January 4th, 2025 - Black Rose Beauty

 

Hello and rockers, rollers, and craft beer freaks!  Happy Saturday!  The Meista here on this snowy day pairing Thin Lizzy's phenomenal "Black Rose: A Rock Legend" album and a very bold, rich, roasty, and boozy Black Beauty Imperial Stout from my friend Dwight at Gossorino Brewing!  Hells yeah! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Thin Lizzy
• Title: "Black Rose: A Rock Legend"
• Recorded: December 1978 through February 1979 in Paris and London
• Release date: April 13th, 1979 (9th studio album by Thin Lizzy)
• Record company: Warner Bros.
• Production: Tony Visconti
• Album cover art: Jim Fitzpatrick
• Personnel: Brian Downey (drums and percussion), Scott Gorham (rhythm and lead guitars, and backing vocals), Phil Lynott (bass, twelve-string guitar, and vocals), and Gary Moore (rhythm and lead guitars, and backing vocals)
• Additional musicians:  Jimmy Bain (bass guitar on "With Love"), Huey Lewis (harmonica on "Sarah" and "With Love"), and Mark Nauseef (drums on "Sarah")
• Musical style: Hard rock, blues rock, Irish folk music
• Sound: HUGE double lead guitar harmonies, killer hooks, driving and grooving rhythms, and Lynott's soulful voice are all captured on "Black Rose: A Rock Legend"... that perfect, classic Thin Lizzy sound!!
• Major themes: Love, drugs, alcohol, partying, despair, rock and roll, and Celtic themes.
• Tracks: 
1. "Do Anything You Want To"
2. "Toughest Street In Town"
3. "S&M"
4. "Waiting For An Alibi"
5. "Sarah"
6. "Got To Give It Up"
7. "Get Out Of Here"
8. "With Love"
9. "Róisín Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Gossorino Brewing (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: https://gossorinobrewing.com/ 
• Brew: Black Beauty
• Style: Imperial Stout
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV 10.0%
• Pour: The Black Beauty Imperial Stout pours a deep, dark brown (almost ink black) color with a creamy, 1+ finger, mocha head with great retention and lots of sticky, sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is roasty, toasty, malty, chocolaty, and boozy.  There are aromas of dark chocolate syrup, cocoa, dark toasted bread, roasted malts, dark roasted coffee beans, oak, rich bourbon, vanilla beans, and burnt toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Black Beauty Imperial Stout follows the nose with notes of espresso, dark chocolate, cocoa, rich bourbon, vanilla, black licorice, and hints of bittersweet toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Black Beauty Imperial Stout is velvety smooth, thick, and creamy with a dry, slightly bitter, and boozy finish.

Overall pairing:  The Gossorino Black Beauty Imperial Stout is a bold, dark, and richly complex brew... perfect for the soulful, heartfelt, rockin' goodness that is Thin Lizzy's fantastic "Black Rose: A Rock Legend"!  'Nuff said!

Sláinte!!  Rock on!!