Brews and Tunes

07/06/2026

June 7th, 2026 - Please Come Home with a Hazy Pale Ale... Mr. Bulbous

Hello and happy Sunday rockers, rollers, and craft brew fans! The Meista here today with a pairing of "Please Come Home... Mr. Bulbous", the wonderful 8th album by the indelible and legendary King's X and a bright and flavorful Home Hazy Pale Ale from Home Range Brewing! Oh, yeah!

Album Info:
Artist: King's X
Title: "Please Come Home... Mr. Bulbous"
Recorded: December 1999 through January 2000 at Hound Pound Recording Studio and Alien Beans Studios in Katy, Texas
Release date: May 23rd, 2000 (8th studio album by King's X)
Record company: Metal Blade Records
Production: King's X and Ty Tabor
Album cover art: ?
Personnel: Jerry Gaskill (drums and backing vocals), Doug Pinnick (bass, and lead and vocals), and Ty Tabor (guitars, and lead and backing vocals)
Additional contributors: pre-track ramblings by Esther, Yuko, Joe, and Dirk
Musical style: Hard rock, power pop, alternative rock, and progressive rock with elements of blues, R&B, soul, heavy metal, punk, and funk
Sound: With influence from the likes of The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, heavy, rich, a little funky, steeped in honesty and artistic integrity, and just fun as hell to listen too... "Please Come Home... Mr. Bulbous" is another bold statement by the King's X boys! It is both melodic and heavy hitting. There is a power and a depth to this band's sound that cannot be defined in words.
Major themes: Relationships, music, love, loss, anger, joy, life and death, drugs, states of mind, states of being, and life in general, etc.
Tracks:
"Fish Bowl Man"
"Julia"
"She's Gone Away"
"Marsh Mellow Field"
"When You're Scared"
"Charlie Sheen"
"Smudge"
"Bitter Sweet"
"Move Me"
"Move Me, Pt. 2"

Brew Info:
Brewery: Home Range Brewing (Logan, Utah
Website: https://www.homerangebeer.com/
Brew: Home Hazy Pale Ale
Style: Pale Ale / New England Hazy Pale Ale
Serving: 16 ounce can
ABV: 5.0%
Pour: The Home Hazy Pale Ale pours a hazy, dull golden-yellow hue with a billowy, 2+ finger, bright white head with great retention and lots of sticky, intricate spider web lacing.
Nose: The nose is characterized by fruity, citrusy, and grainy aromas. There are aromas of resinous peaches, dried apricot, tangerine peel, herbal orange tea, and soft caramel.
Taste: Following the nose, the flavor of the Home Hazy Pale Ale is characterized by dank and fruity notes of grapefruit, tangerine, peach, lemon zest, black tea, and berries, along with crackery biscuit, bready malt, light roasted barley, and soft caramel/toffee.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Home Hazy Pale Ale is very crisp and juicy, yet smooth with a dry, fairly clean finish.

Overall pairing: In all honesty, I really cannot express how much I love the music of King's X. I will say that the bright, fruity complexity of the Home Pale Ale is a pretty solid companion to the bold and soulful tracks of "Please Come Home... Mr. Bulbous"! Maybe it is the music talking... or the brew... or a wonderful combination of the two... anyway cheers!!

Keep it craft and keep it heavy!!

Make sure to check out my interview with Doug Pinnick from several years ago here: https://youtu.be/mJ2qVdeoDXM

06/06/2026

June 6th, 2026 - The Devils on the Mountain

Hey there evil-doers, metalheads, and craft beer freaks! Happy 6-6-(202)6 Today I'm pairing the wonderful from Austrian blackened death metal legends Belphegor and a tasty and hoppy Oros West Coast IPA from the fine folks at Offset Bier Company! Hell yeah!

Album Info:
Artist: Belphegor
Title: "The Devils"
Recorded: 2022 at Fascination Street Studios in Stockholm, Sweden and Studio Mischmaschine in Oberalm, Osterreich, Austria
Release date: June 24th, 2022 (12th full-length studio album by Belphegor)
Record company: Chaos Reigns / Nuclear Blast Records
Production: Belphegor
Album cover art: Seth Siro Anton
Personnel: Helmuth (guitars and vocals) and Serpenth (bass)
Additional musicians: Christos Antoniou (orchestration on "Damnation - Höllensturz" and "Creature Of Fire"), David Diepold (drums), Fany Melfi (chants on "Damnation - Höllensturz" and "Creature Of Fire"), Johanna Sadonis (narration on "Glorifizierung Des Teufels"), Sandie the Lillith (vocal intro on "Totentanz - Dance Macabre"), and Torturer (drums on "Blackest Sabbath 1997")
Musical style: Blackened death metal, death metal, black metal
Sound: Following the style from their previous album with and incredibly heavy, chaotic, aggressive, and intense approach, the sound on "The Devils" is the embodiment of Austrian blackened death metal! Helmuth's vocal prowess is mesmerizing... his brutal vocals are matched perfectly with his guitar wizardry (fast, furious, and intricate), and the combined juggernaut power of the Serpenth and Diepold rhythm section!
Major themes: The occult, Satan, evil, darkness, death, terror, anti-religion, lust, blasphemy, sadomasochism, perversion, aggression, etc.
Tracks:
"The Devils"
"Totentanz - Dance Macabre"
"Glorifizierung Des Teufels"
"Damnation - Höllensturz"
"Virtus Asinaria - Prayer"
"Kingdom Of Cold Flesh"
"Ritus Incendium Diabolus"
"Creature Of Fire"
"Blackest Sabbath 1997" (re-recorded medley of "Blackest Ecstasy" and "Blutsabbath" from Belphegor's 1997 "Blutsabbath" album)

