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.

About Black Metal & Brews

Black Metal & Brews is a blog committed to the enjoyment of craft beers and all varieties of extreme music. This blog is run out of love and respect for the brewers and musicians who are committed to perfecting their craft. Music shared on this blog for download is either already free on the internet from the original artist or record label, or has been posted with direct permission from the parties responsible for creating it.

I will never contact artists or breweries for free music, beer, or other promotional goods, but will always gladly accept a generous gesture. This blog is here to support the community, not to leech from it in the guise of free press. If I don't like the music or the beer, I would rather decline to write a review than to speak ill of somebody who is putting time and effort into their art. If it isn't right for me, it may still be right for somebody else.

If you are interested in connecting with me, please send an email to blackmetalandbrews@gmail.com

If you are looking to have your creative works featured on this blog, the email address is the preferred format. While I prefer having a physical copy in hand so that I can include descriptions of the packaging, I realize that many albums in my genres of choice are created in limited runs. I will not be offended if you elect to send me a .rar or .zip file of an album that you want me to review. Additionally, please be patient. This blog is run by a single person with a full-time professional job. This means that this blog is a hobby and functions outside of the realm of press cycles and public discourse. As of June 2018, Black Metal & Brews no longer uses social media for promotion. Check in regularly if you wish to find coverage.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope you all enjoy reading my blog as much as I enjoy writing each post.

-Updated June 19th, 2018