December 24th, 2025 - Christmas Bombs Over Germany

 

Hello and merry Xmas rockers, rollers, and craft beer fans!  The Meista here with another great pairing for you!  Today, I'm pairing the wonderful "Imaginos II; Bombs Over Germany (Minus Zero And Counting)" by the legendary Albert Bouchard and a Christmas Bomb Imperial Stout Brewed with Spices from Prairie Artisan Ales!  Yes!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Albert Bouchard
• Title: "Imaginos II: Bombs Over Germany (Minus Zero And Counting)"
• Recorded: 2021
• Release date: October 15th, 2021 (5th solo studio album by Albert Bouchard)
• Record company: Rockheart Records / Deko Records
• Production: Albert Bouchard
• Album cover art: Michale P. McLaughlin (photography), Lee Stokes (layout and design), and Richard Zoll (illustrations and logo)
• Personnel: Albert Bouchard (lead and backing vocals, drums, percussion, piano, organ, keyboards, acoustic and electric guitars, and mandolin)
• Additional and guest musicians: Eric Bloom (narration), Ace Bouchard (keyboards, e drums, percussion, and tympani), Joe Bouchard (lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitars, piano, and trumpet), Buck Dharma (lead and backing vocals, guitars, and percussion), Vaughn Burton (lead guitar), Richie Castellano (lead guitar), Joe Cerisano (lead and backing vocals), Don Falcone (organ), Ross "The Boss" Friedman (lead and classical guitar), Cyzon Griffin (drums), David Hirschberg (bass, lead guitar, and backing vocals), Greg Holt (violin), Dana McCoy (backing vocals), Geoff O'Connell (narration), Jack Rigg (guitars), and RJ Ronquillo (resonator guitar)
• Musical style: Hard rock, progressive rock
• Sound: With several new tracks and a number of re-imagined Blue Oyster Cult classics, with "Imaginos II: Bombs Over Germany (Minus Zero And Counting)", Bouchard delivers 
• Major themes: A concept album based on Sandy Pearlman's The Soft Doctrines of Imaginos writings and the second album in the "Imaginos" trilogy, "Imaginos II: Bombs Over Germany (Minus Zero And Counting)" is a sci-fi horror fantasy tale in the tradition of H.P. Lovecraft dealing with a secret history of how the modern world was manipulated by interdimensional beings and their shape-shifting pawn, Imaginos.  Though the lyrics are sometimes obscure and mysterious, themes include war, history, astrology, socio-political manipulation, life and death, violence, vengeance, evil, darkness, villainy, deception, the occult, magic, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "When War Comes"
2. "Independence Day"
3. "7 Screaming Dizbusters"
4. "Od'd On Life Itself"
5. "Il Duce"
6. "Bombs Over Germany"
7. "Before The Kiss (A Redcap)"
8. "Three Sisters"
9. "Quicklime Girl (Mistress Of The Salmon Salt)"
10. "The Red And The Black"
11. "Dominance And Submission"
12. "Shadow Of California"
13. "Cities On Flame (With Rock And Roll)"
14. "Half Life Time"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Prairie Artisan Ales (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
• Website: https://prairieales.com/
• Brew: Christmas Bomb Imperial Stout Brewed with Spices 
• Style: Imperial Stout
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 13%
• Ingredients: Imperial stout made with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg
• Pour: The Christmas Bomb pours an opaque, deep, dark brown (almost ink black) with a creamy, light mocha, half-finger head that slowly dissipates to a thin ring with virtually no lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very spicy, chocolaty, and earthy.  There are big aromas of toasted raisin cinnamon bread, gingerbread, cinnamon, nutmeg, light anise, along with more subtle notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, toffee, tobacco, and rich booze.
• Taste: The taste of the Christmas Bomb is characterized by spicy, earthy, and rich flavors.  There are notes of spicy gingerbread, cinnamon, nutmeg, black licorice, vanilla bean, cream, dark chocolate, raisin, plum, sweet toffee, and a boozy finish of rum or bourbon.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Christmas Bomb is thick, chewy, and velvety smooth with a dry, spicy and somewhat boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The bold, rich, sweet, and boozy flavors and aromas of the Christmas Bomb Imperial Stout are great for a late afternoon/early evening brew... most especially when rockin' to the wonderful warmth, complexity, and depth of the amazing "Imaginos II: Bombs Over Germany (Minus Zero And Counting)" by Albert Bouchard!  'Nuff said!

And if you haven't done so already, please check out my interview from a couple of years ago with the incredibly talented and always amazing and fascinating Albert Bouchard here: https://youtu.be/iSjthzODqRo

Cheers and merry Xmas to you and yours!!