PhantomBrews

Jhator

6.1%   Tibetan Rice Saison  - Jhator - Sky Burial

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Apricot, Jasmine, Juniper & Himalayan Rice
Inspired by Chhaang, a Nepalese and Tibetan alcoholic beverage drank during funerals.

slow slicing

8.3 %  Asiatic Sour Ale  brewed with Rice Sugar, Soured on Mandarin Oranges, Lemongrass and Conditioned on Yuzu Zest

Iron Cage

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6.2%  Helles Bock brewed with Barke Vienna malt and Lagered on Lightly Charred Oak

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Balanced Malt sweetness, light caramel, toasted vanilla, Chardonnay oak, Noble backdrop

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The origin of the Helles Bock / Einbock came from Einbeck, Germany where this execution took place. The grain & hops used also came from this region while the water profile was replicated from the town of Einbeck. 

Since the fire that took place was blamed on the victim, to further tie-in, the beer was lagered on lightly charred oak.

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Einbeck, Germany: 1540 CE -

A large citywide fire broke out during a particularly dry season, killing around 500 people. The culprit looked to be a drunk Shepard, but quickly spiraled into a witch hunt conspiracy where everyone was blamed, from Heinrich Diek, to the Duke, Martin Luther, The Pope and even the King.

Diek, a bailiff with hostility towards Lutheranism ultimately ended up being blamed for the fire. He was promptly tortured for a confession and finally executed via the Iron Cage.

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Tortured with “glowing irons”, fire pokers were left in the flames until brought to the skin while being questioned. When answers sought remained elusive the pokers made contact. (Further accounts in this instance are difficult to happen upon, but torture often falls back on eye for an eye, and it’s not a large leap to imagine more fire may have been involved.)

After Diek was tortured he was slathered in sugar/honey and thrown in the Iron Cage. The insects and carrion feeders devoured his broken body until his eventual death from exposure. 

His decomposing corpse dangled for a year from the tower beside the city gates as a message to all possible future arsonists.

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The iron cage illustrated here was the actual device used and still resides in the Einbeck Town, preserved in the town hall to this day.

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Pairs well with:

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Metal:

Umbravoid - Evolutionis alieni 

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Savory:

Pork Schnitzel 

Bratwurst

Zwiebelkuchen

Zwiebelsuppe

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Sweet:

Bavarian Cheesecake

Käsekuchen

Apfelstrudel

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Cheese:

Emmentaler

Aged Gouda

Kai Tangata

 8.6  %  abv -  New Zealand IPA with Wakatu & Southern Cross Freestyle Hops  

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Sugared Strawberries, Grandma's Purse Candy, Bergamot, Soft Wood Spice Aromatics, Kiwi Center, Candied Lemon Rind, Key Lime Pie, Floral Jasmine, Pineapple Gelato.

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A New Zealand Execution, Hopped Exclusively with New Zeraland Hops

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Translated to "Man Eater",  Kai Tangata is a Maori word and owes its origins to mythology and the practice within the culture.

One of the most notable cases was The Boyd Massacre in December 1807.  Maori from Ngati Pou,  killed and ate over 66 crew members of a ship in retaliation for punishing and whipping Te Ara, the son of the Rangatira (Chieftain).  Tensions had already been high amongst the local village due t a previous ship bringing disease.

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The punishment by an outside authority in the Maori culture was a great slight, and the indignity removed "mana" (possession of Energy and Power) which warranted "utu" (balance/restorative justice).

One of the few ways to restore "Mana", is to consume your enemies.  This was also viewed as the most vengeful and degrading thing one could do to another.  The ultimate poetic retaliation of eating your enemy and turning him into your excrement.

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The Boyd ship crew members were brought to the deck of the ship where they were killed and dismembered, the body parts then brought to shore and some of the flesh consumed.  In the aftermath, the Spanish vessel "City of Edinburgh" reported seeing piles of bones on the shoreline.

