March 22nd, 2026 - Plump & Perfect Strangers

 

Hello and happy Sunday rockers, rollers, and craft beer lovers!  Your pal the Meista here today pairing Deep Purple's fantastic "Perfect Strangers" with a fruity and smooth Plump Huckleberry Helles Lager from Bombastic Brewing!  Oh, yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Deep Purple
• Title: "Perfect Strangers"
• Recorded: July through August 1984 at "Horizons" in Stowe, Vermont with Le Mobile Studio
  Release date: October 29th, 1984 (11th studio album by Deep Purple)
• Record company: Warner Bros.
• Production: Roger Glover and Deep Purple
• Album cover art: Glenn Dean
• Personnel: Ritchie Blackmore (guitars), Ian Gillan (vocals), Roger Glover (bass), Jon Lord (organ and keyboards), and Ian Paice (drums and percussion)
• Musical style: Hard rock, progressive rock, heavy metal
• Sound: A favorite of mine and a heavily influential album for me from the mid-'80s, with "Perfect Strangers", Deep Purple re-established themselves as a force of reckoning in the realm of hard rock and metal!  It had been 9 years since Deep Purple had released an album and 11 years since this particular lineup had released anything, but they came in swinging!  They didn't try to recapture their 370s sound; rather, they developed a very relevant and progressive identity as a band with new ideas and an evolving sound.  Pure magic!
• Major themes: Life, rebellion, desire, revenge, anger, etc. 
• Tracks:  

1. "Knocking At Your Back Door"
2. "Under The Gun"
3. "Nobody's Home"
4. "Mean Streak"
5. "Perfect Strangers"
6. "A Gypsy's Kiss"
7. "Wasted Sunsets"
8. "Hungry Daze"
9. "Not Responsible"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Bombastic Brewing (Hayden, Idaho)
• Website: https://www.bombasticbrewing.com/
• Brew: Plump Huckleberry Helles Lager
• Style: German-style Helles / Fruited Beer
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• IBUs: 16
• Pour: The Plump pours clear, bright golden-yellow hue with thin, yet frothy, bright white head that slowly dissipates to a thin ring with light, sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, grainy, floral, and lightly malty.  There are aromas of sweet huckleberry, wildflowers, soft and bready malt, pale grains, and light, grassy hops. 
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Plump is grainy, malty, fruity, and slightly tart.  There are notes of cracked wheat, crackery biscuit, light and bready malts, sweet huckleberries, light raspberry and blackberry, light, grassy hops, with a hint of honey.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is crisp and slightly tart, yet very smooth with a soft, dry, fairly clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Bombastic Plump Huckleberry Helles Lager is a bright, slightly fruity, and easy drinking brew.  Those bright flavors are great for the for the hard rockin' goodness of Deep Purple's "Perfect Strangers"... and specifically works well with the head-bobbing, fist-pumping power of "Knocking At Your Back Door"!   'Nuff said!

Cheers!!  Rock on!!

March 21st, 2026 - Clandestine & On a Need to Know Basis

 

Hej, happy Saturday and hails evil-doers and craft beer lovers!  The Meista here today pairing "Clandestine", the wonderful sophomore album by death metal legends Entombed and a very tasty and hoppy Need To Know Basis Hoppy Ale from Offset Bier!  Hell yeah!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Entombed
• Title: "Clandestine"
• Recorded: 1991 at Sunlight Studio in Stockholm, Sweden
• Release date:  ( studio album by Entombed)
• Record company: Earache Records
• Production: Tomas Skogsberg and Entombed
• Album cover art: Nicke Andersson
• Personnel: Nicke Andersson (drums and lead vocals), Uffe Cederlund (guitars and backing vocals), Alex Hellid (lead guitar), and Lars Rosenberg (bass)
• Additional musician: Johnny Đorđević (vocals on "Sinners Bleed")
• Musical style: Death metal
• Sound: Blending aggressive, "buzzsaw" guitar tones with a more garage rock sound, Entombed were instrumental in helping create and define the Swedish death metal sound.
• Major themes: Death, horror, murder, evil, isolation, loss, darkness, violence, etc.
• Notes: Although the original linear notes state that Johnny Đorđević was the singer on the album, Nicke Andersson actually recorded the vocals.  According to an interview with Orvar Säfström,  Andersson recorded the vocals as a reference for Đorđević who was meant to replace Lars-Göran Petrov, but the result was so bad that the band decided to go with Andersson's original vocal recordings.  The only vocal passage by Đorđević that remains on the album, is the phrase "I just want to die" on the song "Sinners Bleed".
• Tracks: 

