The Crow paired with Anti Villain's Golden Pumpkin Ale

31 Days of Draughts and Darkness: Volume III

The Crow (1994)

It's rare to find a Halloween-themed superhero movie. Spawn and the Blade trilogy come to mind, but other than that, supernatural heroes from beyond the grave can be tough to find on film. Tonight's feature is one of the few, and in my opinion, one of the best. 

The Crow gets a bad reputation as an advertisement for the Hot Topic craze of the early 90's. While I'll admit the fashion choices and costuming make this film a product of its era, the tone is far from 'goth'.

It's classic Gothic, moody not in emotion, but sheer atmosphere. Looming buildings, like castles out of the Dark Ages, claw into the skyline. Dark alleys are filled with all manner of murderous rogue. And the innocent large pay the price for the sins of the wicked. This is classic Gothic horror, folks.

 The Crow is not intent on whining about the difficulty of life. It acknowledges it from the get-go, amplifies it even, and then decides to bite back with some supernatural justice. It is as much as revenge slasher as it is superhero movie.

The Plot:

Guitarist Eric Draven and his fiancée Sarah are planning their wedding night for All Hallows Eve. The couple is flat broke, but happy. The evening before, "Devil's Night", is one to be feared in their hometown of Detroit. The city sees a gigantic spike in crime each year on October 30th. Detroit's criminal element views Devil's Night as a holiday, a chance to spread fear and chaos in the streets, all to assert control.

Sarah and Eric fall victim, their apartment invaded by a band of thugs. The couple is tormented, tortured, and ultimately killed. The police arrive far too late and only to clean up the mess. No arrests are made that night. The killers run free. The city is ripe with corruption, and violent crimes are becoming all the more common, especially on Devil's Night. Sarah and Eric's names get added to a growing list of victims.

A year passes, and not much has changed. Detroit is still rife with decay, it's streets ruled by the mob. As Devil's Night approaches, the city's underbelly once more plans to stir up havoc. Only this year, one of their victims has returned with revenge on the mind.

A supernatural force, embodied only by a single, unassuming crow, has breathed life back into a very angry Eric Draven. And he will not rest until his and Sarah's killers are brought to bloody justice. With the crow ever-closely flying nearby, Draven ventures out into the night. Stronger, faster, but with the entire mob between him and his prey, Draven has a long battle ahead of him.

The Flavor:

The Crow features the sort of tragic elements that more than justify the morose tone. It's not so much a nihilistic eye-roll as it is an angry cry for justice in a nasty world. Yes, Eric may brood a bit upon being resurrected, but it's not long before he's cutting a bloody swathe through those responsible for his death. The overall vibe is gritty, reeking of urban decay. The world of The Crow is depressing because it is a legitimately dangerous, dirty place.

The villains of the films really cement this, too. These mobsters may be mere mortals, but they are some of the most vile human filth imaginable It's as if the screenwriter was twirling their mustache while writing their characters. From the moment the antagonists are introduced, you will loathe them. And not in the comeuppance sort of way, either. More the wanting to see them 6-feet under kind of way.

Eric Draven is more than happy to oblige us this request.

 On that note, much of what makes The Crow so memorable isn't just the tone, but also a manic and (unfortunately) tragic final performance by Brandon Lee. His avenger is far from righteous do-gooder. Eric's got more than a few screws loose,  I supposed understandably so considering he's a newly-resurrected vengeance-zombie. 

Eric seethes with pain and is unapologetic over revenge, even appearing to enjoy the chase. He's not above toying with criminals before dropping the axe. Brandon Lee is the sort of off-the-wall demented that's almost like a pseudo-heroic Joker at times, equal parts charismatic and terrifying.

And he's not even the film's villain! That role goes to Michael Wincott who, trivia-time, portrayed more than 50% of all villains in 90's-era films. Tim Curry played the other 50%. 

Best Paired With:

For fans of the Gothic horror and superhero genres alike, The Crow is a great watch. The film is dark, drearily so, but that's much of its charm. It is a tragic tale, but also one about finding redemption in the face of that tragedy. Or, in lieu of redemption, revenge.

Brew:

The Crow features a protagonist tortured enough to be the villain, himself. I've got just the brew...

Name: Golden Pumpkin Ale

Brewery: Anti Villain Ale Co.

Where Brewed: N. Kingstown and Newport, RI

ABV: 5.5%

Style: Pumpkin Ale

Color:  AntiVillain's take on the classic pumpkin brew features a classic color palette of deep golden-to-orange.

Aroma: The spice character of the Fall Trio (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ASSEMBLE!) is strong with this one, though the sweetness I've grown used to smelling alongside it is reduced. In its place is a dry, hoppy scent that pairs nicely with the spices. It's different, and after so many sweeter brews, much welcome.

Taste: Funny, while this brew's aroma is light on the sweetness, the forward notes of the flavor are actually quite sweet. The spices are pronounced and blend well with the sweetness. Also joining the party is a nice, toasty malt presence. Though a strong sweet flavor begins each taste, AntiVillain's pumpkin ale has additional staying power via the ending flavors.

