Quick Fix: Cigar City Brewing Company's "Good Gourd"

I'm starting a new feature here on this blog to share new finds of mine that I'm unable to fully document. Whether I hear a great new band while visiting a friend or drink a great new beer at a bar/brewpub/brewery, I want to be able to share it with you guys. This debut post is about an excellent seasonal beer from a local brewery that is gaining national attention. Cigar City have done the seasonal pumpkin beer serious justice with their Good Gourd. I had it on tap at my local hangout, the Independent Bar and Cafe, and found it surprisingly good. It tastes strongly of nutmeg and has a smooth flavor with hints of cider and chai tea. This delicious beer tastes more like gingerbread than a slice of pumpkin pie, and I'm quite okay with that. It's an incredibly limited run, but it's available each year. Find it at your local beer retailer while you can. If you're local to Florida you'll find quite a few options. If you aren't, I recommend hunting this one down. Possibly the best pumpkin beer I've tried this year.

Beer Review: Shmaltz's "Coney Island Freaktoberfest"

Today's review has been a lot of fun for me. Do you want to get ready for Halloween in the most appropriate extreme metal fashion? Do you want to drink the blood of the innocent, but are afraid that local law enforcement may ruin your fun? Then grab yourself a bottle or more of Coney Island Freaktoberfest. I've got a well documented love for Shmaltz and their commitment to challenging and enjoyable beers. This blood red lager is another success in the long list of excellent Shmaltz beers I'm already hooked on.

I must admit that the kitsch factor of drinking this beer intimidated and concerned me at first. Would I find the color and alcohol content of 6.66% to be the only appealing aspects, as some friends had warned me? Would this be another autumn beer that simply leaves me waiting for my beloved winter beers? The answer is definitely "no." Aside from the freakishly entertaining packaging and concept, this beer is a wholly enjoyable experience. I'm not the most well educated drinker of red ales or lagers, but I know that I'm not always so partial to them. I'm partial to this beer, and not just for its gimmick. The flavor is quite balanced and palatable and the beer is great for smooth sipping. The head is slightly bubbly and gives way to a delightful mellow fizz when I take a big sip. While the color would imply hints of strawberry or raspberry, this is not a fruit beer by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, this beer isn't really any kind of beer other than just a damn great beer. With an equal balance of malt and hops, I find this to be an excellent beer to just sit and enjoy.

As the name and concept of this beer are specific to the month of October, don't be surprised if it leaves the shelves relatively soon. Grab yourself a pack and share it with friends if you're having a small gathering later this month. Put on your favorite extreme album, pour this blood red delight, and celebrate the glory of the freakiest month of the year with a killer beer in hand. I promise your friends will be looking forward to next year's Halloween party.

Music Review: Yellow Eyes- "Silence Threads the Evening's Cloth" Cassette

So I realize that I haven't kept this blog in line with its name so far. Most of the music reviewed has been extreme in one way or another, but hasn't quite been black metal. I'm not really into the whole argument of "true" versus "untrue" black metal and nitpicking trends and things that make an album black metal or not. This cassette is one of my favorite black metal releases of the past year. Yes, it's unconventional and certainly draws its inspiration from outside the standard realms of the genre, but in no way should this excellent album be dismissed. Before I even get into the musical content, I need to state that this copy of the cassette was sent to me directly by a member of the band. I was attempting to buy it online, but Yellow Eyes were in the process of transitioning to Broken Limbs Recordings and there were no copies to be found online. I contacted the band to inquire about the timeframe of the release. After a few weeks, they got in touch with me apologizing for the delays and sent me a copy from their personal collection due to my patience. This sort of consideration and kindness is uncommon in the extreme metal underground these days and my respect for these guys grew considerably with this gesture.

Yellow Eyes play a unique brand of black metal that is pummeling and catchy in all the best ways. Any time a song gets a bit ugly and uncomfortable, a dissonant melody comes in to change the pace and encourage the listener onward. One of my favorite things about this album is the fact that almost every other track is an interlude of sorts, creating an unsettling ambiance. These pieces are creatively titled, often focusing on controlled drones and nature sounds, and create more tension than some of the "metal" songs on the album. I'm a sucker for a great buildup, and these tracks work quite well to serve that purpose. The opening song is a three minute long piece in this vein, entitled "Guilt Lingers at Sunrise." It builds perfectly into the epic "My Candle is Gone But I Do Not Move," which opens with a guitar riff reminiscent of some of Nargaroth's stronger moments. The atmosphere is both depressive and chaotic throughout this album. The vocals are howling and unhinged, something of the bastard child of Jane Doe-era Converge and early Burzum releases. This is demented and wonderful music.

