Celebrating Tolkien and Zeppelin Along “The Coast”
Brewery: 3 Sons Brewing Co. (Dania Beach, FL) + Cerebral Brewing (Denver, CO)
Artist: Led Zeppelin
Beer: “The Coast” (8.5% ABV) Double IPA
Song: “Misty Mountain Hop”
This hoppy brew made with Riwaka, Rakau, and Motueka hops, was brought to life as the result of a collaboration between 3 Sons Brewing Co. and Cerebral Brewing, who take our taste buds on a hoppy, Middle Earth-referenced trip, an excursion best enjoyed with a suitable tune. My auditory companions for this ride were none other than Led Zeppelin, that quaint British indie band from the 70’s that you’ve probably never heard of, right? They have so many fine songs to toss back a few beers to, yet, to my complete surprise, we’ve yet to feature them on “Hop-Heavy”. WTF, right?
Since it seems as though Robert Plant had a fascination with J.R.R. Tolkien, and the folks at 3 Sons and Cerebral tipped their cap to the classic film trilogy (check the label), I thought the pairing to be natural if not obvious. The most difficult decision involved was choosing a song to rock while sipping. Although “Misty Mountain Hop” might be a reference to the actual mountain range found in Wales, let’s not act like there’s also not a certain mountain range in a certain make-believe land that shared the same name. It’s likely Tolkien was familiar with Welsh geography and thus named his Misty Mountains after those Misty Mountains. It’s also likely that Robert Plant, vocal about his love of poor weather, was directly influenced by the actual Misty Mountains. Few places see worse weather on a consistent basis than Wales (I’m talking out the side of my neck because I’ve never actually been to Wales). Rather than dwell in that reality, it’s more fun to assume that everything about this situation was inspired by Lord of the Rings, so that’s what I’m doing.
“The Coast” is a sneaky good double IPA (DIPA) that trades the typical aggressive bitter finish of this style of beer for a much smoother drinking experience. Don’t be discourages by the pour. It doesn’t produce an impressive head on this beer, as you can see by my photo or several others featured on Untappd, but its taste makes up for its underwhelming presentation. Instead, marvel at the beautiful hue of this brew. “Golden” and “opaque” are generally good signs that indicate a delicious IPA, and “The Coast” would cause Smaug to act twitchy, fiending to take such a treasure and tuck it at the top of his pile of wealth.
Pairing “The Coast” and “Misty Mountain Hop” seemed unquestionable once this beer washes over my lips as John Paul Jones tickles the ivory on his electric piano. It’s as if the brewers at 3 Sons and Cerebral poured the spirit of Led Zeppelin into the wort with their fancy hops. Queue Jimmy Page to properly establish the melody before John Bonham drops in with his drums, driving this train all the way down the tracks. Now we’re Misty Mountain hopping with some hops harvested straight out of Middle Earth. Catch a strong whiff of their aroma off the top of the beer, bringing it up to your face as Robert Plant laments the tribulations of strolling through Hyde Park with nothing but a joint and a dream and a relentless police officer unwilling to let the psychedelic times roll.
“Hey boy, do you wanna score?”
Cha-ching! We scored, baby! Pack your bags because we are headed over the hills to where the spirits fly, with a quick layover in Khazad-dûm. Bonham will keep the drinking and marching cadence steady, you’ll have to do both simultaneously because it’s a long trip, so leave second breakfast for the hobbits.
*Fact: The hops used in “The Coast” are native to New Zealand, which also doubled for Middle Earth in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