Pairs well with :

Errors of Humanity - "Towers of Human Skulls"

Executioner of Artwork :  @inkrituals

saXum Tarpeium

9.2 %  Roman Style  IPA - Saxum Tarpeium brewed with Spelt, Wheat, Barley, Blossom Honey, conditioned on Sauvignon Blanc Grapes, Enigma and Nelson Sauvin

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Green tea pearls, dank onion grass, lemony balm, cedar wood.  Pineapple honeysuckle, Semillon wine, buckwheat honey, apple blossom.

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Brewed with ingredients similar to what was in alcoholic beverages available to soldiers in Ancient Rome, using hops to compliment those flavors.

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The Tarpeian Rock was a 25 meter (80ft) cliff in ancient Rome that was used for executions.  Traitors, Murderers and perjurers were the most common that were flung from this cliff, but the execution was considered a fate worse than death.  to be executed for Saxum Tarpeium carried the stigma of shame, as it was reserved for those guilty of the most notorious acts of treason.

Most notably was the Vestal Virgin Tarpeium for whom the place was named, daughter of the Commander of the Citadel, Spurius Tarpeius.  While Rome was besieged by the Sabines, she approached them and offered entry to the city for "what they bore on their arms".  While she meant the bracelets and jewels, the Sabines gave her them along with their shields which they piled upon her, crushing her to death.  Her body was then cast her from the cliff and eventually buried there.

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The cliff still stands today as one of Rome's Seven Original hills of Rome. The depictions of the torture of Lady Tarpeia adorns Denarius coins from 19 BCE & 89 BCE.

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Pairs well with :

Orphan -  "Mount of Olives"

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The BreaKing Wheel

5.2 %  Kölsch - the Breaking Wheel brewed with Cologne Malt and German Callista Hops


Light Spritzy, Segmented citrus, bright Apricot preserves, passionfruit, black currant jam, touch of clean malt
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The origin of the Kölsch came from Cologne, Germany where this execution took place. The grain & hops used also came from this region while the water profile was replicated from the town of Cologne.
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The Breaking wheel sometimes phrased as being “broken on the wheel” or “wheeled” was a public torture and execution method, primarily used during the Middle Ages.
The execution wheel was usually a large carriage wheel, sometimes modified with sharpened edges made of iron. Either a blunted instrument or another wheel was used to break the limbs of the condemned.
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Women and children had been actively disappearing around the town of Bedburg near Cologne during the mid to late 15th century. A werewolf was suspected after seeing a wolf missing the left forepaw in the area, and a man was accused after missing the same limb.
Peter (Stübbe) Stumpf was tortured and stretched on the rack before confessing to using black magic, being a werewolf, and murdering and eating 14 children, along with 2 pregnant women who’s fetuses “he ripped from the womb, eating hot and raw….dainty morsels”. One of the children was his own son whom he brought into the woods before allegedly transforming into a werewolf. Where his insatiable bloodlust prevailed consuming his son and eating his brain.
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Cologne, Germany 1589 CE
“With red-hot pincers, Flesh was torn from his body, then flaying began on the legs. His limbs were then broken with the blunt side of an axe head before being beheaded and set ablaze upon the wheel”
He was tortured and executed with his daughter and mistress who were flayed and strangled before him. Local authorities then set the torture wheel upon a pole, featuring a figure of a wolf atop it, alongside Stumpfs severed head.
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Pairs well with:
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Metal:
Mana Tomb, Set Fire to the Sky - Wolfsbane
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Savory:
Bratwurst
Fish & Chips
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Sweet:
Bienenstich
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Cheese:
Butterkase
Stilton with dried apricots