Between the spiraling guitars and the dense atmospheres, this album is pretty much the exact kind of music I love. It's fuzzy and hideous, yet it has enough melody and diversity to keep me interested after repeated listens. Tracks like "No More Than A Soaked Plank" and the violent title track stand out as some of the most memorable songs I've heard in quite a while. Also, the tape's packaging is just incredible. It has its own sleeve, made from what appears to be a Yellow Eyes patch that has been sewn to itself in such a shape. I want to use it as a patch, but I'm also terrified of damaging such an excellent piece of packaging should it not be intended for use as a patch. Perhaps this review will help clarify it. Regardless, this is a highly impressive slab of chaotic black metal with some outside influences that only add to the wonderful chaos this vicious trio creates. I look forward to their split with Monument, which I just ordered from the fine folks at Sol y Nieve.

If there are copies left out there, I'm not sure where they are, but I'm totally going to encourage you to check the album out on bandcamp for the price you see fit and help support future output by this excellent group.  And guys, if you're reading this, thanks so much for sending me this tape. It's been getting the love and respect it deserves.

Beer Review: Capital Brewery's "Platinum Blonde Doppelbock"

This beer is one that was recommended to me by my good friend Jason from my local Whole Foods Market. A decent portion of the beers you see reviewed here have been suggested by this man, and he's served quite well as both the devil and angel on each of my shoulders, assisting me in expanding my own taste in excellent brews. Last week I decided it was high time to give the much neglected doppelbock another try. I had a doppelbock or two out at local pubs and was astonished that I hadn't been drinking these for the past few years. When I walked in to visit Jason, this delicious treat from Capital Brewery is what he shared with me. The label on this beauty says "Platinum Blonde Doppelbock" but glancing around the internet, I can only see their beer "Blonde Doppelbock." I'd love some more information on this one, but I realize I most likely won't learn until after I've posted this.

This beer pours beautifully, with almost no head and a pale gold/amber body. The thing I really enjoy about doppelbocks is the spiciness. It's like a better version of the highly popular pumpkin beer that's going around heavily this time of year. It's a solid beer that isn't trying to taste like anything but a beer, but has some strong delicious spice flavors. Also, much like my beloved Belgian ales, doppelbocks tend to pack quite a punch. This one's no different. For such a smooth and delicious beer, this beer stands tall with 7.8% ABV yet has a certain sweetness I can't quite identify. Perhaps it's the "blonde" portion of this beer's name, but it's even smoother and more drinkable than the other doppelbocks I've consumed in the past couple weeks. I'm seriously enjoying this beer and I wish I'd come home with a four or six pack instead of just this single bottle. Clearly I'll be rectifying that on my next visit to the market.

Casual drinkers of the world, give this one a shot. If you're hesitant to try new varieties (as we all are at times), let this smooth and crisp delight be your introduction to the exciting new world of doppelbocks. I'm enjoying it thoroughly and I hope you will enjoy it as well. Cheers!

Free Music Friday: Crowhurst's "No Life to Live"

This is the first installment of a new "series" I plan on running each week. I'm not sure if future occurrences will feature full-length reviews or if they'll be a collection of some of my weekly bandcamp discoveries/legally shared files. We'll see, depending on how creative I am. This week I am sharing an album that can be obtained for free or purchased either on cassette or a 4xLP set. This album, "No Life to Live," is currently available for the price of your choosing on Crowhurst's bandcamp page, and is worth the two hours of your life it will consume.

First, I must say that this is not a metal release in any sense of the word. This is a display of extreme sound manipulation, an experiment in atmosphere. Opening track "I Saw the Sky" gradually leads the listener on a descent into darkness and anxiety. Following the name, I can't help but envision the sky being obscured by black clouds as the world slowly crumbles beneath. About three minutes in, the rumbling wall of terror gives way to haunting bells, an eerie aftermath to the song's prior chaos. Rather than being a repetition of the aural nightmare presented before it, "Pleading for the White Light" showcases a blurry sort of beauty and melody, reminding me of foggy mornings on the rocky Pacific coastline. Although the song builds to a dissonant hum, it's still an experience I find soothing.

The dichotomy of sounds instantly presented challenges and excites me as a listener. It's enjoyable to have an album take on many faces rather than present eight to twelve tracks of sameness. If I'm kept on my toes, it's more likely that each song will leave an impression, and that's exactly how this album works. According to commentary from Crowhurst's main figure, Jay Gambit, this record is meant to be an epic collage of songs, in the vein of masterpieces such as Swans' "Soundtracks for the Blind" or Today is the Day's "Sadness Will Prevail." While it's quite different from both of those albums in style, this album feels like it comes from a similar sort of place. All three albums have intense, introspective, and painful moments. All three albums are more patchwork than seamless pieces meant to flow together. In this regard, Crowhurst has certainly put together a beast worthy of its influences.

