November 24th, 2023 - A Sultan's Ransom as Vast as the Red Sea

 

Hello and happy Saturday metal maniacs, and craft beer fanatics!  The Meista here today rocking the hell out with a pairing of the wonderful "A Sultan's Ransom", the 3rd album by legendary NWOBHM band Cloven Hoof and a bold and rich Barrel Aged Red Sea Rift Imperial Coffee Stout from the fine folks at Level Crossing Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Cloven Hoof
• Title: "A Sultan's Ransom"
• Recorded: 1989 at Mad Hat Studios in Wolverhampton, England, UK
• Release date: 1989 (3rd studio album by Cloven Hoof)
• Record company: FM Revolver Records / High Roller Records
• Production: Mark Stuart
• Album cover art: Simon Harding (photography)
• Personnel: Jon "J.B." Brown (drums), Russ North (vocals), Lee Payne (bass and backing vocals), and Andy Wood (guitars)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, New Wave of British Heavy Metal
• Sound: Blending power metal and thrash metal elements with traditional NWOBHM elements, the sound on "A Sultan's Ransom" is aggressive, fast-paced, yet very melodic.   
• Major themes: Steeped in sci-fi, fantasy, and mythology, themes on the album include escape, journeys in space, journeys of the mind, horror, death, darkness, deception, freedom, history, war, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Astral Rider"
2. "Forgotten Heroes"
3. "D.V.R."
4. "Jekyll And Hyde"
5. "1001 Nights"
6. "Silver Surfer"
7. "Notre Dame"
8. "Mad, Mad World"
9. "Highlander"
10. "Mistress Of The Forest"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Level Crossing Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.levelcrossingbrewing.com/ 
• Brew: Barrel Aged Red Sea Rift Imperial Coffee Stout
• Style: Imperial Stout
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 10.0%
• IBUs: 69
• Ingredients: Magnum and Tettnan hops, Solstice Mild, Solstice 2-Row, Solstice flaked oats, Thomas Fawcett Chocolate, Thomas Fawcett Pale Chocolate, Great Western Crystal 30, Great Western Crystal 75, Great Western Crystal 120, Briess Blackprinz malts, Red Sea Coffee blend from Jack Mormon Coffee Company, toasted oatmeal, raw sugar, Chocolate Conspiracy organic Peruvian cocoa nibs, and lactose milk sugar aged in maple syrup and High West bourbon barrels for twelve months
• Pour: The Barrel Aged Red Sea Rift pours an ink black color with a billowy, 2-finger, light mocha head with excellent retention and lots of sticky, intricate spider web lacing.
• Nose: The nose is roasty, malty, chocolaty, and rich.  There are aromas of robust dark roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, rich bourbon, oak, maple, chocolate-covered cherries, light raspberry, plumb, and burnt toffee/caramel.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of Barrel Aged Red Sea Rift is a blend of roasty, toasty, earthy, and sweet flavors.  There are notes of black coffee, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, fresh cream, light marshmallow, dark toasted hearty bread, oats, chocolate-covered raspberries and cherries, rich bourbon, maple syrup, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel is velvety smooth and chewy with a dry, slightly sweet and boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The rich, earthy, and bold aromas and flavors of the Level Crossing Barrel Aged Red Sea Rift Imperial Coffee Stout are perfect for the heavy metal sonic attack that is the mighty Cloven Hoof's kickass "A Sultan's Ransom" album!!  'Nuff said!

And if you haven't done so already, make sure to check out my interview with the very friendly, talented, and amazing Lee Payne, bassist, founding member, and mastermind behind Cloven Hoof here: https://youtu.be/j1xlaNRn-JI 

Cheers and hails!!