November 23rd, 2016 - Built To Last On Stone

God eftermiddag hop heads and metal heads!  Your drinking pal Meista here pairing HammerFall's latest album "Built To Last" with a Stone IPA from Stone Brewing Company!  Hell yes!!

Album Info:

• Artist: HammerFall
• Title: "Built To Last"
• Recorded: 2016 at Red Level Three Studio in Los Angeles, California and Castle Black Studios in Härryda, Västra Götaland, Sweden
• Release date: November 4th, 2016 (10th studio album by HammerFall) (1969-04-16)
• Record company: Napalm Records
• Production: James Michael, Oscar Dronjak, and Pontus Norgren
• Album cover art: Andreas Marschall
• Personnel: Joacim Cans (lead vocals), Oscar Dronjak (rhythm guitar, lead guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals), Fredrik Larsson (bass and backing vocals), Pontus Norgren (lead guitar, rhythm guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals), and David Wallin (drums)
• Musical style: Power metal, heavy metal, hard rock
• Sound: Combining the NWOBHM sound with '80s power metal and more modern metal, HammerFall's latest album, "Built To Last" is a testament to not only their longevity, but their brilliance.  They've got a formula that not only works, it kicks ass! 
• Major themes: With songs about heavy metal and sword and sorcery, themes on the album include might, perseverance, power, rebellion, war, honor, glory, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Bring It!"
2. "Hammer High"
3. "The Sacred Vow"
4. "Dethrone And Defy"
5. "Twilight Princess"
6. "Stormbreaker"
7. "Built To Last"
8. "The Star Of Home"
9. "New Breed"
10. "Second To None"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Stone Brewing Company (Escondido, California)
• Website: http://www.stonebrewing.com/
• Brew: Stone IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.9%
• IBUs: 71
• Ingredients: Magnum, Chinook, Centennial, Azacca, Calypso, Motueka, Ella, and Vic Secret hops
• Pour: It pours a slightly hazy, bright orange-honey gold with a frothy, 2-finger white head displaying great retention and sticky, intricate spider web lacing.
• Nose: The nose of the Stone IPA is fruity, earthy, hoppy, and grainy.  There are aromas of lemon zest, grapefruit rind, tangerine, pine resin, grassy hops, light grain, and light caramel.
• Taste: The taste is very citrusy, piney, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of lemon, lime, grapefruit, tangerine, pine, light cereal grain, and light caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp, bitter, and refreshing with a dry, bitter finish.

Overall pairing: Stone IPA is not only one of the best selling IPAs out there, it is also one of the best tasting!  As such, it is a great brew to throw back whilst rockin' out to the power, bombast, and brilliance of HammerFall's latest work!  Those bright, citrusy notes really pop with the intensity of HammerFall's style of power metal... their great hooks, harmonies, and melodies!

Skål!!  Helan går!!  Hails!!