September 19th, 2025 - Juice Force & Ignorance

 

Hello and happy Friday metal maniacs and hop freaks!  Your drinkin' buddy the Meista here pairing the wonderful "Brute Force And Ignorance" by the very underrated NWOBHM band Wildfire and a crisp, juicy, and dangerously delicious Voodoo Ranger Juice Force IPA!  Hell yeah!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Wildfire
• Title: "Brute Force And Ignorance"
• Recorded: 1983 at Shiva Studios in Brussels
• Release date: 1983 (1st studio album by Wildfire)
• Record company: Mausoleum Records / Hellion Records
• Production: Alfie Falckenbach, Jack Mauer, John McGowan, and Wildfire
• Album cover art: band log by Blueprint
• Personnel: Bruce Bisland (drums), Jeff Brown (bass guitar), Martin Bushell (lead guitars), Paul Mario Day (lead vocals), and Jeff Summers (lead guitars)
• Musical style: NWOBHM, heavy metal, hard rock
• Sound: Bold, bombastic, and melodic... you gotta love it!  Bushell and Summers tearing it up on the guitars, Bisland pounding the hell outta those drums, Brown thumpin' like a madman on the bass, and the soulful and rich vocals of the mighty Day... wonderful!!
• Major themes: Rebellion, love, life, rock and roll, power, the future, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Violator"
2. "Victim Of Love"
3. "Another Daymare"
4. "Lovelight"
5. "Search And Destroy"
   
6. "Redline"
7. "Wildfire"
8. "Goldrush"
9. "If I Tried"
10. "Eyes Of The Future"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: New Belgium Brewing Company (Colorado)
• Website: https://www.newbelgium.com/ 
• Brew: Voodoo Ranger Juice Force IPA
• Style: Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale (IIPA) / Double IPA (DIPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 9.5%
• IBUs: 30
• Ingredients: Pale, Oats, and Wheat malts with Ale yeast and Mosaic, Chinook, Phato, Galaxy, Strata, Lotus, and Sabro hops
• Pour: The Voodoo Ranger Juice Force IPA pours a slightly hazy, bright golden-yellow with a frothy, bright white, 1+ finger head with good retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very fruity, floral, citrusy, malty, and slightly boozy.  There are aromas of orange juice, tangerine, pink grapefruit, lemon, mango, peach, a hint of fresh pineapple, wildflowers, green hop flowers, caramel, and a hint of booze.
• Taste: The taste of the Voodoo Ranger Juice Force follows the nose with lots of fruity, punchy, hop-forward, citrusy flavors.  There are big notes of orange and tangerine along with more subtle notes of mango, peach, pineapple, pink grapefruit juice, and caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the Voodoo Ranger Juice Force IPA's mouthfeel is very crisp and juicy with a dry, boozy, and sweet finish.

Overall pairing: The very crushable, yet bold flavors of the New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Juice Force IPA are great for Wildfire's fiery guitar work, the driving and thunderous drumming, and thumping rhythms of the bass, while the sweet drinkability and refreshing character works well with Day's amazing vocals!

Cheers!!  Rock on!!