March 17th, 2022 - A St. Paddy's Day Nitro Irish Stout For The Rocker

 

Evenin' rockers, rollers, and craft beer fans!  Happy St. Patrick's Day!  The Meista here with a pairing from one of my all-time favorite bands... tonight I'm pairing Thin Lizzy's "Rocker (1971 - 1974)" and a bold and creamy Nitro Irish Stout from Breckenridge Brewery... along with a shot of Bushmills Irish Whiskey in honor of my great-grandfather, James Patterson, who as a young man, traveled alone from Ireland to America at the turn of the last century to escape poverty and famine and seek his fortune. 

Album Info: 

• Artist: Thin Lizzy
• Title: "Rocker (1971 - 1974)"
• Recorded: 1971 to 1974 at AIR Studios, Decca Studios, and De Lane Lea Studios in London, England
  Release date: 1977 (3rd compilation album released by Thin Lizzy)
• Record company: London Records
• Production: Scott English and Nick Tauber
• Album cover art: Jim Fitzpatrick 
• Personnel: Eric Bell (electric guitars, 12-string guitar, and backing vocals), Brian Downey (drums and percussion), Phil Lynott (bass, acoustic guitar, and lead vocals), and Gary Moore (lead guitar and backing vocals on "Sitamoia" and "Little Darling")
• Additional musicians: Ivor Raymonde (mellotron on "Honesty Is No Excuse")
• Musical style: Hard rock, blues rock with elements of folk rock
• Sound: Fiercely guitar-driven, the sound on "Rocker (1971 - 1974)" is high energy, virile, and powerful, yet also very melodic!  The guitar work of both Bell and Moore is breathtaking!  Downey and Lynott pound out a wonderful rhythm and groove throughout!  And Lynott's vocals are soulful and absolutely perfect!
• Major themes: Love, loss, rock and roll, life, race, death, crime, rebellion, coming of age, deception, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Black Boys On The Corner"
2. "Honesty Is No Excuse"
3. "Randolph's Tango"
4. "Little Girl In Bloom"
5. "Sitamoia"
6. "Little Darling"
7. "Remembering"
8. "Gonna Creep Up On You"
9. "Whiskey In The Jar"
10. "The Rocker"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Breckenridge Brewery (Breckenridge, Colorado)
• Website: https://www.breckbrew.com/
• Brew: Nitro Irish Stout 
• Style: Irish Stout 
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 4.8%
• IBUs: 38
• Pour: The Nitro Irish Stout pours an opaque, deep, dark brown (almost black) hue with a creamy, half-finger, light mocha head with great retention and lots of sticky, intricate, and layered lacing.
• Nose: The nose is roasty, toasty, earthy, and malty.  There are notes of toasted barley, roasted malts, light coffee, cocoa, and a hint of burnt toffee.
• Taste: The taste follows the nose with lots of roasty, earthy, and toasted malt flavors.  There are notes of  hearty, dark toasted bread, dark roasted malts, barley, very light coffee, a hint of dark chocolate, and a hint of burnt toffee/caramel in the finish. 
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Nitro Irish Stout is thick, creamy, and velvety smooth with a dry, rich finish.

Overall pairing:  The bold, heartfelt, fun, rockin' kick of Thin Lizzy's wonderful early music deserves nothing less than a bold Irish brew... and the Breckenridge Nitro Irish Stout has just the right amount roasted depth and maltiness (along with a shot of Bushmills) to fit that bill and make an evening of rockin' with Phil Lynott and the boys just about perfect! 

Sláinte!!  Rock on!!