Brewery: Local Option
Beer: Walk ov Shame
Style: Saison/Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 5.8%
Character: Brewed with only the finest ingredients of malt, hops, yeast, water, time, and temperature. (according to their label)
Ratings: BA: — | RB: 73
Metal Connection: IMMOLATION – Father, You’re Not a Father
BeerMetal Rating: 3.5/5
You see this beer right here? This, this is the reason BeerMetal.net exists! When a brewery releases a beer with such a killer label that looks like it could be on a Death, Grindcore, or Black Metal album, I plan to seek it out, drink it, and review it for this site! I have had the fortunate pleasure to have a few different beers from Local Option, but this is the first one I have been able to feature. I may still post the older ones as I still have the tasting notes, but I am not sure yet.
A huge thanks goes out to my buddy, and fellow Craft Beer Blogger, Jorge Espinoza of animebeers.com for helping me get my grubby little hands on this beer.
What can be said about this label except for the words “Fuckin’ Hell, this is awesome!” Local Option knocked an Unholy Home Run with this beer label. As I said earlier, it could easily be used as an album cover for some Satanic Metal band. “They know not what they do” is scrolled at the top of the label giving this beer a catch phrase worthy of the actual drawing. The main colors used are teal and purple, giving this a happy cartoon like feel to the evilness within. OK, the art… God damn! Local Option’s mascot, the skull head guy is sitting spread eagle at an altar, naked with a cloth over his crotch. Our hero is rubbing himself as if he just finished having a great fuck session. Walking away from the inverted cross altar is an older priest, who is crying and holding himself as if he was just violated beyond belief. He is on the ‘Walk ov Shame” as he leaves the sinister altar boy. Way to go Local Option!
Walk ov Shame was a clear golden honey color topped with a 3/4 of an inch white foamy head. There was great head retention, leaving a large sheet of lacing as I drank down this beer.
Right away there was a heavy yeasty bread dough scent, followed by barnyard funk, hay, straw, earthiness, floral notes, and very mild spices in the background. There was a strong fizzyness to the nose due to heavy carbonation. It felt like smelling a tonic water.
Exactly like the nose! Upfront bread yeast hitting the palate first, quickly followed by flavors of barnyard funk, hay, straw, earthiness, floral notes, and some nice added spices which showcase more in the flavor than in the nose. Overall though, the flavors were a bit muted. The aftertaste was barnyard funk, earthiness, and bread yeast.
The body was a bit light. The mouthfeel was chewy, but very fizzy due to high carbonation. It felt like a spritzer. The finish was still chewy and fizzy.
Dammit, I really wanted to love this beer, but unfortunately the overall flavor of this beer was so muted my the high carbonation. I know this beer has the potential to be great, but just not this batch, I guess. I am really hoping to get my hands on another bottle of this beer, and compare to see if a newer batch isn’t so carbonated. I love Saison/Farmhouse Ales. It’s one of my favorite styles. I still gave this beer a positive rating of 3.5/5. Give this beer a chance if you are in the Chicago area or if you have awesome friends who can send you a bottle!
Metal Connection: Once upon a time there was a Death Metal band from Yonkers, NY known as Rigor Mortis. They released a few demos, then eventually evolved into the purveyors of evil, Immolation. This Death Metal giant released their debut full length album, Dawn of Possession, on R/C Records in 1991. This album quickly became a cult icon, a classic Death Metal album that was influential to many bands to come. Immolation is still active to this day, and they have released 9 full length albums, and their 10th album, Atonement, is set to be released in February, 2017.
On the band’s 4th studio album, Close to a World Below, released in 2000 on Metal Blade Records they recorded a track called “Father, you’re Not a Father.” This is our Metal Connection here for Walk ov Shame, as the lyrics deal with the perversion of a pedophiliac rapist priest. I thought the lyrics fit with this beer label rather perfectly, don’t you?
Bless me father
For you’ve sinned against me
It’s been one week
since you’ve raped meHoly Father, your spirit inside me
Holy Father, robbed my virtue
Holy Mary, mother of Christ
The fruit of thy womb has poisoned meFather, you’re not a father
Rapist, selfish taker of youth
The fires you cast out
I promise you for eternityOur father who aren’t in heaven
Inside of me, my soul is lost
My manhood, so miniscule, was stolen
The Rosary has gripped tight around my neck
I hailed Mary…Over and over again
You’ve failed Mary
You’ve raped Mary…Over and over again
You’ve walked beside me, but I was aloneYou’ve walked on top of me, crushing me
My innocence and my emotions
Were wiped away and you didn’t care
You just hid behind your collar
The hardest time, I was helpless
And it was too late, much too lateTouch me I’m warm, but not alive
Feel my hot breath, but I’m not living
Dead inside, Alone forever
Father why…Father whyFather, you’re not a father
Rapist, selfish taker of youth
The fires you cast out
I promise you for eternity
Beer Metal Media 