December 22nd, 2021 - Peace Sells... But Illuminated Brew Works Has Declared War On Xmas!

 

Hello and happy holidays hellions and craft beer freaks!  The Meista here today getting wild and aggressive with Megadeth's classic sophomore album "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" and a spicy and unique War On Xmas! If You Want It White Milk Stout with Spices from Illuminated Brew Works!  Hell yeah!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Megadeth
• Title: "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?"
• Recorded: February through March 1986 at Music Grinder Studios, Track Records, and Rock Steady Studios in Los Angeles, California and Maddog Studios in Venice, California
• Release date: September 19th, 1986 (2nd studio album by Megadeth)
• Record company: Capitol Records
• Production: Dave Mustaine and Randy Burns
• Album cover art: Ed Repka
• Personnel: David Ellefson (bass and backing vocals), Dave Mustaine (lead and rhythm guitars and lead vocals), Chris Poland (lead and rhythm guitars), and Gar Samuelson (drums)
• Musical style: Thrash metal, speed metal
• Sound: Fast, fiery, aggressive, and full of piss and vinegar, with "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?", Megadeth further developed their sound and proved that they were a force to be reckoned with!
• Major themes: With songs about a man cheating on his lover, a Satanic ceremony, the decaying of the American way/dream, a condemned prisoner, a serial killer, etc., themes on the album include fear, dishonesty, the occult, evil, black magic, the blues, rebellion, death, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Wake Up Dead"
2. "The Conjuring"
3. "Peace Sells"
4. "Devil's Island"
5. "Good Mourning/Black Friday"
6. "Bad Omen"
7. "I Ain't Superstitious" (Willie Dixon cover)
8. "My Last Words"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Illuminated Brew Works (Chicago, Illinois)
• Website: https://www.ibw-chicago.com/
• Brew: War On Xmas! If You Want It White Milk Stout with Spices
• Style: White milk stout / spiced ale
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 11.0%
• Ingredients: White milk stout brewed with lactose, Indonesian vanilla beans, Vietnamese cassia bark cinnamon, and nutmeg
• Pour: Pouring the color of an Arnold Palmer, the War On Xmas displays a 2+ -finger, frothy eggshell white head with good retention and layered doily lacing.
• Nose: A big, spicy, and boozy aroma with a nice balance of sweeter malt, there are notes of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla bean, marshmallow, eggnog, spiced rum, honey, and sweet caramel/toffee. 
• Taste: With loads of spicy, creamy, boozy, and light fruit flavor, the War On Xmas! is characterized by notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla, eggnog, spiced rum, light apple or pear, toffee, and a well-balanced and sweet malt backbone. 
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the 's mouthfeel is creamy, smooth, and spicy with a sweet and boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The spicy, sweet, and boozy flavors and aromas work so perfectly well as a foil to the aggression and intensity of "Peace Sells..."!  The soaring guitar work of Poland and Mustaine shines even brighter with the sweeter notes, while that spicy and boozy punch is right in line with the brilliant bass lines of Ellefson, the insane drumming of the late, great Samuelson, and the aggressive vocals of Mustaine!

Cheers and hails!!  Merry Xmas!!

And make sure to check out my upcoming interview with the legendary Randy Burns, producer and engineer of ""Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" among many more great albums!