While the album is generally a collection of noise and drone works, there is enough variety to keep me entertained and interested. Some of the strongest points on this album are the longer songs, where Crowhurst is really able to let an atmosphere stretch out and consume the listener. Songs like "How to Burn a Book" and the title track may be intimidating in length at the first glance, but have proven to be some of my favorite moments on this album. Other highlights are the glitchy fuzz of "Coma Vision," the abrasive and unexpected ritualistic jam of "Run For Your Life," and the brief yet stunning crackling radiance of "The Sun is Like a Bacteria." While I'd normally try to link one or two songs that represent this release as a whole, it just isn't possible. Each song is equally song on its own or as a part of the complete album experience.

If you're interested in purchasing this/contributing to its release, please visit the ordering page to select either the 4xLP or cassette package and help this amazing album see the light of day. Also, it was recently announced that all orders of this album will come with a copy of Crowhurst's split tape with Rosy Palms for no extra cost, so that's just one more great reason to consider purchasing this after giving it a listen or two.

Beer Review: Zywiec Porter

This one's a tongue-twister even before you've caught its surprisingly strong buzz. Pronounced "je-vi-ets" according to a quick Google search, this is probably the single most frequently consumed beer in my house. If I'm to believe the bottle, this recipe has been unchanged since 1881 when presumably some awesome guy in Poland decided to make a better porter than all the craft beer nerds would make 130+ years later. One of the best parts of drinking this beer is imagining men with excellent mustaches drinking this back in the old country. In order to get a proper sensation of a time gone by, I'm listening to Ulver's legendary "Kveldssanger." It's not Polish, but much like this beer, it's an archaic recipe in a modern context and the two go perfectly together.

As I said before, I drink this beer more often than I drink any other beer. It isn't my absolute favorite beer on earth, but it's incredibly delicious and drinkable, as well as retailing for a measly $2.99 at my local market. This beer is so dark it's almost a stout, but it's got the malty sweet aftertaste of a strong porter. Upon pouring this beer, you'll notice a dense coffee color and a thin head. There are almost no bubbles and the scent is rich and earthy in the best of ways. This beer is surprisingly smooth for such a dark, thick beer, and if I weren't careful I'd drink it like water. The thing that prevents me from destroying cases of this liquid at a time is the fact that this beer has an alcohol content of 9.5% hidden somewhere in all that delicious flavor. There's none of the bitterness or strong alcohol flavor of most beers this potent. I usually share a bottle with my partner and we're both quite content with the portioning that way.

I know this beer doesn't have all the exciting packaging or clever marketing that most modern craft beers have. Honestly, it doesn't need it. I'm usually a sucker for a well-marketed beer, but I'm glad this one made its way into my hands. My brother in beer, Derek, shared the word of Zywiec porter with me months ago and since then I've rarely been without it in my fridge. I'm pretty sure it's distributed by Heineken in the US, so it should be relatively easy to obtain. If not, talk to the manager of your local beer purchasing establishment and inquire. It's worth the extra effort.

Beer Review: Weyerbacher's "Insanity"

So, I'm cheating today and reviewing a beer I already love. This is probably the first barleywine I've reviewed, and is one of my favorite beers of all time. Weyerbacher's Insanity is an oak-aged version of their Blithering Idiot barleywine, which is also an incredible beer. The worn-out saying is that insanity can be defined as doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. I personally believe this beer should be consumed again and again regardless of results. It's absolutely delicious. You may notice this review is shorter than usual. I really don't need to say much about this beer other than how crucial it is. Read below for details, then get yourself to your local beer retailer and buy this before somebody else does.

The initial aroma upon pouring is sweet with hints of honey and raisins. It's not the sickly sweetness of fruit-flavored beers, nor is it wine-like. It's a rich and deep aroma that invites you to lose yourself in a stellar glass of beer. Initial sips taste similar to the scent, but also with slight hints of coffee as well as the sharp and wonderful bite of bourbon of the oak casks. Insanity is a beautiful opaque brown, appearing and tasting much softer than its remarkably high (11%ABV) alcohol content. Due to its potency, and the fact that your friends and loved ones deserve such a great beer, this is one I highly recommend sharing. It's sold in four packs, but even splitting a single bottle with a friend is sufficient in my book. Normally I have more to say about a beer this great, but there really isn't much more to say. This beer is uncommonly good and you need to buy a bottle and try it for yourself. It's not the cheapest beer on the market, but it's worth the high cost. If any beer on this blog so far could be considered a "top 5" type beer of mine, this is absolutely it.