Testa di Moro

6.9% Sicilian Sour Saison
Soured on Strawberries and brewed with Egyptian Basil, Italian Pilsner malt, Belma & Mosaic
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Pink Nerds aromatics, broken basil stems, Dry Acidic bite, champagne with strawberry, grandmas strawberry candy, strawberry fruit leather, pink lemonade powder, extremely dry herbal finish
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Brewed with Eraclea Pilsner malt grown in Italy around 250miles North of Palermo, and with Strawberries & Basil from North Africa where some of the Moors resided.
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Testa di Moro or “Moors Head” has slight variations of the tale, but in the end the victim all shares the same fate.
Set during the height of the Moors domination in Sicily, in the 11th century, there was a young woman from Palermo. She was the envy of local residents as they admired her balcony garden that she would tend to daily. 
A young Moor passing by her balcony saw her and they fell in love. It was brief as her lover had a secret and declared he would soon leave, back to North Africa, to his wife and children.
Infuriated by his deception and for forsaking their love, she killed him while he slept. She then decapitated him and used his head as a vase for her beautifully flowered balcony, so that even in death he would remain with her. She planted it with basil and as the head decayed it fertilized the plant and flourished. The neighborhood was so drawn to the aroma and growth that her secret soon got out. The locals fashioned clay pots to resemble a Moor’s head and planted them with basil hoping the shape of the vessel was the key to the growth.
You will see these Moor's head ceramic pots dotting balconies, steps and as wall hangings in Palermo, Sicily to this day.


Executioner of Artwork:
IG @inkrituals
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Pairs well with…
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Metal:
Face Yourself -

 " RED "
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Savory:
Balsamic Chicken & Goat Cheese over Mesclun

Sweet:
Italian Cheesecake

Mizuharitsuke

11.3% - TRIPLE  IPA  - Mizuharitsuke is brewed with Moshio and TDH with Pacific Sunrise, Talus & HBC 630

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Papaya, floral mock orange, peaches and cream aromatics.

Balanced hop bite of ruby red grapefruit, cedar and spice, finishing with passionfruit, cherry blossoms & kiwi.

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Brewed with traditional Moshio sea salt from the same region, Moshio is rich in minerals for yeast health as well as serving as a pleasant umami backdrop to showcase the sweet bright flavors of the hops.

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Moshio is the earliest known prepared sea salt produced in Japan over 2,500 years ago.

Prepared by spreading seaweed on beaches to dry in between storms, then boiling that dried seaweed in water collected from tidal pools.

This saturated salty brine and seaweed was then fired in a clay pot to crystallize the salt and seaweed into forming a “salt ash”.

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In Japan from the 15th to 17th century the shogunate was responsible for over 435 executions of people for their religious beliefs. The government found it poetically fitting for believers to die in the manner of the deity they believed in. Mizu meaning water, and haritsuke, crucifixion, these were mostly carried out en masse and the deceased left for a minimum of three days on display.

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The condemned was affixed to a crucifix at the waters edge at low tide. As the tide rose the victims would gasp for breaths between waves.

This could be prolonged for days until they would succumb to exhaustion or being eaten alive by scavengers in the shallows.

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Pairs well with:

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Distant -

"Heritage"

Agam Kuan

 15.6% - MASALA CHAI IMPERIAL STOUT - Agam Kuan is brewed with Jaggery,  Tea and cold aged on Indian Vanilla & Toasted Chai Spices 

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Sweet spice, ginger and cola aromatics.  Chai Latte with light espresso notes, balanced salted caramel, sweet tea.   Fucking Chai.

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Originating from India, as was the execution, Masala Chai was originally enjoyed for its health benefits rather than a recreational beverage. 

A robust grain bill was complemented by toasting spices and traditional ingredients of: 

Assam black tea, cinnamon, black peppercorns, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, fresh ginger, Jaggery and milk sugar (lactose).  Indian Vanilla added coldside complements the spices with its sweet woodsy flavor.

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Agam Kuan, or the “unfathomable well” in Hindi is an ancient well located in Patna India. Commissioned by Emperor Ahsoka (~265-232 B.C.E.) during his reign for torture, execution, intimidation and disposal of his enemies.

Legend states that it served as a portal to Patala (The Netherworld), and Ashokas own edict described it as “hell on earth”.

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At over 105ft deep and a diameter of 20ft, it was built with 43ft of brick in the upper half and 62ft of wooden rings in the lower.  The well would be set on fire before casting convicts into the fiery depths.

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To avoid any contesting of the throne, Ashoka gathered 99 of his elder half-brothers and had them decapitated.  He then set the well ablaze and cast all 99 heads into the flames, securing his rule of the Mauryan Empire.

