August 23rd, 2026 - The Alchemy Project is Creating Flavor Nuggets

 

Hello and happy Sunday metalheads and craft beer fans!  The Meista here with another great pairing for ya... a deliciously crisp and crushable Flavor Nuggets Version Twenty Hazy IPA from Lumberbeard Brewing and Epica's the fantastic "The Alchemy Project" EP!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Epica
• Title: "The Alchemy Project" EP
• Recorded: 2022 at Sandlane Recording Facilities in Rijen, the Netherlands
• Release date: November 11th, 2022 (7th studio EP by Epica)
• Record company: Atomic Fire Records
• Production: Joost van den Broek
• Album cover art: Chantik Photography (photography), Stefan Heilemann (art direction), Simone Simons (photography), and Tim Tronckoe (photography)
• Personnel: Isaac Delahaye (lead guitars and backing vocals), Mark Jansen (rhythm guitars, orchestration, and growling vocals), Coen Janssen (keyboards, piano, and orchestration), Simone Simons (vocals), Rob van der Loo (bass), and Ariën van Weesenbeek (drums, spoken word, and additional growling vocals) 
• Guest and session musicians: Fabio Bartoletti (lead guitar on "The Great Tribulation"), Veronica Bordacchini (vocals on "The Great Tribulation"), Martha Bosch (choir vocals), Marcela Bovio (backing vocals), Adriaan Breunis (viola), Sven de Caluwé (vocals on "Human Devastation"), Martijn de Graaf Bierbrauwer (bass and choir vocals), Ian de Jong (violin), Marije de Jong (cello), Loes Dooren (violin), An Douwes (choir vocals), Guido Groenland (choir vocals), Henk Gunneman (choir vocals), Jan Hoffmann (choir vocals), Tommy Karevik (lead vocals on "Wake The World"), Frédérique Klooster (choir vocals), Karen Langendonk (choir vocals), Phil Lanzon (Hammond organ on "Wake The World"), Eilidh Martin (cello), Ben Mathot (violin), Mark Mulder (viola), Jørgen Munkeby (saxophone, guitar, and vocals on "The Final Lullaby"), Myrkur (vocals on "Sirens - Of Blood And Water"), Annemieke Nuijten (choir vocals), Francesco Paoli (vocals and orchestration on "The Great Tribulation"), Sabine Poiesz (violin), Cécile Roovers (choir vocals), Henri Sattler (guitars and vocals on "Human Devastation"), Frank Schiphorst (lead and rhythm guitars and orchestration on "Death Is Not The End (The Remnants Of War)"), Alfrun Schmid (choir vocals), Asim Searah (guitars and vocals on "The Minder"), Niilo Sevänen (vocals on "The Miner"), Björn "Speed" Strid (vocals on "Death Is Not The End (The Remnants Of War)"), Angus van Grevenbroek (bass and vocals), Roel van Helden (drums on "The Miner"), Maria van Nieukerken (conductor), Linda van Summeren (backing vocals), Joost van Velzen (choir vocals), René Veen (choir vocals), Annemarie Verburg (choir vocals), Annette Vermeulen (choir vocals), and Charlotte Wessels (vocals on "Sirens - Of Blood And Water")
• Musical style: Symphonic metal, gothic metal, progressive metal with elements of death metal
• Sound: Bombastic, uplifting, symphonic, theatrical, cinematic... the sound on Epica's wonderful "The Alchemy Project" is a powerful and stunning musical journey!  It blends beautiful orchestral movements with massive metal intensity... and of course Simone Simons' profoundly beautiful and amazing vocals! 
• Major themes: Themes on the album include solitude, death, destruction, oblivion, music, violence, war, sadness, chaos, etc. 
• Tracks: 

1. "The Great Tribulation"
2. "Wake The World"
3. "The Final Lullaby"
4. "Sirens - Of Blood And Water"
5. "Death Is Not The End (The Remnants Of War)"
6. "Human Devastation"
7. "The Miner"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Lumberbeard Brewing (Spokane, Washington)
• Website: https://lumberbeardbrewing.com/
• Brew: Flavor Nuggets Version Twenty Hazy IPA
• Style: Hazy India Pale Ale (IPA) / New England IPA
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 6.8%
• Ingredients: Mosaic, El Dorado and Motueka hops
• Pour: The Flavor Nuggets pours a hazy, bright golden-yellow hue with a frothy, bright white, 1+ finger head with good retention and lots of sticky, layered lacing.
• Nose: The nose of the Flavor Nuggets is fruity, citrusy, and slightly sweet.  There are aromas of orange juice, grapefruit, lemon zest, freshly sliced kiwis, guava, passionfruit, fresh pineapple, light pale malts, and a hint of pine.
• Taste: Like the nose, the taste is citrusy, tropical, slightly sharp, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of orange juice, guava, passionfruit, pineapple, and kiwi along with lemon zest, pale malts, and a splash of honey.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Flavor Nuggets is crisp and smooth with a pillow soft, yet dry, clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Flavor Nuggets Version Twenty Hazy IPA from Lumberbeard Brewing is a bright, tasty, crisp, and inviting brew... a perfect for the complexities, intricacies, and beauty of  Epica's "The Alchemy Project"!  The flavors and aromas of this tasty brew blend wonderfully well with Simone's beautiful and soaring vocal prowess, the explosive guitars, soaring keyboards, and thunderous bombast of the bass and drums, as well as the amazing choir and orchestra!  'Nuff said!

Proost!!  And hails!!