1. "Living Dead"
2. "Sinners Bleed"
3. "Evilyn"
4. "Blessed Be"
5. "Stranger Aeons"
6. "Chaos Breed"
7. "Crawl"
8. "Severe Burns"
9. "Through The Collonades"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Offset Bier Company (Park City, Utah)
• Website: https://offsetbier.com/
• Brew: Need To Know Basis Hoppy Ale
• Style: American Pale Ale
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Ingredients: ?
• Pour: The Need To Know Basis Hoppy Ale pours a clear, bright, golden-yellow hue with a frothy, bright white, thin head with good sustain and soapy lacing. 
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, dank, floral, and malty.  There are aromas of tangerine, grapefruit rind, stone fruit (apricot), yuzu, lemon zest, light pine resin, a hint of toffee, and light, crackery biscuit.
• Taste: The taste is like the nose: citrusy, hoppy, grainy and malty.  There are notes of pink grapefruit juice, yuzu, lemon zest, hints of dank pine, white pepper, and soft, sweet toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Need To Know Basis Hoppy Ale is very crisp, yet smooth with a dry, clean, and slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: Offset's Need To Know Basis Hoppy Ale is wonderfully balanced, hoppy, and bold... a perfect brew for crushing while the extreme metal insanity and artistic integrity of Entomb's brutal and fiery "Clandestine" is crushing your soul!!  'Nuff said!

Skål and hails!!

March 20th, 2026 - No Guts, No Glory in the Juice Force

 

Hello and happy Friday rockers, rollers, metal maniacs, and hop freaks!  Your drinkin' buddy the Meista here pairing the wonderful "No Guts. No Glory." by the Australian hard rockin' band Airbourne and a crisp, juicy, and dangerously delicious Voodoo Ranger Juice Force IPA from New Belgium Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Airbourne
• Title: "No Guts. No Glory."
• Recorded: 2009 at Groovemaster Recordings in Chicago, Illinois and Hothouse Recordings in St. Kilda, Melbourne, Australia 
• Release date: March 8th, 2010 (2nd studio album by Airbourne)
• Record company: EMI / Roadrunner Records
• Production: Johnny K
• Album cover art: The Sharp Brothers
• Personnel: Joel O'Keeffe (lead guitars and lead vocals), Ryan O'Keeffe (drums), David Roads (rhythm guitars and backing vocals), and Justin Street (bass and backing vocals)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, hard rock
• Sound: With heavy influence from AC/DC and Rose Tattoo along with '80s metal bands like Quiet Riot, the sound on "No Guts. No Glory." is straight up, pure adrenaline, in-your-face, goodtime heavy rock!  Nothing really original here, but who cares?!  This is fun as hell, fist-pumping, kick-ass heavy-duty hard rock!
• Major themes: Rebellion, rock and roll, drinking, partying, girls, sex, danger, violence, freedom, hard living, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Born To Kill"
2. "No Way But The Hard Way"
3. "Blonde, Bad And Beautiful"
4. "Raise The Flag"
5. "Bottom Of The Well"
6. "White Line Fever"
7. "It Ain't Over Till It's Over"
8. "Steel Town"
9. "Chewin' The Fat"
10. "Get Busy Livin'"
11. "Armed And Dangerous"
12. "Overdrive"
13. "Back On The Bottle"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, Colorado)
• Website: https://www.newbelgium.com/ 
• Brew: Voodoo Ranger Juice Force IPA
• Style: Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale (IIPA) / Double IPA (DIPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 9.5%
• IBUs: 30
• Ingredients: Pale, Oats, and Wheat malts with Ale yeast and Mosaic, Chinook, Phato, Galaxy, Strata, Lotus, and Sabro hops
• Pour: The Voodoo Ranger Juice Force IPA pours a slightly hazy, bright golden-yellow with a frothy, bright white, 1+ finger head with good retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very fruity, floral, citrusy, malty, and slightly boozy.  There are aromas of orange juice, tangerine, pink grapefruit, lemon, mango, peach, a hint of fresh pineapple, wildflowers, green hop flowers, caramel, and a hint of booze.
• Taste: The taste of the Voodoo Ranger Juice Force follows the nose with lots of fruity, punchy, hop-forward, citrusy flavors.  There are big notes of orange and tangerine along with more subtle notes of mango, peach, pineapple, pink grapefruit juice, and caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the Voodoo Ranger Juice Force IPA's mouthfeel is very crisp and juicy with a dry, boozy, and sweet finish.