Pairs well with:

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In Gloom

- "Wise"

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The Reaping

22.4%  Stout  -  4 Year Anniversary Barrel Aged   scaphism. 

Aged 3 Years in hand selected Wet Bourbon barrels.   Wax Tooth accessory cans were available at release.

Thank you ALL for making 4 Years possible.

This is for you

Flayed

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9.6% - IMPERIAL  OAT  IPA - Flayed is brewed with 5 Oat Varietals and Dry Hopped with Zythos, Pacifica and Azacca.

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Ripe Mango, Marmalade, Soft Coconut and Sweetgrass aromatics.  A massive base of Oat Varietals provide the mouthfeels foundation for Tangelo, Sugared Grapefruit, Segmented Mandarin, Sweet Tarts and Meyer Lemon balanced by a bitter hop finish.

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The Genetic Origin of Oats in its wild ancestral form can be traced back to the Fertile Crescent, the same region where the Assyrian Empire dominated rule.

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Ashurnasirpal II and his Son, Shalmaneser III, were ruthless military Conquerors who became infamous for their treatment of the conquered cities by Burning, Decapitating, Flaying their enemies alive and nailing their skin to the city walls - were their preferred methods.

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The rebelling city of Ki-Ka and their leader suffered one of the most merciless displays of such cruelty. After making the leader, Ahuni, Son of Adini, watch the decapitation of all his soldiers, he was Flayed alive, his skin pinned to the city wall before they proceeded to set the city ablaze with the women and children inside.

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          "300 of their warriors I cut down with the sword. A Pillar (tower) of heads I erected

           in front of the city... His cities I destroyed, devastated, I burned with fire."     

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                   * Ancient records of Assyria and Babylonia

                     (C 1926 University of Chicago)

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Pairs well with :

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Aversions Crown -

" Scourge of Violence "

the Defenestration of Prague

5.4% - Bohemian Pilsner - the Defenestration of Prague is fermented and Lagered for over three months on French Oak.

Vanilla, Wood, Soft Malt, Noble Hop Spice and sweet current aromatics.

Fresh Oak, Toasted Marshmallow, Lemon Meringue, punctuated with a crisp hop bitterness.

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Bohemia was the origin for this execution and as such, all the ingredients are from that Region - Bohemian Floor Malted Pilsner, Kazbek Hops - along with mimicking the water profile.

The word "Defenestrate" already existed in Middle French {out of the window} hence why French Oak was used.

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The Defenestration of Prague had three notable events in 1419, 1483 and 1618.  The first triggered the Hussite Wars and the Third launched the Thirty Years War.

In 1419, Jan Zelivsky, a Hussite Priest, led a congregation of followers to the new town hall in Prague.  While marching, a stone was thrown from the building, which enraged the mob and they stormed the town  Hall. The group then cast the Judge, Burgomaster and Town Council Members from the window where they fell to their deaths.

In total, seven members of the City Counsel were Defenestrated by a crowd of Czech Hussites on July 30th 1419.

Pairs well with :

Hive - 

"Subjugated Identity"

Executioner of Artwork:
@inkrituals

Bamboo Torture-

9.6% - IPA - Bamboo Torture with Bamboo Shoots, Toasted Rice and Dry Hopped w/ Akoya & Styrian Dragon

Stories have reported to this torture to have been in use in China, India and Japan.
A civilian traveler from Madras had referred its use as a well known punishment in Ceylon, Malays alleged the Siamese used the nipah palm sprout in the same method during the 1821 invasion of Kedah.  Allied POW’s during WWII have also circulated these stories witnessing other prisoners succumbing to their fate also as a tool of psychological torture.

The growth rate of bamboo at 2.91 ft/day or 1.5 inches/hr and the ability to puncture through asphalt is what gives this torture with minimal historic evidence such viability.

Securing the victim horizontally over young bamboo shoots, the sharp tipped sprouts would slowly puncture the skin with any minimal movements causing excruciating pain.  As hours ticked by, the fast growth would impale the persons back, then completely pierce through the body.  Taking several days to die from internal bleeding and blood loss, paired with the mental anguish of watching foreign life puncture through your being.