That hop note that appeared in the aroma shows up towards the end of each sip. And it goes a long way towards mellowing out what starts as a sweet beer. The hops have a surprising degree of bitter punch which tempers many of the earlier flavors. This serves to reset the palate in-between sips, as you're only getting the sweet, and much of the spices, early on in each taste.

Aftertaste: The hops are powerful enough to carry dominantly into the aftertaste, with only the remnant of spices left on the tongue in between sips.

Body: Though sweet to start, and sweeter beers always feel a bit heavier to me, AntiVillain's pumpkin ale has a body that's light enough to be refreshing. This is a pint-night sort of brew, meant to be enjoyed alongside food. Speaking of which...

Pair: This brew's bittering component at the back of each sip opens up additional pairing space. Typically, I recommend pumpkin beers with Fall fare such as hearty stews, roast pork, and squash. Those will pair just fine here, too, but equally well can I see more salty, savory foods working with the bitter hops in the mix.

Hellraiser paired with Sam Adams Pumpkin Batch Saison

31 Days of Draughts and Darkness: Volume III

Hellraiser (1987)

Though perhaps not so well known as other 80's slashers, Pinhead nonetheless stands among the horror icons of the era. Mention the Hellraiser series, and the spiky gentleman is usually the first image people remember. Unlike the silent-type slashers, Pinhead has more of a personality, almost stately in his terrorizing. It's easy to lump Pinhead alongside Jason and Michael Meyers, but there's more to Hellraiser than that.

Pinhead is an otherworldly being, neither demon or monster, but certainly monstrous in practice. Along with his posse of cenobites, each bearing signature (and sickening) modifications to their anatomy, he grants access to his warped world upon opening a mystical puzzle box. His "gift" to those who unlock the gizmo is essentially a free membership card in their exclusive club. 

Most don't enjoy it.

But here's the funny thing: Hellraiser, at least prior to becoming the multi-film franchise we know of today, wasn't really about Pinhead and the Cenobites. Hell, Pinhead didn't even get credited with that name in the credits. He was only "Lead Cenobite". Though horrific, imposing creatures, the Cenobites are really more of a dark force of nature in the first Hellraiser. The film's true villain is a man vile enough to have escaped their clutches.

The Plot:

We open on a bizarre market, where two men discuss a deal. A strange wooden puzzle box rests on the table before them. Next to it, a fat stack of cash. The peddler of the device claims it can unlock all manner of pleasure and sensory experience, and his customer Frank is more than willing to fork over some serious dough. Frank greedily snatches up the puzzle box once the exchange is made, while the peddler only smiles to himself. 

That night, Frank opens the puzzle box. When next we see him, various pieces of his body are decorating the floor. And walls. And ceiling.

Cut to an undisclosed period of time later. Frank hasn't been seen in ages, and the family house has passed into custody of his brother, Larry. The house seems like a welcome reprieve from stressful city life, and Larry welcomes the chance to move in with new wife, Julia. Daughter Kirsty has grown up and moved out, and Larry's first wife has passed away, so this seems like the start of a new life. Unfortunately for poor old Larry, his new life has more than a few connections to the old.

Julia, unbeknownst to Larry, was a former lover of Frank's, even cheating on Larry during their own wedding day. She still harbors an unhinged love for Frank.

One moving accident later, and Larry's bleeding all over the attic floor. While Julia tends the wound, both fail to notice the floorboards actively sucking up the spilled plasma. Some remnant of Frank has remained attached to the house, and Larry's blood is enough to begin a grim resurrection. 

Sickeningly, Frank begins to rematerialize, one body part at a time. He's somehow managed to escape the curse of the puzzle box, but its inhabitants will be looking for him. And if they find him, they will not be happy he's escaped. Luckily for Larry, literally skin and bones, Julia is happy to supply victims for him to harvest.

The Flavor:

For those less familiar with this franchise, take the films Saw and Fifty Shades of Grey, combine them into a blender, and you'll have an idea what to expect.

If my brief plot introduction wasn't enough to clue you in, we're in for a bloody ride. Hellraiser's flavor of horror is about taking sensory feelings to their boundaries, mixing pleasure and pain into one nasty experience. Those thrill-seekers who mess with the puzzle box, in the search for the ultimate mind-body experience, get to meet Pinhead and crew. The Cenobites aren't out to punish folks that stumble upon them, only share their 'unique' take on sensory-overload. Hooks are routinely involved.

This blend of body horror and lust isn't for the faint of heart. Hellraiser raises some interesting points about how far people will go when driven by pure passion. It also must hold a degree in human anatomy, for the makeup effects go a long way to illustrate the various layers of the body. And in extreme detail. Those impressed by practical effects will be astonished at the effort put into Hellraiser's creations, most specifically Frank, whose body we get to see rebuild itself muscle by muscle. Though gruesome, these effects hold up remarkably well.

