Members of Opeth met up with Northern Monk Brew Co's Russell Bisset (centre). © Matt Baxter
British brewery Northern Monk Brew Co has released a commemorative beer in celebration of Swedish heavy metal band Opeth.
Limited to just 1,700 bottles in 660ml format, the 9.2% XXV Anniversary Imperial Stout is a one off brew from the Leeds-based beer maker. Descended from the strongest Stout Porter brewed in Britain in the 18th century, it’s brewed with ten different malts for the uttermost complexity of flavour – big, dark and full in mouthfeel with roasted flavours and underlying notes of rich chocolate, cinder toffee and coffee, the firm said.
© Tom Joy
Northern Monk Brew Co foudner Russell Bisset said: “We’re big metal fans at Northern Monk and Opeth is often the soundtrack to our brewing. When the opportunity to work with the band came up, we jumped at the chance. Opeth have been taking the same progressive and quality-driven approach to music that we have to beer for the past 25 years and it was great to work with them. Our aim was to make one of the most bold and forward-thinking brewery and band collaborations ever. We got together at the brewery tap room and tasted our range of beers with them and together came up with a couple of recipes.”
Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt added: “Even if we’re musicians firstly, we’re beer drinkers secondly. So when we were approached by the fantastic Northern Monk brewery to do an Opeth signature beer we simply could not turn it down. But believe me, we’ve turned down zillions off offers to do alcoholic beverages with the Opeth logo on it. Northern Monk are great. They have great ideas and makes great beer. They even invited Fredrik and Axe down to the brewery for a walkthrough of their premises in Leeds. Needless to say, they got both of them drunk, but we also managed to get our own brand of signature beer down to a tee. And Axe and Fredrik know their beer, from years of over-indulging. And now it’s ready. One is a top-of-the-line imperial stout that can be matured up to about 25 years. We’ll also have a lovely pale ale out in early 2016. I know we’re not the first band to do our own beer, and not the last. All I know is that it’s a top quality beer and I will certainly enjoy having my own little stash in the cooler for Christmas.”
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