Ripe kiwi, honeydew & yuzu aromatics, mochi mouthfeel, sweet passion fruit, cantaloupe, lychee candy, soft citrus, green tea, balancing peppercorn finish


Pairs well with:
Darko US -

"Dragon Chaser"


Executioner of Artwork:
@inkrituals

Chelsea Grin

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6.7 % -  SOUR ALE -  Chelsea Grin is soured on Strawberries and Raspberries with Earl Grey Tea and Bergamot Orange Zest

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Floral, rosewater, sharp citrus, Mimosa with Strawberry slices, raspberry jam, balanced with bitter orange and tannic tea finish

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While gaining notoriety in Scotland, the Glasgow Smile was later adopted by the Chelsea Headhunters as their grisly calling card.

Known as the Glasgow Smile, Chelsea Grin or Chelsea smile, these gangs may have not been the originators of this disfiguring torture.

One of the earliest recorded victims of the Chelsea Grin was William Joyce, a fascist British politician, who received it Oct. 22, 1924, in Lambeth, London. 

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The Chelsea Grin was a signature performed on those unlucky enough to suffer at the hands of the Chelsea Headhunters. Given to rival gang members or the unfortunate victims of muggings, the act slices a person from the corners of the mouth towards each ear.

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Inspired by the flavors of an English High Tea consisting of a “dead man’s arm”

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Soured on whole Strawberries & Raspberries, brewed with Earl Grey Tea & Bergamot Orange Zest, then fermented with strawberries and raspberries.

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Pairs well with:

Chelsea Grin - 

 "Dead Rose"

Executioner of Artwork:
@inkrituals

Gunga Rao

8.3 % - SOUR IPA -  Gunga Rao is Soured on Pineapple & Coconut,  with Moroccan Mint, Sabro, Kohatu & Cashmere hops. 

Execution by Elephant or Gunga Rao,  originated in India & Southeast Asia as early as the 5th Century.  The versatility of Pachyderms is best described by their unique ability to torture humans  They would toss victims between each other, crush the breath from lungs, burst heads like grapes beneath their feet, dismember - courtesy of blades attached to their feet - and "rearrange" internal organs using tusks outfitted with weapons.  Their sheer strength and remarkable intelligence made them ideal for executing such in depth torture. 

Elephants were used by Rulers to show their indomitable rule AND CONTROL over all beings.

The Muslim traveler and scholar Ibn Battuta, visiting Delhi in the 1330's, had left the following eyewitness account:

" Their hoofs were cased with sharp iron instruments and the extremities of these were like knives. . . . when a man was thrown  to them, they would wrap the trunk about him and toss him up, then take him with the teeth and throw him between their fore feet upon the breast . . . if the order (from the Emperor ) was to cut him to pieces , the elephant would do so with his irons, and then throw the pieces among the assembled multitude : but if the order was to leave him, he would be left lying before the Emperor , until the skin should be taken off,  and stuffed with hay,  and the flesh given to the dogs"

Coconuts were first cultivated on the islands in Southeast Asia, India and throughout islands in the Indian Ocean,  while India has been the largest consumer, producer and exporter of the mint for decades.

Paired with certain hops to accentuate the flavors present in the adjuncts, sour juicy pineapple and tropical hop notes battle for first presence, followed by starfruit, sweet coconut, slight cedar and fresh mint.

Acidic flavors of bromelian pineapple and Persian limes subside for an invasive coconut backdrop balanced by hop bitterness, green tea and cooling mint zip for a refreshing finish.

Pairs well with :

Lorna Shore -

" Immortal "

sororicide

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15.5% - IMPERIAL STOUT -  Sororicide with Honey Roasted Peanuts, Peanut Butter, Ecuadorian Cacao & Indian Vanilla

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Let me start by saying that I love my Sister and she is an amazing Sibling.  That being said,  this is her being impaled by a Reaper reaching through her abdomen.