The cadre of Cenobites do not feature prominently, more cast as mysterious figures than central antagonists, but their designs are no less imposing. Each is a distinct picture of suffering, unsettling to look at but certainly memorable. It's no wonder why these characters would go on to become the series mainstay villains.

Best Paired With:

Though dark and nasty, Hellraiser has lots of imagination behind it. Oh sure, it's a twisted sort of creativity that'll disturb anyone even remotely squeamish, but the lore behind these characters is fascinating. If you're in the mood for a Halloween film with a bit more macabre bite, this is a great choice.

Brew: I began this feature by noting that, while Pinhead is often considered a slasher-villain, he's really in more of a unique category of monster. To reflect that, I've chosen a beer that appears like any other pumpkin ale, but is meant to tell a different story altogether.

Name: Pumpkin Batch

Brewery: Sam Adams

Where Brewed: Boston, MA

ABV: 5.6%

Style: Pumpkin Saison

Color:  Pumpkin Batch isn't quite the pure-orange hue most pumpkin ales give off. Rather, it's deep, deep golden color that just borders on crossing over into orange.

Aroma: The first sniff should clue you into Pumpkin Batch's departure from typical pumpkin ales. Yes, there are notes of cinnamon and pumpkin, but there's a distinctly spicy character on the nose as well. You'll also notice an almost floral-sweetness. We're getting into saison territory, usually only explored in the Spring and Summer.

Taste: Each taste opens up with the pumpkin and cinnamon notes you first recognized from the taste, but it's not long before an entirely different array of flavors arrive. Pumpkin Batch has a distinct sweetness to it, partially tangy. There's an almost peppery zing to the flavor, as if many of the spices were less meant to emphasize sweet flavor and more provide a earthy note on the tongue.

These flavors intensify as the hops kick in towards the end of each sip. The hops have only a mild bitterness, but are intensely floral and spicy in character. The latter half of each taste is actually more dominated by these flavors than it is the earlier pumpkin and cinnamon notes. 

Aftertaste: For a brief period after each taste, some of the tangy sweetness remains on the tongue, blending together with the floral and spicy hop profile. The sweetness soon fades, leaving primarily hops on the tongue. Note that these hops aren't bitter, but rather earthy in their flavor. Those adverse to bitterness in their beers need not fear these hops.

Body: Though the flavor notes are strong, the beer's body is quite light and refreshing. While I recommend sipping slowly to take in each flavor, Pumpkin Batch goes down smoothly enough to make for a quick succession of pints.

Pair: Much of the time, I think of pairing saison-style ales with citrus-based dishes. Something about the earthy/floral and the zing of citrus evokes summertime and the outdoors. But this is a distinctly Fall saison, and as such, should be paired with something more in season. Consider pairing up Pumpkin Batch with mildly sweet fruits like pear and apple, either raw or perhaps in a crumble. Just be sure not to oversweeten these fruits or the more delicate flavors of the brew will be lost.

Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead paired with Reanimator Helles Lager from Narragansett

31 Days of Draughts and Darkness: Volume III

Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (2014)

Tonight's feature takes the grim and gritty zombie-vibe made famous by the Walking Dead and says "Screw that". It's the sort of zombie movie that throws all the typical conventions at you before turning things completely on their severed head. Twists and turns abound, as does a sense of manic energy.

This is the most fun I've had watching a zombie movie in years.

Take the framework of an average zombie flick, then mix in equal parts Mad Max: Fury Road and Evil Dead, and you'd have Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead.

The Plot:

One night in rural Australia, a meteor shower passes overhead. It's effects on the world are varied, but most notable is what it does to anyone of certain blood types. Zombie time. Before long, the country is overrun with the undead, who as can be expected, hunger for human flesh and infect whomever they don't fully devour.

Family man Barry is one of the few spared the meteor's curse, though his wife and child are not so lucky. Receiving a frantic call from his sister, also apparently immune, Barry heads out into a zombie-invested outback to find her. He isn't alone for long.

So far, everything seems like standard-issue zombie territory. We've the hero who's on a quest to save what little's left of their family, the rag-tag team of misfit survivors met along the way, and the putting down of the undead via bullets to the brain. But then things get interesting...

Remember how I said that meteor shower had a few different effects? Well, aside from the zombie plague, it also happened to render all fossil-fuels inert. That means no petrol-based product will burn. Cars are essentially 4-wheeled paperweights. That is, they would be, if not for the fact that the zombies emit a gas that's highly flammable.

What's more, Barry's sister has been taken captive by a mad scientist, who seems insistent on learning more about the zombie plague. His methods, sadly, involve experimentation on those left alive, and Barry's sister just so happens to be next on his operating table. But as I said earlier, things aren't so simple in the world of Wyrmwood, and the result of these experiments make things very, very interesting for all involved.

Wow, it's hard to describe the plot of Wyrmwood without giving anything away. Let's just say I carefully fashioned the above paragraphs to give you only the essential details. The rest you're better off discovering on your own. You'll be happy you did.