Brew Info:
Brewery: Offset Bier Company (Park City, Utah)
Website: https://offsetbier.com/
Brew: Oros West Coast IPA
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Serving: 16 ounce can
ABV: 5.0%
IBUs: 50
Ingredients: NZ Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, and Ekuanot hops
Pour: The Oros pours a fairly clear, bright golden-yellow hue with a very thin, bright white head that dissipates fairly quickly.
Nose: The nose is citrusy, floral, herbal, and malty. There are aromas of grapefruit rind, tangerine, lemon zest, lime zest and juice, light mango, light pineapple, wildflowers, wet pine needles, and bready malts.
Taste: The taste is like the nose: citrusy, hoppy, and earthy. There are notes of lemon zest, lime, orange juice, pink grapefruit juice, light mango, pine resin, herbal tea, and soft toffee.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Oros is very crisp, somewhat sharp and bitter, yet smooth with a clean, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: Both the complexity of flavors and the overall drinkability of Offset's tasty Oros West Coast IPA work perfectly with the aggression, musical prowess, and metal integrity of Belphegor's excellent "The Devils"! As with the brew, the album provides its audience with very complex and aggressive notes and full-fledged artistry and craftmanship.

Skal and hails!!

05/06/2026

June 5th, 2026 - A Moving Target on 41 Peaks

Hey there headbangers and craft beer freaks... and happy Friday to you! The Meista here today with another great pairing for you... the killer "Moving Target" album by Australian metal band Dragonsclaw and juicy and hoppy 41 Peaks Rocky Mountain IPA from By All Means Brewing! Hell yeah!

Album Info:
Artist: Dragonsclaw
Title: "Moving Target"
Recorded: 2025
Release date: August 22nd, 2025 (3rd full-length studio album released by Dragonsclaw)
Record company: High Roller Records
Production: Giles Lavery, Thomas Mergler, and Ben Thomas
Album cover art: All Things Rotten
Personnel: Giles Lavery (lead vocals), Aaron Thomas (bass, guitars, and orchestration), and Ben Thomas (guitars)
Guest musician: Todd Michael Hall (additional vocals on "Shadowfire"), Thomas Mergler (additional guitars on "(Tell Me) All Your Lies"), Jimmy Waldo (keyboards), and Mark Zonder (drums)
Musical style: Traditional heavy metal, power metal
Sound: ""Moving Target" was released 12 years after their last album, but these guys haven't missed a beat! This is absolutely stellar NWOTHM in every sense of the concept without sounding nostalgic. It is pure, old-school heavy metal with a big, bold modern production. Lavery's vocals are on point (as always) and the musicianship is absolutely fantastic!
Major themes: Rebellion, metal, valor, good vs. evil, power, etc.
Tracks:
"The Road Beneath Your Wheels"
"Survival"
"Cry Wolf"
"Don't Break The Silence Again"
"Back On The Streets"
"Ghost Soldiers"
"Shadowfire"
"(Tell Me) All Your Lies"
"Raise Your Fist"

Brew Info:
Brewery: By All Means Brewing (Billings, Montana)
Website: https://byallmeansbeer.com/
Brew: 41 Peaks Rocky Mountain IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
Serving: 16 ounce can
ABV: 7.1%
Pour: The 41 Peaks Rocky Mountain IPA pours a slightly hazy, golden-amber hue with a 2+ finger, off-white, creamy head with sticky, intricate, and layered lacing.
Nose: The nose is citrusy, floral, herbal, and malty. There are aromas of grapefruit rind, orange zest, tangerine, peach, dried apricot, wildflowers, orange herbal tea, and soft caramel/toffee.
Taste: Well-balanced, the taste of the 41 Peaks Rocky Mountain IPA follows the nose with lots of citrus, herbal, and malty flavors. There are notes of pink grapefruit juice, orange zest and pith, tangerine, a hint of pineapple, stone fruit (peach and apricot), black tea, and toffee.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel is crisp and smooth with a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The 41 Peaks Rocky Mountain IPA from By All Means Brewing is a very bright, very flavorful, hoppy, yet crushable brew... a perfect companion to the heavy metal onslaught that is Dragonsclaw's fantastic "Moving Target"! And I like the look of the can design with the album artwork too! 'Nuff said!