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I remember the night my Parents told me they were  going to come back with who I would learn to call " Baby Sista ".  Since then, growing up together has been nothing but sibling torture and endless laughter.

She is strong, protective and once fought off two muggers while defending a helpless friend.  The rare kind of thoughtful, who keeps extra umbrellas in her car to give to strangers walking in the rain.

"Radio Daily Broadcast" was the only class we ever shared together, and now she's dying , doing what she loved "On Air" as the Reaper reaches through her, pulling the microphone closer.  Capturing her last words as her favorite inanimate Gnome looks on in horror.

You can hear her bubbly energy cast across the radio waves at B95.5 FM  Albany from Poughkeepsie to Vermont.

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Im beyond proud to be her brother, and for you to enjoy her Dark Chocolate PB Cup inspired beer on

National Siblings Day !

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The Daughter of Matricide & Patricide,  this grain bill naturally inspired by both, while using more malts focused on delivering more nutty and dark chocolate notes.

Made with 200lbs of our favorite Peanut Butter (shoutout to Mum for helping me scoop out all those jars!),  while cold conditioning on Honey Roasted Peanuts, Ecuadorian Cacao & Indian Vanilla.

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Rich roasted nut aromatics, toasted almond and hazelnut.  Oily peanut butter whisky, viscous honey and candied peanut warmth, hint of Belgium dark chocolate black cherry cordial, slick hot fudge finish.

***Recommended to pour in glass and leave the last 1/2 oz in can, as there was a fuckload of PB in this beer and it does settle ***

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Since my Sis is a powerful woman while insisting on singing EVERYTHING Operatic . . . 

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this beer . . .

. . .Pairs well with :

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Iwresteledabearonce -

"Tastes like Kevin Bacon"

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Blood Eagle  

7.5 % - SCANDINAVIAN SOUR ALE -  Blood Eagle is soured on D'Anjou Pears, Lingonberries, Hawthornberries, Cloudberries, Tart Cherries, Strawberries & Plums.

Originally written in Skaldic poetry and appearing in Norse literature, the Blood Eagle , while having mythological roots also has some "rock solid" evidence.   Stor Hammars  I (a n  early Viking Age picture stone dated around 600CE )  appears to depict the Blood Eagle and features a Valknut axe doing the deed.  Amongst other death rites, the line is blurred between fact and fiction but features the victims Prince Halfdan Haaleg, King AElla of NorthUmbria with Earl Einarr and Ivar the Boneless  respectively as the executioners themselves.

The victim would be tied face down against a rock or in crouched positions, then while still alive, the process would begin.  Using a sharp weapon starting at the neck, the rib cage would be broken from the spine.  Working down to the tailbone and meticulously breaking each rib.  Once completely separated from the spine, the ribs would be opened like a book while the skin would be stretched outward with rope.  The now exposed lungs would be lifted out and impaled in the broken rib cage.  The lungs slowly inflating would grant the illusion of the flapping of wings.  For good measure, salt was rubbed into the skin and the last writhing of the condemned - ultimately giving the torture its moniker.

Aside from a wildly eclectic diet of meat, fish, bread, cheese and dried fruits that were traded for,  the Vikings were foragers and farmers.  They would collect all forms of wild berries from their surroundings and grew orchards, some of which included:  Lingonberries, Hawthorn berries, Cloudberries, Pears, Strawberries, Plums and Tart Cherries

Poached pear, floral pear blossoms, pink peppercorns spice, candied plum skin and underlying Port wine nose.

Explosive natural fruit punch and fruit leather, flavors of berry medley, strawberry rhubarb, juicy plum and macerated Bing Cherry.  Cranberry bite in the finish with Ligonberry and Cloudberry dry tartness.

Pairs well with :

Dissection - 

"Night's Blood" 

CrucifiXion - 

Third servile War

10.6% - DIPA - Crucifixtion \ Third Servile War  with Sacramental Bread, Calypso, Vic Secret & Simcoe.

