March 26th, 2024 - A Midnight Especial Undercover of the Night

 

Hey there rockers, rollers, headbangers, and artisan beer lovers!  Your rockin' drinkin' buddy the Meista here today pairing a tasty Midnight Especial Mexican-Style Dark Lager from the fine folks at Proper Brewing Company and "Undercover Of The Night", the only compilation album by English hard rock/metal band Phantasm!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Phantasm
• Title: "Undercover Of The Night"
• Recorded: 1986 through 1988
• Release date: July 2023 (Compilation studio album by Phantasm)
• Record company: Cult Metal Classics Records 
• Production: Guy Bidmead and Phantasm
• Album cover art: ?
• Personnel: Dave Dufort (drums), Gary Jones (guitars), Tom Prince (bass), and Jan Stevens (vocals)
• Additional musician: Mark Wilde (additional guitars)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, hard rock
• Sound: With big, bold, juicy riffs and melodies, the sound on "Undercover Of The Night" is heavy duty, NWOBHM-style goodness!  It's really too bad this band didn't go anywhere.  This is killer stuff!  The guitars are meaty and crunchy, the bass and drums are thunderous, and Stevens' vocals are fantastic!  All in all, a wonderful gem of a time past.
• Major themes: The future, fear, pain, loss, danger, love, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Cry For The Future"
2. "Nightmare Of Chimaera"
3. "Battle Of The Broken Hearts"
4. "Dangerous Game"
5. "Undercover Of The Night"
6. "Easy Ride"
7. "This Time"
8. "All For Love"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Proper Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.properbrewingco.com/ 
• Brew: Midnight Especial Mexican-Style Dark Lager 
• Style: Mexican Dark Lager
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• IBUs: 15
• Ingredients: Chinook and Mt. Hood hops, and Proximity Vienna malt, flaked corn, and rice hulls
• Pour: The Midnight Especial pours a fairly clear, deep mahogany color with a thin and bubbly, off-white head that dissipates to the thin ring with light lacing.
• Nose: The nose is malty, grainy, and slightly fruity.  There are aromas of corn chips, doughy bread, light grassy hops, cracked wheat, a hint of lime, soft caramel, and light honey.
• Taste: The taste is malty, grainy, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of crackery biscuit, bready malt, light corn, lemon zest, and light honey.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied and well-carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Midnight Especial is very crisp and very smooth with a clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Proper Midnight Especial Mexican-Style Dark Lager is a very tasty, easy-drinking, crushable brew... perfect for banging your head to the hard-rockin' metal punch of Phantasm's amazing "Undercover Of The Night" album!  'Nuff said!