January 11th, 2025 - Manic Nirvana is Where Our Secrets Go

 

Hey there rockers, rollers, and artisan beer lovers!  Happy Saturday!  The Meista here today pairing a delicious and bold Where Our Secrets Go Imperial Stout from Voodoo Brewing Company and Robert Plant's classic and kick-ass 5th album, "Manic Nirvana"!  Oh, yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Robert Plant
• Title: "Manic Nirvana"
• Recorded: 1989 at Olympic Studios in London, England
• Release date: March 19th, 1990 (5th solo studio album by Robert Plant)
• Record company: Es Paranza
• Production: Mark "Spike" Stent, Robert Plant, and Phil Johnstone
• Album cover art: The Leisure Process (art direction and design) and Ralph P. Fitzgerald (photography)
• Personnel: Robert Plant (lead and backing vocals) with Chris Blackwell (drums and guitars), Doug Boyle (lead guitars), Charlie Jones (bass), and Phil Johnstone (keyboards, programming, and guitars)
• Additional musicians: Laila Cohen (backing vocals), Carolyn Harding (backing vocals), Micky Groome (backing vocals), Siddi Makain Mushkin (voices on "Watching You"), and Bob Stride (backing vocals)
• Musical style: Hard rock, rock, blues rock, and pop
• Sound: The wonderfully textured, slick, and rocking "Manic Nirvana" is layered, soulful, vibrant, melodic, and wonderfully executed!  More guitar-driven than previous solo albums, "Manic Nirvana" further established Plant's legacy as a rock god and as a powerhouse act of the early '90s!
• Major themes: Life, love, relationships, heartbreak, desire, lust, sex, freedom, spirituality, music, history, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Hurting Kind (I've Got My Eyes On You"
2. "Big Love"
3. "S S S & Q"
   
4. "I Cried"
5. "She Said"
6. "Nirvana"
7. "Tie Die On The Highway"
8. "Your Ma Said You Cried In Your Sleep Last Night"
9. "Anniversary"
10. "Liar's Dance"
11. "Watching You"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Voodoo Brewing Company (Meadville, Pennsylvania)
• Website: https://www.voodoobrewery.com/
• Brew: Where Our Secrets Go Imperial Stout
• Style: Imperial Stout
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV:  9.0%
• Ingredients: Caramel and crystal malts with American hops
• Pour: The Where Our Secrets Go Imperial Stout pours a deep, dark brown (almost ink black) with a very thin, light mocha head that dissipates quickly, leaving only trace lacing. 
• Nose: The nose is roasty, toasty, malty, and boozy.  There are aromas of dark roasted coffee, dark chocolate, roasted walnuts, roasted malts, dark toasted bread, oak, hints of anise, bitter roots, burnt toffee, and rich bourbon.
• Taste: The taste is like the nose: malty, roasty, earthy, and bold.  There are notes of dark chocolate, hearty toasted bread, espresso, burnt toffee, and boozy bourbon.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Where Our Secrets Go Imperial Stout is thick, velvety, with a dry, boozy finish.

Overall pairing: With the sonic blast of Robert Plant's "Manic Nirvana", you need a brew that has complexity and big flavor!  Thus, the Where Our Secrets Go Imperial Stout from Voodoo Brewing Company!  The bold and earthy flavors of the brew are a great compliment to the rock and roll style of the wonderful tracks, while the sweeter, chocolaty and bourbon notes go great with the soaring vocals and guitars!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!!  Rock on!!