November 6th, 2021 - The Trooper's Piece Of Mind

 

Evening metal maniacs!  How about a big dose of Eddie tonight?!  That's right... the Meista here with a pairing of Iron Maiden's amazing "Piece Of Mind" and a sessionable Trooper IPA from Robinson Brewery... and a few Eddie action figures for company!!  Hell yeah!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Iron Maiden
• Title: "Piece Of Mind"
• Recorded: January through March 1983 at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas
• Release date: May 16th, 1983 (4th studio album by Iron Maiden)
• Record company: EMI / Capitol Records
• Production: Martin Birch
• Album cover art: Derek Riggs
• Personnel: Bruce Dickinson (lead vocals), Steve Harris (bass guitar), Nicko McBrain (drums), Dave Murray (guitars), and Adrian Smith (guitars)
• Musical style: Power metal, heavy metal
• Sound: In a word, revolutionary!  This is probably one of the most important heavy metal albums in the history of metal in my opinion.  It is the definitive Iron Maiden sound and just so wonderfully written, performed, and produced; truly astonishing!  "No synthesizers or ulterior motives."
• Major themes: With songs about and inspired by the film Where Eagles Dare, mythological character Icarus,  Alfred, Lord Tennyson's The Charge of the Light Brigade, the samurai Miyamoto Musashi, the film Quest For Fire, and Frank Herbert's science fiction novel Dune, themes include war, death, over confidence, power, perseverance, pride, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Where Eagles Dare"
2. "Revelations"
3. "Flight Of Icarus"
4. "Die With Your Boots On"
5. "The Trooper"
6. "Still Life"
7. "Quest For Fire"
8. "Sun And Steel"
9. "To Tame A Land"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Robinson Brewery (Stockport, England)
• Website: robinsonsbrewery.com  / https://www.ironmaidenbeer.com/
• Brew: Trooper IPA
• Style: India Pale Ale (IPA) 
• Serving: 16 ounce bottle
• ABV: 4.3%
• Pour: Trooper pours a clear, pale golden hue with a 1-finger, bright white head that dissipates to the thin ring with only trace lacing.
• Nose: The nose is both malty and hoppy and slightly fruity with notes of grapefruit rind, lemon zest, oak, freshly baked bread, a hint of apple, and toasted caramel. 
• Taste: The Trooper IPA's taste follows the nose with very drinkable hop and malt notes.  There are bittersweet notes of grapefruit, lemon zest, an ever so slight hint of mango, citrus herbal tea, black tea, crackery biscuit, and soft caramel/toffee. 
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel very smooth and easy drinking with a nice, clean and hoppy finish.
• Notes: "The beer is a creation of Iron Maiden frontman and beer enthusiast Bruce Dickinson and Robinsons Brewery Head Brewer Martyn Weeks that references the 'American IPA revolution'  with its choice of hops."

Overall pairing: Visually and theoretically speaking, this pairing is pretty obvious.  And coming in at only 4.3% ABV, you can definitely crush a few of these easy drinking, very sessionable Trooper IPAs whilst pumping your fist and banging your head to the might and brilliance that is Iron Maiden's "Piece Of Mind"!!

UP THE IRONS!!!