April 11th, 2026 - Considered the Haze of the Dead

 

Hello and hails my head-banging brethren!  Happy Saturday!  The Meista here raising horns and rocking the hell out to a pairing of a delicious and juicy Haze Of The Dead (Deadhead IPA Series) from DESTIHL Brewery and "Considered Dead", the seminal debut album by Canadian death metal legends Gorguts!  This pairing goes out to my good buddy Wes, who introduced me to this band!  Cheers bro!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Gorguts
• Title: "Considered Dead"
• Recorded: 1991 at Morrisound Studios in Tampa, Florida
• Release date: October 8th, 1991 (1st full-length studio album by Gorguts); limited edition picture disc released April 28th, 2023
• Record company: R/C Records / Listenable Records 
• Production: Scott Burns and Goreguts 
• Album cover art: Dan Seagrave (artwork) and Luc Lemay (design and band logo)
• Personnel: Eric Giguere (bass), Luc Lemay (electric and acoustic guitars, and lead vocals), Sylvain Marcoux (guitars), and Stéphane Provencher (drums)
• Guest musicians: Chris Barnes (backing vocals) and James Murphy (lead guitars on "Inoculated Life")
• Musical style: Death metal with hints of technical and Avant-garde death metal
• Sound: Blending aggressive, fast, and brutal old-school thrash and death metal with black metal elements, Gorguts is metal juggernaut in the truest sense of the term!  These guys lay down some heavy-duty rhythms under fiery riffing and powerful death growls!  
• Major themes: Death, rot, gore, sickness, horror, evil, etc. 
• Tracks:  

1. "...And Then Comes Lividity"
2. "Stiff And Cold"
3. "Disincarnated"
4. "Considered Dead"
5. "Rottenatomy"
6. "Bodily Corrupted"
7. "Waste Of Mortality"
8. "Drifting Remains"
9. "Hematological Allergy"
10. "Inoculated Life"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: DESTIHL Brewery (Normal, Illinois)
• Website: https://www.destihl.com/
• Brew: Haze Of The Dead (Deadhead IPA Series)
• Style: Double India Pale Ale (DIPA) / Imperial IPA (IIPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 8.5%
• IBUs: 83 
• Ingredient: Citra and Simcoe hops with 2-Row, flaked oats, Pilsen malt, and wheat
• Pour: The Haze Of The Dead pours a very hazy pale golden-yellow with a frothy, bright white, 2-finger head with good retention and lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very citrusy, tropical, floral, and herbal.  There are aromas of orange peel, lemon zest, grapefruit rind, pineapple, mango, wildflowers, herbal tea, crackery biscuit, and sweet caramel.
• Taste: Like the nose, the taste of the Haze Of The Dead is citrusy, tropical, acidic, and herbal... and slightly boozy.  Hop-forward, there are notes of tangerine, pink grapefruit juice, mango, grassy hops, orange tea, a hint of booze, and soft caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp, juicy, and smooth with a dry, bitter, slightly boozy finish.

Overall pairing: Those punchy and juicy hops of the DESTIHL Haze Of The Dead are dangerously crushable and work great with the overall aggression, fierce riffing, and explosive power that is Gorguts on their excellent debut album "Considered Dead"!  'Nuff said!

Cheers and hails!!

April 10th, 2026 - There is a Kernel of Truth Behind Your Mask of Lies

 

Good evening and happy Friday!  The Meista here tonight pairing the wonderful "Mask Of Lies", the debut album by Pennsylvania progressive power metal band MindMaze and a tasty and easy-drinking Kernel Mexican Style Lager from the fine folks at Odell Brewing Company! 


