Let me begin by saying that this beer is not for the faint of heart. You may be able to drink it with ease, but unbeknownst to most, your soul is henceforth forfeited to appease the gods of metal after the first sip. The choice is yours. I’m personally pretty fond of my soul’s well-being, but I knew I had to try this beer when I read about it. This Red Rye Malt Liquor is quite a force to be reckoned with, especially since it’s the official malt liquor of Metal Blade Records.
I raced home after picking up a howler when I realized that this beer might just be too much for the container to handle. I should have forged an iron growler from the pits of Mordor beforehand. Thankfully, I made it home in one piece. The beer poured a nice copper color that was derived from their use of red malt in order to be more reminiscent of blood. As if that wasn’t metal enough in itself, the beer was aged with a sword that was suspended by a guitar string in the fermenter (don’t worry, it was sanitized by a blow torch) whilst being blared lullabies to the tune of such bands as Cannibal Corpse.
For being a malt liquor, it was surprisingly flavorful, though my only prior experience was with the likes of Colt 45 and King Cobra. Save Ferrous makes them look like watered down apple juice. The rye gives it a nice spice that is not overpowering, but leaves your taste buds on bended knee, acknowledging who was in control. The red malt was not only a nice touch for the appearance, but it gave it a slightly sweet, malty backbone that added quite a bit of complexity. The hop presence was mostly in the bitter department and was very subtle, as is customary for most malt liquors. With an ABV of 8.2% the alcoholic presence definitely presented itself, especially once the beer woke up (warmed up) to the soothing sounds of At the Gates and Dethklok as I wrote. The sweetness of the dextrose, added to boost the alcohol content, lingers long after each sip, just sitting there as another reminder of my soul’s demise.
My overall impression with this beer is very positive, aside from the whole soul-sacrifice thing. It is simultaneously drinkable and palate-depleting, all while redefining the category of malt liquor. Move over Olde English, you vile liquid, you, there’s a new malt liquor in town, and this one will consume you as you consume it. My only request, if this is ever summoned again from the firey pits, is that it be released in a 40 oz. bottle. You know, to get the full effect.
The “Official” Video made by the AtG Boyzzz:
