December 9th, 2022 - The Repentlessness Of The Hoptimum

 

Hello thrashers, head-bangers, craft brew freaks, and evil-doers! Your drinking buddy the Meista here getting heavy with "Repentless", the final album by the legendary Slayer and a bold, hoppy, and boozy Hoptimum Triple IPA from Sierra Nevada Brewing Company!  Hell yes!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Slayer
• Title: "Repentless"
• Recorded: March 2014 and September 2014 through January 2015 at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California
• Release date: September 11th, 2015 (12th and final studio album by Slayer)
• Record company: Nuclear Blast
• Production: Terry Date
• Album cover art: Marcelo Vasco
• Personnel: Tom Araya (bass guitar and vocals), Paul Bostaph (drums), Gary Holt (guitars), and Kerry King (guitars)
• Musical style: Thrash metal
• Sound: In the tradition of classic Slayer, "Repentless" is fast, furious, angry, and oh so powerful!  The dual guitar work of Holt and King is an aggressive blistering attack of fiery riffs and solos, the rhythm section of Araya and Bostaph is a thunderous and crushing juggernaut, and Araya's vocals are gritty, ferocious, and steeped in anger.
• Major themes: Alcoholism, destruction, death, grief, the end of the world, power, aggression, vengeance, hate, socio-political and religious criticism, etc.
• Tracks:
1. "Delusions Of Saviour"
2. "Repentless"
3. "Take Control"
4. "Vices"
5. "Cast The First Stone"
6. "When The Stillness Comes"
7. "Chasing Death"
8. "Implode"
9. "Piano Wire"
10. "Atrocity Vendor"
11. "You Against You"
12. "Pride And Prejudice"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company (Chico, California)
• Website: https://sierranevada.com/
• Brew:  Hoptimum Triple IPA 
• Style: Triple India Pale Ale (TIPA) / Imperial IPA (IIPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 11.0%
• IBUs: 75
• Ingredients: Carapils and 2-Row Pale malts, Amarillo, BRU-1, Pahto, and Simcoe hops, and ale yeast 
• Pour: The Hoptimum Triple IPA pours a fairly clear, golden orange-yellow hue with a frothy, eggshell white head with great retention and lots of sticky lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, fruity, malty, and boozy.  There are aromas of tangerine, pink grapefruit juice, pineapple, orange creamsicle, light bubble gum, sweet biscuit, pine resin, oak, sweet caramel/toffee, and booziness.
• Taste: The taste of the Hoptimum Triple IPA follows the nose with lots of citrusy, fruity, boozy, and malty flavors.  There are notes of pink grapefruit juice, tangerine, lemon zest, fresh pineapple, mango, sweet biscuit, and burnt toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel is thick and sticky, yet dangerously crisp and refreshing with a boozy finish.

Overall pairing: With the more ambitious, complex, boozy, yet sweet and fruity flavors of Sierra Nevada's Hoptimum, it is a perfect companion to the darkness and infernal aggression of the kick-ass and wonderful "Repentless"!  I highly recommend the album and the beer!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!!  Hails!!