December 15th, 2019 - ...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Iskey ...Very 'Umble

Good afternoon and happy Sunday rockers and craft brew lovers!  The Meista here today getting heavy and humble with a pairing of a bold and delicious Whiskey Barrel Stout Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout from Boulevard Brewing Copmany and Uriah Heep's amazing debut album, "'...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble"!

Album Info:

• Artist: Uriah Heep
• Title: "...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble"
• Recorded: July 1969 through April 1970 at Lansdowne Studios in London, England
• Release date: June 13th, 1970 (1st studio album by Uriah Heep)
• Record company: Vertigo Records / Mercury Records
• Production: Gerry Bron
• Album cover art: John Craig (design), Peter Smith (photograph), and Desmond Strobel (art direction) 
• Personnel: Mick Box (lead and acoustic guitars, and backing vocals), David Byron (lead vocals), Ken Hensley (slide and acoustic guitars, organ, piano, mellotron, and backing vocals), Alex Napier (drums), and Paul Newton (bass and backing vocals)
• Additional musicians: Keith Baker (drums on "Bird Of Prey"), Nigel Olsson (drums on "Lucy Blues" and "Dreammare")and Colin Wood (keyboards on "Come Away Melinda" and "Wake Up (Set Your Sights)")
• Musical style: Hard rock, progressive rock with elements of heavy blues, folk rock, jazz fusion, and proto metal
• Sound: A very solid and powerful musical journey, songs like "Gypsy", "I'll Keep On Trying", and "Dreammare" helped to really lay down that amazing signature Uriah Heep sound!  Byron's vocals soar, Baker, Napier, Olsson, and Newton bring the thunder, Box tears it up with amazing riffs, and Hensley is simply brilliant!
• Major themes: The album explores themes of love, lust, mythology, life, happiness, loss, etc.
• Tracks:   

Disc 1: The Original LP Re-mastered

1. "Gypsy"
2. "Walking In Your Shadow"
3. "Come Away Melinda"
4. "Lucy Blues"
5. "Dreammare"
6. "Real Turned On"
7. "I'll Keep On Trying"
8. "Wake Up (Set Your Sights)"

Disc 2: An Alternate ...Very 'Eavy, ...Very 'Umble

1.  "Gypsy"
2. "Real Turned On"
3. "Dreammare"
4. "Come Away Melinda"
5. "Born In A Trunk"
6. "Wake Up (Set Your Sights)"
7. "I'll Keep On Trying"
8. "Walking In Your Shadow"
9. "Lucy Blues"
10. "Born In A Trunk"
11. "Magic Lantern"
12. "Bird Of Prey" (U.S. Alternate Mix)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Boulevard Brewing Company (Kansas City, Missouri)
• Website: https://www.boulevard.com/
• Brew: Whiskey Barrel Stout Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
• Style: Imperial Stout
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 11.8% 
• IBUs: 32
• Pour: The Whiskey Barrel Stout pours an ink black with a very creamy, dark mocha, 2+ finger head with great refrain and lots of layered, intricatelacing.
• Nose: The nose is rich, earthy, oaky, spicy, and very boozy.  There are aromas of roasted malts, dark chocolate, rich coffee, light cinnamon, burnt toffee, oak, and rich bourbon.
• Taste: The taste of the Whiskey Barrel Stout follows the nose with lots of boozy, malty, rich flavors.  There are robust notes of rich whiskey, oak, vanilla bean, dark chocolate, plum, black cherry, rich coffee, espresso, dark roasted malt, and toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with mlow carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Whiskey Barrel Stout is thick, chewy, and velvety smooth with a dry, slightly sweet, and very boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The Boulevard Whiskey Barrel Stout is a very complex and bold brew with all sorts of amazing and compelling flavors and aromas!  With these bold flavors, the brew makes for the perfect sipping companion to the sheer genius and profundity that was, is, and ever shall be Uriah Heep!!

Cheers!!  Rock on!!