March 22nd, 2021 - The Number Of The Beast Of Zion

 

Good evening metal maniacs and craft brew fans!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here tonight pairing a delicious Beast Of Zion from Fisher Brewing Company with one of the greatest heavy metal albums ever produced in my humble opinion, Iron Maiden's "The Number Of The Beast"!!  And, if you can believe it, "The Number Of The Beast" turns 39 years old today!  HELL... YES!!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Iron Maiden 
• Title: "The Number Of The Beast"
• Recorded: January through February 1982 at Battery Studios in London, England
• Release date: March 22nd, 1982 (3rd studio album by Iron Maiden)
• Record company: EMI / Harvest Records
• Production: Martin Birch
• Album cover art: Derek Riggs
• Personnel: Clive Burr (drums), Bruce Dickinson (lead vocals), Steve Harris (bass), Dave Murray (guitars), and Adrian Smith (guitars)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, power metal
• Sound: In a word, revolutionary!  This is probably one of the most important heavy metal albums in the history of metal in my opinion.  It is the definitive Iron Maiden sound and just so wonderfully written, performed, and produced; truly astonishing!  Musically, the album is fast-paced, aggressive, bombastic, and richly textured.  The dual guitar work of Smith and Murray is soaring, majestic, and awe-inspiring!  Harris' bass work is thunderous stampede of a cavalry!  Burr's drumming is ground zero of a splitting atom!  And newcomer Dickinson's powerful vocal range defined and inspired metal millions!   
• Major themes: With the material for the songs about the conflicts between European settlers in the New World and Native American tribes, the mob, a prisoner about to be hanged, the sequel to "Charlotte the Harlot", and derived from films and television shows like Damien: Omen II, Village of the Damned and Children of the Damned, and The Prisoner, lyrical themes include freedom, good vs. evil, the occult, rebellion against the establishment, prostitution, life and  death, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Invaders"
2. "Children Of The Damned"
3. "The Prisoner"
4. "22 Acacia Avenue"
5. "The Number Of The Beast"
6. "Run To The Hills"
7. "Gangland"
8. "Hallowed Be Thy Name"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Fisher Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.fisherbeer.com/ 
• Brew: Beast of Zion 
• Style: Belgian Golden Strong Ale
• Serving: 25 ounce crowler can
• ABV: 9.0%
• Pour: The Beast of Zion pours a clear, golden-yellow hue with a frothy, bright white, half-finger head that dissipates quickly, leaving only a thin ring with little lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, sweet,   There are aromas of fresh pear, white grape juice, pink bubblegum, mild bready dough, soft banana, Belgian yeast, a hint of clove, and a hint of booze.
• Taste: The taste follows the nose... big  flavors.  There are notes of Chardonnay, pear juice, pear syrup, Belgian yeast, soft banana, light booze, and a hint of white pepper in the finish.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp, very effervescent, and slightly sticky with a very dry, slightly boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The Beast of Zion from Fisher Brewing is a complex, yet very drinkable and crushable brew... great to pair with the heavy duty, kickass metal onslaught that is Maiden's "The Number Of The Beast"!!  The danger (or exceedingly remarkable joy) here is that the Beast of Zion goes down really easy and you may find yourself having downed the whole can before side one has even finished playing!  :)
    

Cheers and hails!!  UP THE IRONS!!!