Album Info:

• Artist: MindMaze
• Title: "Mask Of Lies" (Reissue, Expanded Edition)
• Recorded: February through September 2012 at Brain J. Anthony Studios in North Catasauqua, Pennsylvania
• Release date: February 17th, 2013 (1st full-length studio album by MindMaze); reissued on August 31st, 2018
• Record company: Inner Wound Recordings
• Production: Jeff Teets and MindMaze
• Album cover art: Carl-André Beckston (artwork), Bruce P. Seaton (logo design), Sarah Teets (booklet design)
• Personnel: Rich Pasqualone (bass and backing vocals), Kalin Schweizerhof (drums and backing vocals), Jeff Teets (guitars, keyboards, and backing vocals), and Sarah Teets (lead and backing vocals, and flute)
• Additional and guest musicians: Mark Bennett (drums on "Destiny Calls" (live bonus track) and "This Holy War" (live bonus track)), John Gaffney (bass), Lord Tim aka Tim Ian Grose (lead guitar on "Destiny Calls"), and Mike LePond (bass on "Remember" (acoustic bonus track))
• Musical style: Power metal, progressive metal
• Sound: With influence from bands like Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, and Symphony X, MindMaze creates an ambitious and wonderfully executed album that perfectly blends power metal and progressive metal for their third go-round!  Bennett and Pasqualone drive a powerful and thunderous rhythm throughout that works wonderfully well with Jeff's amazingly slick, soaring, and fiery guitar acrobatics and his atmospheric keys, while Sarah's always stunningly beautiful and wide vocal range demands your attention! 
• Major themes: Emotions, introspection, personal struggles, war, isolation, sorrow, overcoming adversity, growth, life, relationships, seeking truth, resolution, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Never Look Back"
2. "Breaking The Chains"
3. "This Holy War"
4. "Cosmic Overture"
5. "Fading Skies"
6. "Mask Of Lies"
7. "Dark City (Dreaming This Life)"
8. "Remember"
9. "Destiny Calls"
10. "Slave To The Cycle" (bonus track)
11. "Remember" (acoustic bonus track)
12. "Destiny Calls" (live bonus track)
13. "This Holy War" (live bonus track)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Odell Brewing Company (Fort Collins, Colorado)
• Website: https://www.odellbrewing.com/
• Brew: Kernel Mexican Style Lager
• Style: Mexican Style Lager
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 4.7%
• IBUs: 17
• Ingredients: Premium Pilsner malt and Colorado malted corn, house lager strain yeast, and fresh Rocky Mountain water from the Cache la Poudre River
• Pour: The Kernel pours a clear, golden-yellow hue with a bubbly, bright white, half-finger head that dissipates to the thin ring with light lacing.
• Nose: The nose is grainy, malty, floral, and slightly sweet.  There are aromas of corn chips, freshly picked corn husks, cracked wheat, a hint of lemon zest, June grass, and light honey.
• Taste: The taste of the Kernel follows the nose with grainy, malty, and slightly sweet flavors.  There are notes of crackery biscuit, light corn, hints of lemon zest, and a splash of honey. 
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Kernel is very crisp, yet smooth with a clean, slightly sweet finish.

Overall pairing: The Odell Kernel Mexican Style Lager is a very crushable, very drinkable brew, making it the perfect foil for the wonderfully enchanting and imaginative melodies of MindMaze on their excellent debut album "Mask Of Lies"!  The more I listen to this band, the more I love them!  Definitely check out "Mask Of Lies" and their other albums and grab a tasty Odell Kernel Mexican style Lager while you are at it!

And check out my interview with Jeff and Sarah Teets from way back in the locked-down days of 2020 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg2q3xdV6iA&t=4s

Salud!!  Hails!!

April 5th, 2026 - Du Hops Mich zum Blutsabbath

 

Guten tag!  Happy Sunday!  The Meista here today get blasphemous with an infernal pairing of Bewilder Brewing's very hoppy and bold Du Hops Mich German Inspired IPA and Belphegor's kick-ass sophomore album "Blutsabbath"!  Hells yeah!  