The Flavor:

Wyrmwood, I'll admit, took a few minutes to really hook me. The initial phase of the film hits notes similar to many other zombie movies. Not bad, in fact the zombie action is very well done, but it's the sort of thing we've seen many times before. But good God, am I happy I stuck with the film, for once it got past the initial setup, Wyrmwood began traveling in a completed new and original direction.

Things get crazy in the most entertaining possible way. Wyrmwood functions with the sort of fast-paced energy that's indicative of the best action movies. It's frenetic, constantly bouncing around from scene to scene. Characters get moments to catch their breath and reflect, but such moments are brief, for the zombie masses are relentless. They also happen to be more active at night, another plot point I'll let you discover the meaning behind yourself. While the undead are designed no differently than you'd see in other zombie films, their aggression borders on animalistic. As such, our heroes must respond in extreme ways. Time to gear up.

Half the fun comes from the myriad of improvised armor, weapons, and vehicular mayhem our heroes cook up to fight the undead. Paintball equipment, fishing supplies, car parts, and other such assorted (and random) instruments all come together to make some of the most zany, slapped-together arsenals you've seen on film. But the results are indeed effective, not to mention quirky and charming.

Speaking of which, the characters are an absolute blast. The nonchalant way they go about these horrific events, concerned largely with the celebratory beer afterwards, lends the film a distinctly sarcastic vibe. Barry is the sort of tragic hero who rises to the occasion into a badass. His sister Brooke is the farthest thing imaginable from a damsel. Her character arc and ultimate fate not only make for the film's best moments, but also take it into entirely new directions with unexplored potential.

Toss in a funny, sadistic mad-scientist villain and a group of slacker-style sidekicks, and Wyrmwood makes for an incredible entertaining zombie ride.

Best Paired With:

Be you a zombie fan or no, Wyrmwood needs to be watched this Halloween. While I love The Walking Dead and all the pathos it crams into each episode (and book, for our graphic novel fans), the crazy, balls-to-the-wall pace of Wyrmwood was like a zombified breath of fetid air to the genre, an injection of pure fun.

Brew:

Zombie-themed brews are not as tough to find as you might think...

 Name: Reanimator

Brewery: Narragansett

Where Brewed: Rochester, NY

ABV: 6.5%

Style: Helles Lager

It figures, mere days after posting my Reanimator review, I discover a beer that's a direct reference to the source material, Lovecraft and all.

Oh well, while not Lovecraft-related, Wyrmwood shares many of the same crazy notes that made the film Reanimator so memorable.

Color:  Reanimator thankfully eschews the glowing-green of the resurrecting potion. This brew casts a golden glow, looking like something you'd dive into in the heat of summer moreso than Fall.

Aroma:  Crisp, citrus hops play across the nose with each sniff. The malt presence is there, too, but it's clear that Reanimator has a hop-kick on the mind (or should I say braiiinnnnsss), moreso than it's concerned with malty sweetness.

Taste: As a bock, a style of lager known for more of an alcohol-bite than its more refreshing, lighter brethren, Reanimator does not disappoint. Your initial taste will be of mild, crisp malt, but it isn't long into before the stronger, sharper tones of the higher ABV spike into the tongue.  This flavor combines with, and works to amplify, the beer's hop-factor.

The hop bite appears at about the midpoint of each taste, springing forward off the center of the tongue. I'm reminded almost of a West-coast style IPA here, as the hop presence features notes of bitter citrus, like grapefruit. A slight sweetness carries its way into the later-half of each sip, but it's the sharper sort noted above, a nod to the beer's heightened potency.

Aftertaste: The bitterness of the hops are strong in the primary taste, but it's the citrus character that hangs onto the tongue for the aftertaste. The bitterness largely fades, leaving the more subtle hop flavors on the tongue. With the bitterness receding, some of the maltier flavors reappear, almost resurrected on the palate.

Body: Though Reanimator kicks like a ram (in German, 'Bock' means ram, a nod to the higher alcohol and subsequent kick the beer provides), it's easy to underestimate the brew due to its lightner body. Reanimator has the sort of light-to-medium body that'd go well with warmer weather, but as such, is easy enough to drink in large amount without paying heed to the stronger ABV. Keep in mind that this brew is about 1.5x more potent than the usual lager. 

Pair: Though we're well into Fall, Reanimator's making me crave BBQ. The hoppy profile of the brew would pair wonderfully with the savory/sweet combo of ribs and brisket.

From Dusk til Dawn paired with Heavy Seas Greater Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale

31 Days of Draughts and Darkness: Volume III

"From Dusk til Dawn" (1996)

This is the story of two villains. And I mean real nasty, awful villains. Criminals, cop-killers, the sort of folks who'd take a whole family hostage for a Twinkie. The kind of low-life you'd expect to face the business-end of Arnold Schwarzenegger's machine gun in any other movie.

But this isn't "any other movie". This is "From Dusk til' Dawn", and here, these villains are about to run afoul of monsters even worse than they are. As bad as these criminals are, their opponents are the sort of worse that legends are made of. So much so, that our villians almost, almost (but not quite), become heroes themselves.

