September 26th, 2026 - Odin's Ally, Tyr

 

Hello and happy Saturday headbangers and artisan brew fans!  The Meista here today pairing Black Sabbath's very underrated, excellent "Tyr" and a very delicious, hoppy, and crushable Odin's Ally Hazy IPA from the fine folks at Mother Earth Brew Company!  

Album Info:

• Artist: Black Sabbath
• Title: "Tyr" 
• Recorded: February through June 1990 at Monnow Valley Studios in Rockfield, Monmouthshire, Wales and Woodcray Studios in Wokingham, Berkshire, England 
• Release date: August 20th, 1990 (15th studio album by Black Sabbath)
• Record company: I.R.S. Records
• Production: Tony Iommi and Cozy Powell
• Album cover art: Andie Airfix aka Satori 
• Personnel: Tony Iommi (guitar), Tony Martin (vocals), Neil Murray (bass), Geoff Nicholls (keyboards), and Cozy Powell (drums) 
• Musical style: Heavy metal, doom metal
• Sound: A criminally underrated album, the sound on "Tyr" follows a similar pattern to the Sabbath vibe in the late '80s and early '90s with Martin's powerful vocals masterfully blended with a compelling heavy metal tapestry.  Iommi's riffs are as stellar as ever and Murray and Powell lay down a face-melting and thunderous rhythm!
• Major themes: Power and might, good vs. evil, darkness, mythology, the occult, paganism, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Anno Mundi (The Vision)"
2. "The Law Maker"
3. "Jerusalem"
4. "The Sabbath Stones"
5. "The Battle Of Tyr"
6. "Odin's Court"
7. "Valhalla"
8. "Feels Good To Me"
9. "Heaven In Black"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Mother Earth Brewing Company (Vista, California and Nampa, Idaho)
• Website: https://www.motherearthbrewco.com/
• Brew: Odin's Ally Hazy IPA 
• Style: New England-style Hazy India Pale Ale (NEIPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.2%
• IBUs: 25
• Ingredients: Elani, Nelson, Strata, and Citra Cryo hops 
• Pour: The Odin's Ally Hazy IPA pours a very hazy, pale golden-yellow hue with a frothy, bright white, 1-finger head with good retention and sudsy, sticky lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very citrusy and tropical with more subtle floral and malt elements.  There are aromas of tangerine, freshly squeezed orange juice, orange zest, lemon zest, lime juice and zest, grapefruit rind, bright mango, stone fruit (soft peach and dried apricot), light pine, wildflowers, freshly picked and cut strawberries, grassy hay, and light caramel/toffee.
• Taste: Fruit-forward and very juicy, the taste of the Odin's Ally Hazy IPA is citrusy, fruity, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of tangerine, orange juice, orange pith, juicy lime, Sprite, mango, passion fruit, guava, a hint of pineapple, sweet peach, ripe strawberries, a hint of pine resin, and light honey.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp and very juicy, yet smooth and creamy with a dry, slightly sweet, slightly boozy, pillowy-soft finish.

Overall pairing: Those intricate and bold, yet very drinkable flavors of Odin's Ally are perfect for the complex sound, depth of songwriting, and musical prowess of the mighty Sabbath boys!  The boldness and complexity of the brew is a wonderful companion the power of each member of Black Sabbath and their amazing performances on "Tyr"!  'Nuff said!

Cheers and hails!!