Okay, so before any of you gatekeepers freak out on me because I didn't pair it with Rammstein, let me explain.  No offense to Bewilder or any fans out there, but it is very simple... I cannot stand Rammstein!  The wonderful beer label art of the Bewilder Du Hops Mich and the brew itself deserve something much heavier, much better, and far more evil than that disco-metal electronic bullshit!  Thus, the wonderful "Blutsabbath"!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Belphegor 
• Title: "Blutsabbath"
• Recorded: April 1997 at Big Apple Studios in Salzburg, Austria
• Release date: October 1997 (2nd studio album by Belphegor)
• Record company: Last Episode / Nuclear Blast 
• Production: Paul Hochrainer
• Album cover art: J. Luetke (design), and Patrizia Ritzberger and Joe Wimmer (photography) 
• Personnel: Helmuth (vocals and guitars), Marius (bass and backing vocals), and Sigurd (guitars)
• Additional musician:  Man (drums) 
• Musical style: Blackened death metal, death metal, black metal 
• Sound: Incredibly heavy, chaotic, aggressive, and very intense, the sound on "Blutsabbath" is the embodiment of Austrian blackened death metal!  Helmuth's vocal prowess is mesmerizing... his brutal vocals are matched perfectly with his and Sigurd's guitar wizardry (fast, furious, and intricate), and the combined juggernaut power of the Marius/Man rhythm section!  This album is an unrelenting juggernaut from the opening notes to the finale!
• Major themes: The occult, evil, darkness, Satanism, anti-religion, anti-Christianity, blasphemy, sex, violence, sadomasochism, sin, etc. 
• Tracks: 

1. "Abschwörung"
2. "Blackest Ecstasy"
3. "Purity Through Fire"
4. "Behind The Black Moon"
5. "Blutsabbath"
6. "No Resurrection"
7. "The Requiem Of Hell"
8. "Untergang Der Gekreuzigten"
9. "Path Of Sin"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Bewilder Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://bewilderbrewing.com/
• Brew: Du Hops Mich German Inspired IPA
• Style: India Pale Ale (IPA) 
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 6.4%
• IBUs: 55
• Ingredients: Callista, Ariana, and Huell Melon hops  
• Pour: The Du Hops Mich pours a fairly clearn, golden-yellow hue with a 1+ finger eggshell white billowy head that displays great retention with lots of sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, fruity, malty, and slightly bitter.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, herbal tea, orange zest and pith, kiwi, a hint of pineapple, mango, and soft caramel. 
• Taste: The flavor follows the nose with lots of fruity, citrusy, and sweet flavors.  There are notes of pink grapefruit juice, tangerine, kiwi, pineapple, mango, black tea, and toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Du Hops Mich is crisp, yet creamy and smooth with a sweet, dry finish.

Overall pairing: Those bold hop notes of the Bewilder Du Hops Mich German Inspired IPA really lend themselves well to the biting aggression of Belphegor's "Blutsabbath"!  Both beer and this style of metal may not for everyone, but for me, they are definitely both incredibly rewarding and full of depth and biting aggression!

Prost... Zum Wohl!!  Hails!!

April 4th, 2026 - The Infidel Art of the Anko

 

Hey there metal maniacs, and artisan beer freaks!  Happy Saturday!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here today rocking the hell out to Sigh's "Infidel Art" and an Anko Rice Lager from SaltFire Brewing Company!  Hell yeah! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Sigh
• Title: "Infidel Art"
• Recorded: 1995 in Tokyo, Japan 
• Release date: October 1995 / remastered 2-disc version released November 28th, 2025 (2nd studio album by Sigh)
• Record company: Cacophonous Records / Peaceville Records
• Production: Sigh 
• Album cover art: 
• Personnel: Satoshi Fujinami (drums), Shinichi Ishikawa (guitars), and Mirai Kawashima (bass, keyboards, and vocals)
• Musical style: Black metal, avant-garde metal, experimental metal with elements of power metal, thrash metal, doom metal, jazz, classical, and traditional Japanese music
• Sound: Combining extreme black metal with more traditional heavy metal and doom elements, psychedelic rock, art rock, and avant-garde music, the sound on "Infidel Art" is truly unique, somewhat bizarre, and absolutely and utterly mesmerizing!  It is raw, artistic, emotive, and demanding!
• Major themes: Death, terror, suffering, solitude, occultism, mythology, time, change, insanity, etc.
• Notes: This album is dedicated to Euronymous and Barbatos (Abigail).
• Tracks: 

Disc 1:

1. "Izuna"
2. "The Zombie Terror"
3. "Desolation"
4. "The Last Elegy"
5. "Suicidogenic"
6. "Beyond Centuries"

