December 3rd, 2016 - The Sleigh'r Shows No Mercy

Good evening and hails my friends!  Today marks the 33rd anniversary of Slayer's debut album "Show No Mercy"!  As such, I'm celebrating this groundbreaking recording with a pairing!  And what better pairing than Ninkasi Brewing Company's seasonal release of the Sleigh'r Winter Ale?!  Hell yes!!  Oh, this pairing is dedicated to Floor Jansen.  :)


Album Info:

• Artist: Slayer
• Title: "Show No Mercy"
• Recorded:  November 1983 at Track Record Studios in Los Angeles, California
• Release date: December 3rd, 1983 (1st studio album by Slayer)
• Record company: Metal Blade Records
• Production: Slayer and Brian Slagel
• Album cover art: Lawrence R. Reed
• Personnel: Tom Araya (bass and lead vocals), Jeff Hanneman (lead and rhythm guitar), Kerry King (lead and rhythm guitar), and Dave Lombardo (drums)
• Musical style: Thrash metal
• Sound: Raw, blisteringly fast, fiery, furious, and heavy as hell, the sound on "Show No Mercy" is not only defining it is seminal and not just for Slayer, but for the genre!  This is a no-holds-barred heavy metal onslaught... just as it should be played!
• Major themes: Satanism, evil, darkness, war, black magic, destruction, violence, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Evil Has No Boundaries"
2. "The Antichrist"
3. "Die By The Sword"
4. "Fight Till Death"
5. "Metalstorm/Face The Slayer"
6. "Black Magic"
7. "Tormentor"
8. "The Final Command"
9. "Crionics"
10. "Show No Mercy"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ninkasi Brewing Company (Eugene, Oregon)
• Website: http://ninkasibrewing.com/
• Brew: Sleigh'r Winter Ale
• Style: Altbier
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 7.2%
• IBUs: 60
• Ingredients: Nugget hops with 2-Row Pale, Crystal, Munich, Carahell, Roasted Barley, and Chocolate malts
• Pour: The Sleigh'r pours a deep mahogany with a 1-finger, frothy, and tan head with spider web lacing that is nicely displayed and sustained. 
• Nose: The aroma is dark toasted bread, pumpernickel or maybe marble rye.  There are notes of malty biscuit, a hint of cocoa, sweet toffee, and hop forward bitterness. There are also more subtle notes of dark fruit and vanilla bean.
• Taste:  Like the nose, the flavors are complex, multi-layered and delicious... somewhat smoky, there are notes of black tea, herbal hops, toasted malt, toffee, hearty grain, and just a hint of bittersweet dark chocolate.
• Mouthfeel: Opposite of the flavor and bitterness, the mouthfeel is smooth and creamy.  It is medium-bodied and has a very dry and herbal finish.

Overall pairing: Well, the reason for the pairing is pretty evident, but apart from the name of the brew, the flavors and aromas work really well with the power, originality, and sheer explosiveness of "Show No Mercy"!

Hails, happy holidays, and cheers rivet-heads!!!!