March 10th, 2025 - Two Paths to Sahti

 

Hey there hellions and craft brew freaks!  Happy Monday!  In participation and anticipation of tomorrow night's Korpiklaani and Ensiferum show, I'm pairing "Two Paths", the wonderful 7th album by Ensiferum and a tasty and unique Finnish Style Sahti from Kiitos Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Ensiferum
• Title: "Two Paths"
• Recorded: March through May 2017 at Astia-Studio in Lappeenranta, Finland
• Release date: September 15th, 2017 (7th studio album from Ensiferum)
• Record company: Metal Blade Records
• Production: Anssi Kippo
• Album cover art: Gyula Havancsák
• Personnel: Sami Hinkka (bass guitar, dulcimer, percussion, and backing vocals), Petri Lindroos (vocals, guitars, and percussion), Janne Parviainen (drums), Netta Skog (accordion and vocals), and Markus Toivonen (guitars, bouzouki, percussion, and vocals)
• Additional musicians: Vince Edwards (backing choir vocals), Mikko P. Mustonen (orchestration), Lassi Logrén (Nyckelharpa and violin), and Emmi Silvennoinen (keyboards)
• Musical style: Viking metal, melodic folk metal, power metal, with a touch of symphonic metal and death metal
• Sound: As with all of their previous albums, the sound on Ensiferum's "Two Paths" is (in a word) EPIC!  This is bombastic, melodic, powerful stuff that lends itself so well to drinking spiced beers!  The music is incredibly fun, yet also very complex, wonderfully written, and perfectly executed!
• Major themes: With songs exploring Viking history, mythology, and lore, as well as heavy metal culture, themes on "Two Paths" include heroism, swordplay, war, life and death, victory, defeat, magic, lust, gods, deception, treachery, revenge, rebellion, anti-religion, power, etc.
• Tracks: 
1. "Ajattomasta Unesta"
2. "For Those About To Fight For Metal"
3. "Way Of The Warrior"
4. "Two Paths"
5. "King Of Storms"
6. "Feast Of The Valkyries"
7. "Don't You Say"
8. "I Will Never Kneel"
9. "God Is Dead"
10. "Hail To The Victor"
11. "Unettomaan Aikaan"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Kiitos Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://kiitosbrewing.com/
• Brew: Finnish Style Sahti
• Style: Farmhouse Ale / Finnish Sahti
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0% 
• Ingredients: rye beer brewed with juniper berries and juniper branches
• Pour: The Finnish Style Sahti pours a very hazy, golden honey hue with a frothy 1+ finger, off-white head with good retention and lots of sticky, soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is floral, earthy, malty, and spicy.  There are aromas of juniper, light pine resin, flowery soap, crackery malt, peppery rye, leather, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste of the Finnish Style Sahti is earthy, spicy, malty, and phenolic.  There are notes of barley, rye bread, juniper berries, light pine, hints of sweet toffee or honey, and a hint of barnyard funk.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is crisp and spicy with a slightly bittersweet, yet clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Kiitos Finnish Style Sahti is delightfully unique and very crushable brew... perfect for the well-balanced melodic folk metal stylings of Ensiferum on their killer album "To Paths"!  Those earthy and herbal notes go great with the soaring guitars while the slightly bitter and spicy flavors are great for the more aggressive vocal approach and darker lyrical content!  'Nuff said!

Hails!!  Skål... Helan går!