Disc 2:

1. "Izuna" (first mix)
2. "The Zombie Terror" (first mix)
3. "Desolation" (first mix)
4. "The Last Elegy" (first mix)
5. "Suicidogenic" (first mix)
6. "Beyond Centuries" (first mix)
7. "The Zombie Terror" (Far East Gate in Inferno version)
8. "Suicidogenic" (Kawir split EP version)
9. "Schizo" (Kawir split EP version)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: SaltFire Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://www.saltfirebrewing.com/
• Brew: Anko Japanese Rice Lager
• Style: Japanese-style Rice Lager
• Serving: 16 ounce can 
• ABV: 5.0%
• Pour: The Anko Japanese Rice Lager pours a clear, golden yellow color with a thin, bright white, frothy head that dissipates quickly, leaving only a trace of lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by subtle grainy, floral, and slightly sweet aromas.  There are notes of rice cakes, pale malt, wildflowers, hints of lime juice and zest, and a slight hint of honey.
• Taste: The taste of the Anko Japanese Rice Lager is a delicious and crushable blend of grainy, floral, and light citrusy flavors.  There are notes of crackery biscuit, rice, a splash of lime, and a slight hint of honey.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp and smooth with a very dry, clean finish.

Overall pairing: The crisp, well-balanced, and very drinkable flavors of the SaltFire Anko Japanese Rice Lager make it a great foil to Sigh's infernal and dark "Infidel Art"!  I like the look of the album art coupled with the cool beer label as well.  'Nuff said!

 Kanpai!!  Hails!!

April 3rd, 2026 - The Wrath of the Lord of the Ryes Unleashed

 

Hey there evil-doers, metalheads, and craft beer fanatics!  The Meista here rocking out on this sunny but chilly Friday to a pairing of "Wrath Unleashed (April 13, 2017 Studio Rehearsal)" by the infernal Nunslaughter and a very bold and tasty Lord Of The Ryes Rye Stout from the fine folks at Bewilder Brewing Company!  Hells yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Nunslaughter
• Title: "Wrath Unleashed (April 13, 2017 Studio Rehearsal)"
• Recorded: April 13th, 2017 at Mercinary Studios in Avon, Ohio
• Release date: July 1st, 2017 (7th demo album released by Nunslaughter)
• Record company: Hell Headbangers Records
• Production: Nunslaughter
• Album cover art: Christophe Szpajdel
• Personnel: Don of the Dead (vocals), The Mangler (bass), Tormentor (guitars), and Wrath (drums)
• Musical style: Death metal, thrash metal
• Sound: Raw, fast, furious, and full of piss and vinegar, the sound on "Wrath Unleashed (April 13, 2017 Studio Rehearsal)" is pure Nunslaughter... infernal blast beats, fiery riffs, and Don's intrepid vocal attack!  Killer!
• Major themes: Evil, darkness, violence, the occult, anti-Christianity, death, sex, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "In The Graveyard"
2. "Phantom"
3. "Worst Nightmare"
4. "Hex"
5. "God Has Lied"
6. "Kill By The Cross"
7. "Midnight Mass"
8. "Raid The Convent"
9. "Smell The Burning Churches"
10. "To A Whore"
11. "Satanic Slut"

 

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Bewilder Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://bewilderbrewing.com/
• Brew: Lord of the Ryes
• Style: Rye Stout
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 6.66%
• IBUs: 55
• Pour: The Lord of the Ryes pours a deep, dark brown, almost black (black like the pits of Hell!) with creamy, 1-finger, light mocha head with good retention and sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a robust blend of hearty malts, peppery rye, and bittersweet chocolate.  There are aromas of dark toasted rye bread, dark roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, burnt toffee, woody oak, and a hint of bourbon.
• Taste: The taste of the Lord of the Ryes follows the nose with bold, roasty, toasty, malty, and earthy flavors.  There are notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, espresso, peppery rye, dark roasted malts, a hint of bourbon, and burnt toffee, and all balanced with light hops.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Lord of the Ryes is thick, velvety smooth, and creamy with a dry, somewhat bittersweet finish.
•  

Overall pairing: The Bewilder Lord of the Ryes is a dark, bold, and very tasty brew... perfect for death metal onslaught that is the mighty Nunslaughter!  Those bold, dark roasty flavors go great with the overall heaviness and the dark intensity of the songs, while the peppery rye bite is great for the aggressive guitar and vocal attack!  'Nuff said!

