest, cloves, and nutmeg. 
• Taste: The taste is earthy, hoppy, and citrusy.  There are notes of pine, sweet malt, caramel/toffee, orange zest, grapefruit, lemon, apple, and winter mulling spices and a little booze.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Bifrost is thick, smooth, and slightly sharp with a dry and fruity finish.

Overall pairing: The bold and sweet malt character coupled with piney/citrusy hops is great for the expansive, ethereal, yet very heavy musical journey that Wintersun presents with "Time I"!! 

Kippis Terveydeksi!!  HAILS!!