"From Dusk til Dawn" is beyond anti-hero. More like 'hero by default'.

But first, there are a legion of vampires to slay.

The Plot:

Seth and Richie Grecko (George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino) are on the lam and hellbent on getting to Mexico. Wanted bank-robbers, the two have more than a little blood on their hands, and despite all intent to lay low, can't help but attract trouble. Most of this stems from Richie. While Seth is the sort of low-life who follows a code of pseudo-honor, Richie has some serious mental loose-screws. These tend to bring out the underlying psychopath. His latest snap cost the life of their hostage, meaning Seth and Richie must find a new innocent to drag with them as protection.

Enter former-pastor Jake Fuller (Harvey Keitel), who's recently lost both his wife and his faith. Him and his children Scott and Kate are RV'ing their way across the country, only to run afoul of the Grecko brothers. Brutally, the Grecko's kidnap the family and order them to head for the border, where the brothers are set to meet Carlos, a criminal boss offering the wanted men sanctuary. 

Along the way, the group stop at a strip club that's far, far more than meets the eye. An attractant to low-lives and bikers, this particular strip club proudly proclaims to be open from dusk til' dawn, opening its arms to all manner of shady character. What its clientele doesn't realize, however, is that the club is far more dangerous than its thuggish patrons.

Settling down for some debauchery, Seth and Richie, along with the captive Fuller family, soon learn that the strip joint is a sinister front. The staff and dancers are vampires, their club a web designed to attract the sort of people society won't miss. Or come looking after once they've disappeared. As strippers and bartenders begin growing fangs, bikers begin hitting the dirt. And stuck in the middle are two criminals and a terrified family who only want to survive the night.

Let the battle begin.

The Flavor:

"From Dusk til' Dawn" plays out like two entirely different films, both in tone and plot. We begin the tale on a rather brutal criminal journey, with Seth and Richie spilling a lot of innocent blood. Neither brother is portrayed as anything close to heroic. Richie is a quiet powder-keg ready to blow into full-on maniac. The only thing keeping him in line is Seth, who's certainly no saint, but at least claims to only kill when its necessary.

The point is, we're not dealing with good-guys, folks.

The film's early scenes, leading up to the capture of the Fuller family, play out like a grim crime drama. Yes, there are plenty of quirky characters, but the overall tone is harsh. The Grecko brothers are far from the criminals-with-the-heart-of-gold cliche, and director Robert Rodriguez wants us to know that without question. We genuinely worry for the safety of the Fuller family and begin to hate the Grecko's for putting them through such hell.

And then we arrive at the strip club, and everything changes, including the movie itself. A room full of criminals finds themselves confronted by creatures far worse than they. The crime drama morphs into survival horror with a darkly humorous grin, no less, as everyone bands together to fight the toothy menace. It's here that "From Dusk til Dawn" turns into the sort of gory, campy monster movie you can start have fun with. The shift from realistic brutality to splattery vampire movie is jarring, taking a moment to adapt to.

You may find yourself having a hard time accepting Seth and Richie as suddenly "heroic" characters, though I suppose anti-hero is the better term. For as terrible as these people are, they're now up against literal creatures from hell. This is where I find myself asking the question: "Who's meant to the be the monsters here? The literal vampires, or the criminal underbelly they prey on?"

If you intend to watch "From Dusk til' Dawn" solely for the vampire-slaying fun, it's the film's second half you're after. Packed with creative effects work and fantastic action, it's easy to smile at all the horror-flavored chaos of this section. We're clearly meant to have fun with it and begin rooting for characters we hated moments earlier. In that way, "From Dusk til Dawn" hits a "Game of Thrones" sort of vibe.

Best Paired With:

Here, the squeamish viewer has not one, but two thematic elements to avoid. While the vampire scenes of "From Dusk til' Dawn", while gory, are mostly played up for camp, the film's earlier abduction scenes are unsettling on a more realistic level. Like I said, the film's tonal shift at the half-way point is jarring. You may find yourself having a hard time getting used to it. Perhaps that's the point, to illustrate real-world vs. supernatural horror, and which it truly the more terrifying?

Just know, going in, that you're in for more then slasher-style mayhem.

Brew:

So here we have one part pure Halloween vampire-slayin' fun, but coupled alongside some genuinely grim and hard-hitting introductory scenes. How best to capture this in beer form? I'm thinking a pumpkin ale with a much stronger bite than usual.

 Name: The Greater Pumpkin

Brewery: Heavy Seas Uncharted Waters Collection

Where Brewed: Baltimore, Maryland

ABV: 10%

Style: Imperial Pumpkin Ale, Bourbon Barrel-Aged

Color:  With an unabashed haze, Greater Pumpkin primarily casts an opaque orange glow from the center of the glass, with flecks of gold letting light through around the edges.