Make sure to check out my interview with Nunslaughter vocalist and founding member Don Crotsley (aka Don of the Dead) here: https://youtu.be/LIiLMLo_Nzo

Cheers and hails evil-doers!!

March 29th, 2026 - I Saw the Cause & Effect of the World's End

 

Hey there metal maniacs, and artisan beer freaks!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here today rocking the hell out to Sigh's "I Saw The World's End - Hangman's Hymn MMXXV" and a spicy and a Cause & Effect Hazy IPA from Mother Earth Brewing Company!  Hell yeah! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Sigh
• Title: "I Saw The World's End - Hangman's Hymn MMXXV"
• Recorded: 2005
• Release date: June 13th, 2025 (13th studio album by Sigh)
• Record company: Peaceville Records
• Production: Lasse Lammert 
• Album cover art: Eliran Kantor
• Personnel: Mirai Kawashima (piano, flute, orchestration, and vocals), Dr. Mikannibal (alto saxophone and vocals), and Nozomu Wakai (guitars and bass)
• Additional and guest musicians: Mike Heller (drums), Jill (violin), Million Kano (trombone and vocals), Frédéric Leclercq (vocals on "Introitus / Kyrie" and "Me-Devil"), and Masateru Nishikata (trumpet)
• Musical style: Black metal, avant-garde metal, experimental metal with elements of power metal, thrash metal, doom metal, jazz, classical, and traditional Japanese music
• Sound: Combining extreme black metal with more traditional heavy metal and doom elements, psychedelic rock, art rock, and avant-garde music, the sound on "I Saw The World's End - Hangman's Hymn MMXXV" is truly unique, somewhat bizarre, and absolutely and utterly mesmerizing! 
• Major themes: Death, oblivion, insanity, vengeance, suffering, solitude, occultism, mythology, change, ceremony, etc.
• Notes: This album is a complete re-recording of Sigh's 2007 album "Hangman's Hymn - Musikalische Exequien".
• Tracks: 

1. "Introitus / Kyrie"
2. "Inked In Blood"
3. "Me-Devil"
4. "Dies Irae"
5. "The Master Malice"
6. "The Memories As A Sinner"
7. "Death With Dishonor"
8. "In Devil's Arms"
9. "Overture"
10. "Rex Tremendae / I Saw The World's End"
11. "Salvation in Flame / Confutatis"
12. "Finale: Hangman's Hymn / In Paradisum / Das Ende"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Mother Earth Brew Company (Vista, California)
• Website: http://motherearthbrewco.com/
• Brew: Cause & Effect Hazy IPA
• Style: New England India Pale Ale (NEIPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.2%
• IBUs: 25
• Ingredients: Pale 2-Row, Wheat malt, and oats with Strata, Galaxy, Mosaic, and Nelson hops
• Pour: The Mystical Misfit Hazy IPA pours a very hazy, bright golden yellow hue with a half-finger, bright white head with good retention and soapy lacing.
• Nose: Fruit forward, the nose is citrusy, tropical, floral, herbal, and slightly malty.  It is chalk full of notes of orange juice and zest, grapefruit rind, nectarine, stone fruit (peach and apricot), lime, hints of pineapple and fresh mango, a hint of wet pine needles, soft caramel malt, and a hint of booze.
• Taste: The taste of the Cause & Effect Hazy IPA follows the nose with tropical fruit and citrus, and lighter floral and dank hops, and sweet malt flavors.  There are big notes of orange juice and zest, nectarine, mango, passionfruit, grapefruit juice, tangerine, dried apricot, a hint of strawberry, light pine resin, and a slight hint of booze with a malty backbone and mild bitterness.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Cause & Effect Hazy IPA is crisp and juicy, yet soft, pillowy, and creamy with smooth, slightly bittersweet finish.