Make sure to check out my interview with vocalist Giles Lavery: https://youtu.be/r5GsOuvaqs0

Cheers and hails!!

31/05/2026

May 31st, 2026 - The Vile Haze ov the Fathers

Greetings headbangers and craft beer freaks! Happy Sunday! My friends in Cryptopsy just finished up their None So Vile 30th Anniversary Tour. My wife and I were fortunate enough to catch them in their hometown of Montreal for the last show of the tour this past Thursday! I was also able to hang out with them for a couple of hours when they drove through my neck of the woods during the tour a couple of weeks ago. So, in honor of the band, the album, and the tour, your drinking buddy the Meista is here today rocking the hell out to a pairing of "None So Vile", the kick-ass, sophomore death metal beast by the mighty Cryptopsy and a bold, hoppy, Haze Ov The Fathers Triple IPA from Little Cottage Brewery in collaboration with Cryptopsy and Vox and Hops!! Hell yeah!! Thanks for the beers, Matt!!

Album Info:
Artist: Cryptopsy
Title: "None So Vile"
Recorded: December 1995 to January 1996 at Victor Studio in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Release date: July 3rd, 1996 (2nd studio album by Cryptopsy)
Record company: Wrong Again Records / Hammerheart Records
Production: Pierre Rémillard and Cryptopsy
Album cover art: Elisabetta Sirani (art) and Flo Mounier (logo)
Personnel: Dan Greening aka Lord Worm (lead vocals), Éric Langlois (bass), Jon Levasseur (lead and rhythm guitars), Flo Mounier (drums)
Guest musicians: Eric Fiset (backing vocals) and Steve Thibault (backing vocals)
Musical style: Brutal death metal, technical death metal
Sound: Aggressive, heavy as hell, and wonderfully brutal, the sound on "None So Vile" is classic '90s Canadian death metal that helped define the style and established Cryptopsy as a force to be reckoned with! From the opening notes of "Crown Of Horns" to the finale of "Orgiastic Disembowelment", this beast of an album grabs you by the collar, slams you against the wall, and stares deep into your soul!
Major themes: Death, violence, gore, mutilation, evil, darkness, the occult, blasphemy, anti-religion, misery, etc.
Tracks:
"Crown Of Horns"
"Slit Your Guts"
"Graves Of The Fathers"
"Dead And Dripping"
"Benedictine Convulsions"
"Phobophile"
"Lichmistress"
"Orgiastic Disembowelment"

Brew Info:
Brewery: Little Cottage Brewery (Avondale Estates, Georgia)
Website: https://littlecottagebrewery.com/
Brew: Haze Ov The Fathers
Style: Triple India Pale Ale (IPA)
Serving: 16 ounce can
ABV: 10.5%
Ingredients: Nectaron, Riwaka, Motueka, Whakatū, Phantasm, and Superdelic hops
Pour: The Haze Ov The Fathers pours a very cloudy, murky, and nearly opaque pale-yellow hue with a bright white, half-finger, frothy head that slowly dissipates to a thin ring with sudsy lacing.
Nose: The nose is citrusy, tropical, . There are notes of grapefruit rind, freshly sliced pineapple, passionfruit, guava, peach, herbal tea, freshly baked sourdough bread, and a hint of booze.
Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Haze Ov The Fathers is citrusy, tropical, grainy, slightly bitter, and slightly boozy. There are notes of orange pith, grapefruit juice, passionfruit, bright pineapple, dried apricot, light peach, black tea, and a splash of honey and a splash of fermented fruit.
Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Haze Ov The Fathers is yet soft, pillowy with a slightly astringent and boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The bold and intricate flavors and aromas of the Haze Ov The Fathers from Little Cottage Brewery go so great with the infernal aggression and intensity, fiery riffs, brutally growling vocals, and thunderous and insane rhythm section of "None So vile"! These two ass-kickers were made for one another! The fiery and aggressive guitar work of Jon Levasseur shines even brighter with the citrusy and tropical notes of the brew, while that hoppy, bitter punch is right in line with the guttural vocals of Lord Worm, and the boozy backbone is great for Flo's insane drumming and Langlois' intricate bass work! If you love brutal / technical death metal, I highly recommend this fantastic album and this wonderfully tasty brew! 'Nuff said!

Make sure to check out my interview with Cryptopsy vocalist Matt McGachy here: https://youtu.be/OVxRheCol7s

Cheers and hails!!!

29/05/2026

29/05/2026

26/05/2026

🇨🇦🍻