May 13th, 2017 - This Is [May] Thirteen... Enjoyed Before 05.29.17

Hello and hails head-bangers and hop-lovers!  The Meista here today getting aggressive with Anvil's rockin' "This Is Thirteen" and an Enjoy By 05.29.17 IPA from Stone Brewing Company!  Oh hell yeah!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Anvil
• Title: "This Is Thirteen"
• Recorded: 2007 at The Ecology Room in Deal, Kent, England
• Release date: 2007 (13th studio album by Anvil)
• Record company: Self-released
• Production: Chris Tsangarides
• Album cover art: ? 
• Personnel: Glenn Five (bass), Steve "Lips" Kudlow (vocals and lead guitar), and Robb Reiner (drums)
• Additional musicians: Ivan Hurd (guitar solos on "Worry", "Burning Bridges", and "Room #9")
• Musical style: Heavy metal, speed metal, hard rock
• Sound: Aggressive, fiery, heavy and fun as hell, and pure metal!  This is that classic and timeless heavy metal sound of early Anvil.  Reiner along with Five bring the hammer down while Lips shreds!
• Major themes: Revenge, determination, power, might, violence, war, greed, corruption, kicking ass, rock and roll, regret, death, etc.
• Tracks:

1. "This Is Thirteen"
2. "Bombs Away"
3. "Burning Bridges"
4. "Ready To Fight"
5. "Flying Blind"
6. "Room #9"
7. "Axe To Grind"
8. "Feed The Greed"
9. "Big Business"
10. "Should'a Would'a Could'a"
11. "Worry"
12. "Game Over"
13. "American Refugee"
14. "Thumb Hang" (Bonus Track)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Stone Brewing Company (Escondido, California)
• Website: http://www.stonebrewing.com/
• Brew: Enjoy By 05.29.17 IPA
• Style: American Double India Pale Ale (DIPA) / Imperial India Pale Ale (IIPA) 
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle 
• ABV: 9.4%
• IBUs: 90
• Ingredients: Nugget, Super Galena, Simcoe, Delta, Target, Amarillo, Cascade, Galaxy, Citra, Nelson Sauvin. Motueka, and Helga hops
• Pour: The Enjoy By 05.29.17 IPA pours a hazy bronze-amber with a firm and frothy white, 1-finger head with great retention and lots of layered, sticky lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very hoppy, dank, floral, fruity, and malty.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, tangerine, mango, papaya, pineapple, pine resin, fresh wild flowers, toffee, bready malt, and booze.
• Taste: The taste is characterized by citrus, tropical fruit, earthy, herbal, sweet malt, and pine flavors.  There are notes of bitter grapefruit, orange zest, mango, pine, black tea, fennel, bay leaves, pine, burnt toffee, baked bread, and hints of booze (especially as it warms).
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is sticky, oily, yet crisp with a dry and boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The intensely hop-forward and boldly pungent aromas and flavors of Stone's Enjoy By 05.29.17 IPA could be paired with nothing less aggressive and rockin' than Anvil's "comeback" album "This Is Thirteen"!  Those bold flavors epitomize the character, determination, and intensity of this band!

Cheers!!  Hails Anvil!!  Hails Stone!!