Overall pairing: The crisp, hoppy (tropical and citrusy), well-balanced, and very drinkable flavors of Mother Earth's Cause & Effect Hazy IPA make it a great beer for Sigh's incredible and mesmerizing "I Saw The World's End - Hangman's Hymn MMXXV"!  I like the look of the Kantor's fantastic album art coupled with the cool beer label as well.  'Nuff said!

 Kanpai!!  Hails!!

March 28th, 2026 - The Fourth Judgement of the Red Sea Rift

 

Hello and happy Saturday metal maniacs, and craft beer fanatics!  The Meista here today rocking the hell out with a pairing of the wonderful "The Fourth Judgement" (Reissue, Remastered), the 3rd album by legendary metal band Jag Panzer and a bold and rich Red Sea Rift Imperial Coffee Stout from the fine folks at Level Crossing Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Jag Panzer
• Title: "The Fourth Judgement" (Reissue, Remastered)
• Recorded: Colorado Sound, Millybear Sound, House Of Joe Studios
• Release date: originally released August 25th, 1997; reissued June 2007 (3rd studio album by Jag Panzer)
• Record company: Century Media Records
• Production: Jim Morris and Jag Panzer
• Album cover art: Anthony Clarkson 
• Personnel: Mark Briody (rhythm and lead guitar and keyboards), Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin (lead and backing vocals), Rikard Stjernquist (drums and percussion), John Tetley (bass) and Joey Tafolla (lead guitars)
• Additional musicians: Todd Ehle (violin) and Karen Kenedy (backing vocals)
• Musical style: Power metal, progressive metal, heavy metal
• Sound: The mighty Jag Panzer is American power metal in the grandest sense of the style!  The tracks blend multiple elements of traditional heavy metal, speed metal, and hard rock with strong, heartfelt songwriting, rich melodies, soaring harmonies, and that focused and masterful musicianship Jag Panzer is known for!  In the tradition of Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden, the dual shredding guitar work of Briody and Broderick is soaring, paint-peeling, face-melting brilliance!  Their combined tone is perfect, and the soloing is mind blowing!  Conklin's vocal range is huge, honest, and awe-inspiring!  And the combined thunder of rhythm section Stjernquist and Tetley hold it all together with machine-gun fire aggression, passion, and precision!!
• Major themes: Darkness, rebellion, sorrow, the future, violence, revenge, etc.

1. "Black"
2. "Call Of The Wild"
3. "Despair"
4. "Future Shock"
5. "Recompense"
6. "Ready To Strike"
   
7. "Tyranny"
8. "Shadow Thief"
9. "Sonet Of Sorrow"
10. "Judgement Day"
11. "Future Shock" (demo)
12. "Ready To Strike" (demo)
13. "Black" (demo)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Level Crossing Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.levelcrossingbrewing.com/ 
• Brew: 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
• Pour: The Red Sea Rift pours an ink black color with a billowy and creamy, 2+ finger, 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, cocoa, light bourbon, oak, cherries, light raspberry, and burnt toffee/caramel.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of Red Sea Rift is a blend of roasty, toasty, earthy, and sweet flavors.  There are big notes of dark roasted coffee along with dark chocolate, milk chocolate, fresh cream, light marshmallow, dark toasted hearty bread, toasted oats, light berries, a hint of booze, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel is velvety smooth, thick, and chewy with a dry, slightly sweet, slightly boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The rich, earthy, and bold aromas and flavors of the Level Crossing Red Sea Rift Imperial Coffee Stout are perfect for the heavy metal sonic attack that is the mighty Jag Panzer!!  I also thought the imagery from the album cover and beer label worked well together.  'Nuff said!

And if you haven't done so already, make sure to check out my interviews with a few of the Jag Panzer band members from the past few years, the very friendly, very talented, and personable:

• Guitarist Mark Briody here: https://youtu.be/S1E9YWvxZiI
• Lead vocalist Harry Conklin here: https://youtu.be/Jy3QZDJhLac
• Guitarist Ken Rodarte here: https://youtu.be/asQmlmKkNWg

Cheers and hails!!