Overall pairing: The very crushable, yet bold flavors of the New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Juice Force IPA are great for Airbourne's straight-forward rockin' punch of fiery guitar work, driving and thunderous drumming, and thumping bass rhythms, while the sweet drinkability and refreshing character works well with O'Keeffe's vocals!

Cheers!!  Rock on!!

March 19th, 2026 - We are the Dark Apocalypse

 

God kväll and happy Thursday my headbangin' and craft beer lovin' friends!  The Meister here this evening pairing "We Are The Apocalypse", the dark, bold, and compelling 7th album (it turned 4 yesterday) by Dark Funeral and a roasty and toasty Tmavè Dark Czech Style Lager from the fine folks at the Ogden Beer Company!  Oh, hell yeah!! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Dark Funeral
• Title: "We Are The Apocalypse"
• Recorded: August through September 2021 at 33 Studio in Sweden
• Release date: March 18th, 2022 (7th studio album by Dark Funeral)
• Record company: Century Media Records
• Production: Daniel Bergstrand, Heljarmadr, and Lord Ahriman
• Album cover art: Marcelo Vasco 
• Personnel: Adra-Melek (bass), Chaq Mol (guitars), Heljarmadr (vocals), Jalomaah (drums), and Lord Ahriman (guitars)
• Musical style: Black metal
• Sound: Infernal, aggressive, fiery fast, and darkly melodic, "We Are The Apocalypse" is classic Swedish black metal like only Dark Funeral delivers! 
• Major themes: Darkness, evil, death, vengeance, the occult, violence, destruction, horror, mythology, opposition to Christianity, Satan, etc.
• Tracks: 
1. "Nightfall"
2. "Let The Devil In"
3. "When Our Vengeance Is Done"
4. "Nosferatu"
5. "When I'm Gone"
6. "Beyond The Grave"
7. "A Beast To Praise"
8. "Leviathan"
9. "We Are The Apocalypse"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ogden Beer Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: http://www.ogdenbeercompany.com/ 
• Brew: Tmavè Dark Czech Style Lager 
• Style: Czech-style Dark Lager
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Ingredients: Saaz hops
• Pour: The Tmavè pours a with a 1+ finger, off-white, light and frothy head with great retention and soapy, sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a characterized by malty, roasty, grainy, floral hops, and lightly herbal aromas.  There are aromas of roasted malts, toasted bread, light cocoa, a hint of coffee, herbal hops, and burnt toffee.
• Taste: Well-balanced, the Tmavè a nice blend of bready, grainy, malty, and herbal flavors.  There are notes of toasted bread, bread crust, roasted barley, crackery biscuit, a hint of chocolate, soft caramel, and herbal hops.
• Mouthfeel: Medium in body and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is crisp and smooth with a dry, clean finish. 

Overall pairing: The Ogden Beer Company Tmavè Dark Czech Style Lager is a very roasty, delicious, and crushable brew... a great companion to the utterly oppressive and powerfully bleak sound of Dark Funeral on their amazing "We Are The Apocalypse" album!  I like the look of the album artwork juxtaposed with the beer can label art as well.

Make sure to check out my interview with Dark Funeral vocalist Heljarmadr from 2019 right here: https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/preview/569964857368790806/1541315188777105460

Skål!!  Hails!!

March 17th, 2026 - It's St. Patrick's Day, So Turn it Up with a Harp!

 

Hey there rockers, rollers, and beer fans!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here celebrating St. Paddy's Day with a pairing of "Turn It Up", the kick-ass album th from Northern Irish hard rock band Mama's Boys and a tasty and a crisp and tasty Harp Lager from Guinness Brewery, along with a shot of whiskey!  This pairing is dedicated to my late grandfather Jimmy Patterson and his father, James Patterson.  I was fortunate to have visited my great-grandfather's childhood village of Rockcorry, County Monaghan, Ireland last April with my lovely wife.  Sláinte!

Album Info:

• Artist: Mama's Boys
• Title: "Turn It Up"
• Recorded: 1983 
• Release date: 1983 (3rd studio album by Mama's Boys)
• Record company: Pussy Records / Spartan Records / Virgin Records
• Production: Barry Devin
• Album cover art: Graffiti Design (graphic design) and Ronnie Norton (photography)
• Personnel: John McManus (bass and vocals), Pat McManus (guitars and fiddle), and Tommy McManus (drums)
• Additional musicians: Don Baker (harmonica), Philip Begley (organ), and Jim Lockhart (organ)
• Musical style: Hard rock, heavy metal with elements of pop rock and traditional Irish folk music
• Sound: Hard-hitting, upbeat, and fun as hell, the Mama's Boys 3rd album is chalk full of driving guitar riffs and fiery solos, fist-pumping rhythms, and sign-along choruses! 
• Major themes: Rock and roll, rebellion, freedom, revelry, loneliness, life, music, passion, sex, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Midnight Promises"
2. "Loose Living"
3. "Too Little Of You To Love"
4. "Late Night Rendezvous"
5. "Crazy Daisy's House Of Dreams"
6. "Face To Face"
7. "Gentlemen Rogues"
8. "Lonely Soul"
9. "Shake My Bones"
10. "Freedom Fighters"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Guinness Brewery (Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland)
• Website: https://www.guinness.com/en-us
• Brew: Harp Lager
• Style: European Pale Lager / Pilsner
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 4.5%
• IBUs: 21
• Ingredients: Barley and pure spring water from the Cooley Mountains of Dundalk
• Pour: The Harp Lager pours clear, bright, golden-yellow with a frothy, bright white, 1+ finger head with great retention and lots of sticky, intricate spider web lacing.
• Nose: The nose of the Harper Lager is grainy, slightly fruity, and floral.  There are aromas of pale malt, a hint of apple, a hint of lemon zest, and light, crackery grains.
• Taste: Like the nose, the taste is grainy, slightly sweet, and grassy.  There are notes of crackery biscuit, light, grassy hops, lemongrass, and a splash of honey.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Harp Lager is very crisp, effervescent, smooth, and refreshing with a dry, slightly sweet finish.
• Notes: Harp Lager is an Irish lager that was created in 1960 and was formerly produced at the Great Northern Brewery in Dundalk.  It is now brewed in Dublin. It is a major lager brand throughout most of Northern Ireland but interestingly enough, it is rarely available in the Republic of Ireland.

Overall pairing: The simple, crisp flavors along with the crushability of the Harp Lager are perfect for the hard-hitting rock and roll punch of Mama's Boys stellar "Turn It Up" album!  You can slam a couple of these whilst you are rocking about!  'Nuff said!

Sláinte!!  Rock on!!

March 15th, 2026 - Shamrocks, Shenanigans, and Smithwicks

 

Yo-yo-yo... hello and happy Sunday!  The Meista here tonight getting ready for St. Paddy's Day with something a little different for me... "Shamrocks & Shenanigans – The Best Of House Of Pain And Everlast" by Irish American hip-hop musicians House of Pain and Everlast and a classic Smithwick's Red Ale from Smithwick's & Sons / Guiness Brewery (and a shot of whiskey)!  

Album Info:

• Artist: House Of Pain and Everlast
• Title: "Shamrocks & Shenanigans – The Best Of House Of Pain And Everlast"
• Recorded: 1989 through 2000 at various studios
• Release date: February 10th, 2004 (1st compilation album by House of Pain)
• Record company: Rhino / Tommy Boy / Warner Bros.
• Production: Barry Benson, Craig DeGraff, Everlast, John Gamble, DJ Lethal, DJ Muggs, Dante Ross
• Album cover art: Joe Buck (illustration), Kristin Callahan (photography), and Maria Villar (art direction and design)
• Personnel: Everlast (vocals and mixing), DJ Lethal (scratches), and Danny Boy O'Connor (vocals)
• Additional musicians: Helmet (all instruments on "Just Another Victim"), Pete Rock ()
• Musical style: Hip-hop, rap, and sampledelia with elements of the blues, R&B, and punk rock
• Sound: Blending classic hip-hop and rap with bluesy, soulful rock and R&B with a little punk rock, House Of Pain and Everlast created a unique and engaging sound that lives on!
• Major themes: Life, death, drug abuse, drinking, violence, rebellion, assault, murder, race, the streets, being true to oneself, freedom, etc. 
• Tracks: 

1. "Jump Around" - House Of Pain
2. "Shamrocks And Shenanigans (Boom Shalock Lock Boom)" - House Of Pain
3. "What It's Like" - Everlast
4. "Who's The Man" - House Of Pain
5. "Black Jesus" - Everlast
6. "Same As It Ever Was" - House Of Pain
7. "Punch Drunk" - House Of Pain
8. "Put On Your Shit Kickers" - House Of Pain
9. "Ends" - Everlast
10. "Just Another Victim" - House Of Pain & Helmet
11. "Pass The Jinn" - House Of Pain
12. "Jump Around (Pete Rock Remix)" - House Of Pain
13. "On Point" - House Of Pain
14. "Word Is Bond" - House Of Pain
15. "I Got The Knack" - Everlast
16. "Never Missin' A Beat" - Everlast
17. "The Rhythm" - Everlast