Aroma: With a boozy-sharp vanilla spike, Great Pumpkin hits the nose with equal parts sweet, spicy, and potent. You can tell from first-sniff that you're in for a heavy-hitter in the ABV department, as the bourbon notes of vanilla carry across strongly. Notes of cinnamon and clove also appear, with perhaps the faint tone of pumpkin twang in the background.

Taste: Considering how strong the aroma profile of Greater Pumpkin was, I expected an equally bold salvo of flavors to strike the tongue. But I was mistaken, for the flavor profile here is the warming sort, where the sweetness takes a backseat to the spices and vanilla rather than vice-versa. The flavor of bourbon-barrel aging is well represented, but the spike of higher alcohol restrained, allowing for more mellow flavors to shine through.

The flavor that benefits most from this is the pumpkin. Often overpowered by stronger malts, spices, and/or sugar, here the pumpkin presence is instead boosted by the other flavors. While the scent component is mild, the overall taste of pumpkin tanginess is quite apparent. Extra points to Heavy Seas for letting this oft-overpowered flavor shine through, and in a bourbon-barrel aged blend, no less!

At the back of each sip, the slight punch of hops mellow out what sweetness existed prior, leaving you with a flavor that's equal parts spiced pumpkin and bourbon. I'm pleased by how the slight bitterness of the hops mimics the burn of actual bourbon, at least taste-wise.

Most imperial pumpkin beers are so sweet and spicy as to get cloying half-way through, but Greater Pumpkin's balance of flavors has so far made the experience enjoyable throughout.

Aftertaste: After sipping, two flavors notes cling most-readily to the back of the tongue. Firstly, and first to fade, is the combo of pumpkin and spices. Of the spices, the cinnamon is the most pronounced. After a moment or two, these flavors dissipate. More long-lasting is the bourbon vanilla-sharpness, which holds onto the tongue a good while longer than its spiced counterpart.

Body: Right from the get-go and just as the brew hits your tongue, you're aware that Greater Pumpkin has a mouth-coating body that demands a snifter glass and slow-sipping. A fine layer of the brew surrounds your tongue and palate with each taste, causing the flavors to cling rather than wash over. With this heavier body, coupled with a higher alcohol content, I'd advise enjoying this brew slowly. Drinking too quickly would only serve to numb the taste buds and likely result in one killer headache the following morning. Barrel-aged beers are meant to be savored, and Greater Pumpkin is no exception.

Pair: With this much sheer flavor on display, most enjoyably the often-overpowered pumpkin, this brew is one to enjoy all by its lonesome.

Frankenweenie paired with Sierra Nevada Tumbler

31 Days of Draughts and Darkness: Volume III

Frankenweenie (2012)

Tim Burton's love letter to classic horror, in addition to beloved pets, "Frankenweenie"  feels like a deeply personal film. Yes, it features all the crazy set design and warped characters we expect from Burton, along with a solid dose of the macabre. But underneath it all is a film about scientific curiosity, inventiveness, and love. And how those ideals must often be fought for in a world that attacks what it doesn't understand.

"Frankenweenie" lets loose a horde of rampaging monsters, but not all of them are necessarily creatures.

The Plot:

The quaint little town of New Holland is, by all appearances, the same cookie-cutter suburb Burton clearly loathes to the core. White picket fences and keeping up with the Jones hold sway, leaving those who break from this norm as social outcasts. Our hero is Victor Frankenstein, who could be taken as a proxy for Burton himself. Victor loves monster movies, often filming his own, and has a deep appreciation for science. His best friend is not one of the neighborhood kids, who see him largely as a weirdo, but rather his trusty canine Sparky. The two are inseparable.

Once Victor's parents convince him to join the neighborhood baseball team in an attempt to have their son 'fit in', tragedy strikes. Sparky chases after a ball and is struck by a car. Victor is devastated at the loss of his friend, falling into a funk until a his science teacher gives a very intriguing lesson on using electricity to animate deceased muscle tissue.

Firing up the lab, Victor devises a very Mary Shelly-esque technique with which to resurrect his canine companion, and though some stitches and a lightning bolt are required, his experiment is a huge success. Sparky may be a bit worse-for-wear, but he is legitimately back from the dead, with all memories and personality intact. Victor is thrilled to have his friend back, but now tasked with keeping him a secret from the rest of the community.

As you can imagine, this doesn't go well, and it isn't long before the rest of the neighborhood kids are all trying to reanimate their deceased pets. But unlike Victor's experiment, their attempts go horribly wrong, and a whole horde of angry zombie-monster-pets are unleashed on the town. Victor and Sparky must step up and save the day.

The Flavor:

Though my above plot description sounds grim, "Frankenweenie" is actually a very heartfelt film. Despite the zombies, it's really a movie about a boy and his dog, a friendship that transcends death. We learn that the key to Victor's experiment, whereas all the others failed, is in his intent. The other neighborhood kids try to resurrect their pets for glory, to show they can and impress at the local science fair. But Victor just wants his dog back. This is why Sparky returns as himself while the other pets mutate into beasts. Love makes the difference.