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Smithwick's & Sons / Guinness Brewery (Kilkenny, County Kilkenny / Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland)
• Website: https://www.smithwicksexperience.com/our-ales & https://www.guinness.com/en-us
• Brew: Smithwick's Red Ale
• Style: Irish Red Ale
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 4.5
• Ingredients: Aroma hops, roasted barley, and Ale malt
• Pour: The Smithwick's Red Ale pours a clear, deep brownish ruby color with frothy, 1-finger, off-white head with good retention and layered, sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is malty, bready, floral, and slightly fruity.  There are aromas of sweet malt, biscuit, roasted barley, light apple, floral hops, and a soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste of the Smithwick's Red Ale follows the nose with malty, bready, and somewhat sweet, fruity flavors.  There are notes of bready malts, toasted biscuit, roasted barley, floral hops, light apple, light plum, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied and well carbonated, the mouthfeel is crisp and very smooth with a dry, slightly sweet finish. 

Overall pairing: The Smithwick's Red Ale is a perfectly crushable and easy drinking brew... great for the landmark hip-hop stylings of House Of Pain and Everlast on the wonderful "Shamrocks & Shenanigans – The Best Of House Of Pain And Everlast" compilation album!  'Nuff said!

Sláinte!! 

March 15th, 2026 - Brunch with My Bubbz on a Black Sunday

Hello and happy Sunday rockers, rollers, and craft brew fans!  The Meista here today with a pairing of "Black Like Sunday", the wonderful 10th album by the indelible and legendary King's X and a bright and fruity Brunch Bubbz Mimosa Sour from Drekker Brewing Company!  Oh, yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: King's X
• Title: "Black Like Sunday"
• Recorded: November 2002 through March 2003 at Alien Beans Studios in Katy, Texas
• Release date: May 20th, 2003 (10th studio album by King's X)
• Record company: Metal Blade Records
• Production: Ty Tabor and King's X
• Album cover art: Danny Wilson
• Personnel: Jerry Gaskill (drums and vocals), Doug Pinnick (bass and vocals), and Ty Tabor (guitars and vocals)
• Musical style: Hard rock and progressive rock with elements of blues, R&B, soul, heavy metal, punk, and funk
• Sound: Heavy, rich, funky, steeped in honesty and artistic integrity, and just fun as hell to listen too... "Black Like Sunday" is another bold statement by the King's X boys!  There is a power and a depth to this band's sound that cannot be defined in words. 
• Major themes: Relationships, pain, the blues, rock and roll, love, anger, joy, life and death, states of mind, states of being, and life in general, etc.
• Notes: The album is made up of rare and originally unreleased recordings that were re-recorded based on fan requests.  Also, the album cover was made by a fan from an online contest.  How cool is that?!
• Tracks:  

1. "Black Like Sunday"
2. "Rock Pile"
3. "Danger Zone"
4. "Working Man"
5. "Dreams"
6. "Finished"
7. "Screamer"
8. "Bad Luck"
9. "Down"
10. "Won't Turn Back"
11. "Two"
12. "You're The Only One"
13. "Johnny"
14. "Save Us"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Drekker Brewing Company (Fargo, North Dakota) 
• Website: https://drekkerbrewing.com/ 
• Brew: Brunch Bubbz Mimosa Sour
• Style: Spiked Smoothie / Hard Seltzer
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0% 
• Pour: The Brunch Bubbz Mimosa Sour pours an opaque, very bright, golden orange-yellow hue with a virtually no head.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by sweet, sour, and fruity notes.  There are big aromas of freshly squeezed orange juice, orange zest, and a slight hint of honey.
• Taste: The taste of the Brunch Bubbz Mimosa Sour follows the nose with sweet, tart, and very fruity flavors.  There are refreshing notes of orange juice and zest, a hint of lime, lemon juice and zest, Tampico, and a light splash of honey.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Brunch Bubbz Mimosa Sour is crisp, yet very creamy, thick, and smooth with sweet, slightly tart, and fruity finish.

Overall pairing:  In all honesty, I really cannot express how much I love the music of King's X.  I will say that the bright, fruity complexity of the Drekker Brunch Bubbz Mimosa Sour is a pretty solid companion to the bold and soulful tracks of "Black Like Sunday"!  Maybe it is the music talking... or the brew... or a wonderful combination of the two... anyway cheers!!  

Keep it craft and keep it heavy!!

Make sure to check out my interview with Doug Pinnick from several years ago here: https://youtu.be/mJ2qVdeoDXM