Apart from this message, "Frankenweenie" is also about letting a creative mind flourish in a world that seems dead-set on suppressing it. New Holland is purposefully designed as a suffocating suburb, where success is hinged on sports accolades, financial gain, and a properly trimmed lawn. Victor is only an outcast because his interests fall outside the societal norm. The 'monster' isn't equipped with claws or fangs, but commercialized, civil expectations. But when the townsfolk are able to see Victor's talents for what they really are, they realize the good that can come from them.

"Frankenweenie" also succeeds as a homage to a myriad of classic monster movies. It's no coincidence that many of the human characters resemble horror icons. The black and white color palette, coupled with shadowy tones and Burton's signature warped anatomy, make for characters and settings that border on creepy even before the monsters show up. And once they do? Oh boy, do we get references from "Gremlins" to "Gamera", and of course, the classic Universal "Frankenstein" film. It's a buffet table for monster fans, with Easter eggs all around.

Best Paired With:

Because of the aforementioned Easter eggs, horror fans with have a veritable scavenger hunt-style game to play while watching "Frankenweenie", picking out all the subtle details.

 But these references aside, the film is the perfect blend of sweet family adventure and spooky drama. "Frankenweenie" makes for a great Halloween family-film, but can equally be enjoyed by anyone who's felt like an outsider, or had a special bond with their pet.

Brew:

For all the classic-style spooky elements on display, I'm thinking today's brew should encapsulate Fall. Something evocative of the changing leaves and chill starting to creep into the air. 

Name: Tumbler

Brewery: Sierra Nevada

Where Brewed: Chico, CA and Mills River, NC

ABV: 5.5%

Style: Brown Ale

Color:  Like an avatar of auburn, Tumbler exudes just the slightest twinge of red amidst a field of dark brown.

Aroma: Malty goodness is most prominent on the nose here, but neither in the sweet or caramel-like way. Rather, Tumbler's malt profile is that of roasted malt, toasty and dry. The scent profile is like taking in a breath of freshly-raked leaves on the autumn air.

Taste: Why brown ales aren't more popular, I have no idea. Tumbler, like its brown-ale brethren, opens up with a flush of roasted malts, just slightly sweet, over the tongue. The flavor is not so dark as you'd expect from a porter, but rather just toasty enough to deliver a nutty tone. Like with the scent profile, the sweetness of these malts isn't in the caramel-realm. It's more a subtle, background note like you'd get when eating roasted chestnuts.

At the back of each sip, a mellow hop presence kicks in. The hops are not assertive. They don't dominate the palate and take away from the malt flavors. They only settle them a bit, making the overall taste a bit more dry on the tongue.

Aftertaste: Malt and hop alike join forces and carry their flavors over into the aftertaste. You'll be able to pick up elements of each on the back of the tongue. What slight sweetness existed in the earlier portions of the taste fades quickly here, instead leaving only the roastier qualities of the malt behind, which go quite nicely with the mild hop bitterness.

Body: Tumbler falls into the medium category of ales, coming in with a maltier presence, and thus more robust weight, than you'd find in the golden variety. That said, the brew is still plenty refreshing for its darker flavors.

Pair: I can envision sipping this brew in a fireplace-lit pub. With it, a warm loaf of brown bread and some sort of vegetable stew.

The Knights of Badassdom paired with Fall Hornin' Pumpkin Ale

31 Days of Draughts and Darkness: Volume III

The Knights of Badassdom (2013)

The adventure genre is one near and dear to my heart, especially as a child of the 80's and early 90's. Before the days of slick, big-budget adaptations of "Lord of the Rings" and "Game of Thrones", fantasy was defined largely by the old DnD (Dungeons and Dragons) tropes. The warrior, cleric, wizard, thief, and other classic roles each had their own style, and into each we could project our fantasy selves, a heroic version of what was otherwise a mundane life.

Laugh away, but we all do this is some form or another. For some, it simply becomes a passion less "nerdy", like fantasy football. For others, the swords n' sorcery never let go. The dream persists that, one day, the call to heroics will sound and you'll have to step up from your boring 9-to-5 and embrace the adventure.

Tonight's feature gives all us dreamers that reward, only in the form of a blood-thirsty succubus. When all your bravery's been earned via experience points, what happens when you find yourself needing it against some real-world monsters?

The Plot:

 Eric and Hung are best buddies with an obsession for all things LARPing (Live Action Role Playing). They spend their weekends in the woods, acting out live "battles" against all manner of goblins, elves, and warlocks (other players). Experience points are gained, stories told, and many an eye rolled by the surrounding townsfolk. With Eric coming from a rich family, their group of literal weekend-warriors bedecks themselves in actual (replica) armor and weapons. Foam padding included. Eric has even claimed to have ordered an actual spell book off EBay.

When fellow friend Joe is dumped by his longtime girlfriend, angry at his lack of ambition and obsession with heavy metal, Eric and Hung step in to fill the void. They basically kidnap their heartbroken friend and drag him to the biggest LARPing event of the year. Forget the vile wench! There's adventures to be had!

Everything's going great until Eric busts out his new spell book. Having no idea what the runes within suggest, he inadvertently casts an actual summoning spell. What arrives is a succubus from hell, who after a brief glimpse into Joe's mind, takes the form of his ex-girlfriend. Sultry and hungry, the succubus blends right into the medieval-themed crowd. Weekend-warriors begin dropping like flies. 

Now the geeks must step up and become real heroes before their fellow LARPers get torn to pieces by a real-life demon.

The Flavor:

"The Knights of Badassdom" is far from perfect. While the premise is sheer gold, much of the story is rushed and the comedy hit-or-miss. The film received mixed reviews upon release, and while I understand the criticism, I personally fall into the positive camp. I believe "Knights of Badassdom" is destined for cult-classic status in a few years. There's enough charm to elevate the film past its less effective moments.

First off, while parodying the LARPing world is as easy as shooting fish in a barrel, I applaud "Knights of Badassdom" for taking the high road. Yes, it makes fun of LARPing, and we laugh along with the jokes. Then it actually introduces us into its world, and I'll be damned, it's portrayed as really cool. The film may poke fun at live action role playing, but it also gives us a peek into what makes the sport so appealing. There's a whole community of men and women acting out adventures, armor and all, and while it's all fake, when the stigma's removed and everyone's in on the fun, the experience seems thrilling. Yea, I may be biased, being a geek and all, but "Knights of Badassdom" really does celebrate the geeks.

The film also has a nice blend between slasher horror and genuine adventure flick. When the succubus is on her rampage, the blood flows freely. "Knights of Badassdom" doesn't skimp in the gore department, dispatching victims with the sort of gusto you'd see in a "Friday the 13th" movie. It's not so much scary as it is a brutal display of what this creature is really capable of. It both works make our villain imposing and to throw some serious viscera at the screen.

On the adventure side, once our cast heroes-up and decides to become the warriors they've always pretended to be, "Knights of Badassdom" plays up some fun adventure tropes. From improvised weapons, botched spellcasting, and a ragtag party, the film plays out like the cast were using a actual Dungeons and Dragons strategy guide to fight the real monster. This is where the humor really shines.

Finally, the film gets extra points for a hysterical performance by Peter Dinklage, who's stoner-turned-avenger Hung steals every scene he's in.  

Best Paired With:

This appears like a horror comedy that makes fun of nerds, but those most enamored with fantasy will actually have the most fun with. The film has plenty of in-jokes and nods, more loving parody than mean-spirited jab. There's also plenty of action and campy gore to satisfy.

The casual viewer may not get all the jokes, but will still have a good time.

Brew: 

Let's see, here we have a horror-adventure-comedy, so we should keep things light. But with an interesting, distinct twist on the norm..

Name: Fall Hornin'

Brewery: Anderson Valley

Where Brewed: Boonville, CA

ABV: 6.0%

Style: Pumpkin Ale

Color:  Unlike its pumpkin-ale brothers, Fall Hornin' has a color that's deep, dark red. So much so that the brew looks like a brown ale when poured into a glass. You'll find none of the standard orange tones here.

Aroma: The Fall Trio (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove) are all well represented on the nose, and with them that signature vegetable twinge of pumpkin. The malt presence is also toastier than most other pumpkin beer scents. Seeing how dark this beer is, I'm expected that toasted malt quality to carry over into the taste.

Taste: The malts are a bit toasty, but only just so. More of their flavor is the bready sort of goodness you'd find in a more golden-bodied ale. The spices hit hard in the flavor department, with cinnamon in particular playing alpha to the nutmeg and clove. As the flavors settle, more of the roasted quality of the malt becomes noticeable, especially once the slightly-bitter kick of hop appears in the background.

The hops are dry on the tongue, and change up the flavor profiles from the early taste. At first, Fall Hornin' comes off like a typical pumpkin ale. Nice array of spices, just a tad of pumpkin flavor, and a dose of malts. Once the hops appear, the sweetness of the malt recedes, leaving only the roasted notes behind. This combines with the warming quality of the cinnamon to make for a very different closing flavor. It's almost as if each sip provides two unique tasting experiences, like drinking two beers at once.

Aftertaste: The mild hops stick to the tongue slightly, but not so much as the spice factor. Cinnamon can be detected on the taste buds minutes after taking a sip. But nicely, that cinnamon isn't the sweet sort. Rather, it's the warming variety boosted by the bitter hop and toasty malt.

Body: I'm very surprised, as Fall Hornin' is far lighter in heft than I would've thought. It's dark tone led me to believe the experience would come in at medium. But Fall Hornin' goes down like air. At 6.0%, watch your volume intake. I can easily see this brew creeping up on you if you're not careful.

Pair: As a pumpkin ale with a little extra roast, I can see Fall Hornin' pairing equally well with pub fare or a heartier dishes like stew. If you've still got the grill out on the patio, this brew would go great with burgers and sausages. But if the chill of the season has taken hold, Fall Hornin' should pair up just as well with home-style cookin'.