Also known as the Gladiator War/War of Spartacus. An uprising of 70 slave-gladiators started a revolution and grew to over 120,000. After two years they were ultimately defeated and the remaining 6,000 subsequently Crucified along the Appian Way. Over those 200km/124mi there was a Crucifix every ~100ft.

The condemned was affixed with arms spread across the patibulum, and nails driven through the wrists. Over 500 years the Romans “perfected” this where they would miss vital blood vessels and hit the median nerve, while still supporting the weight of the body. The patibulum was hoisted with the victim onto the supporting post, the legs then set to either side, where nails would be driven through the ankles between the Talus and Calcaneus. 

Lasting anywhere between a few hours to several days, the condemned died due to Dehydration, Fatigue, Progressive Asphyxia, Shock, and/or Trauma.

Due to the weight of your own body pulling down against your outstretched arms, inhaling would come easy but expelling the air from your lungs to exhale would not. Pulling your body up from the nails through your wrists or pushing down against the nails through your heel-bone it’s no wonder why this torture spawned the word “Excruciating”.

The body was then left to be picked apart by scavengers before the nails and wood would be retrieved for future executions.

“That most wretched of deaths”

this atrocious execution method is recognized worldwide, immortalized by Jesus of Nazareth. To canonize on that fact, Sacramental Bread (Eucharist, communion wafers, the body of Christ) were used in the mash.

Spruce tips and bright citrus are blanketed by pungent dank hop fragrance. 

Flavors of Crisp wheat, soft dried apple, punchy tropical fruit, green tea and clean earthy bitterness balanced by a spicy citrus edge and drying alcohol finish.

***Recommended to pour in glass leaving last dregs in can***

Pairs well with: 

Angelmaker -

"Bloodthirster"

Windlass of Erasmus

6.7% -  GOSE -  Windlass of Erasmus  with Blackberries, Blackcurrants and Black Sea Salt combine for an approachable 

sour with Cabernet Sauvignon notes and blood-like color and viscosity. Jammy, earthy, cassis, light brine and back of the palate tartness.

Based more off of Nicolas Poussin’s 17th Century painting as well as the 15th Century Medieval fresco in the Bastad Church, than on the many exaggerated accounts of his torture and miraculous escapes. The Patron Saint of Sailors and Seafarers ultimately succumbed to the torture of having his stomach slit open and his intestines wound around a Windlass. 

He tended to the frequenters of the eastern ports of Italy. Sailors and Seafarers whom during storms saw flashes of blue electrical charges hitting their masts and rigging, interpreted this phenomenon as St Erasmus’ Protection, also known as St Elmo’s Fire.

Pairs well with : 

Oceano - 

“The Great Tribulation”

Drawn & Quartered

10% - IMPERIAL IIII IPA -  Drawn & Quartered is a Quadruple dry Hopped Imperial India Pale Ale. 

The revised version of Drawn & Quartered closely resembles the original in process.  The major difference with this batch is the substantial addition of fresh 2020 Nelson (2019 wasn't a great crop year and overall did not hold up to Nightmare Quality Standards, so the amount was lowered in those previous iterations)

Drawn & Quartered has hops thrown in each vessel of the brewing process - Mash, Kettle, Fermentor & Brite - as well as four separate times during fermentation.  By featuring different hops at different times and stages, the flavors and aromatics range drastically.  Nectarine, mango and underlying white wine aromatics.  Soft up front with tropical notes, mango, ripe pineapple, tangerine and lychee flavors.  Finishes with a dank bite and alcohol warmth on the back end.    Featuring Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy, Enigma & Citra   along

with   the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse  -  War, Pestilence, Famine & Death. 

Enjoy fresh before it brings about the end of days...

Pairs well with : 

Shadow of Intent - 

“The Prelude to Bereavement”

Art Executioner :  Ink Rituals

scaphism

17% - IMPERIAL STOUT  -  Scaphism  with milk sugar and honey ,  aged on Tahitian Vanilla and Organic Cacao Nibs, give it the needed chocolate bitterness and depth. Flavors of rich dark fruit, chocolate babka, plum, fig and cherries. Roastly, soft spice and French Vanilla aromatics. 

It took the first victim 17 days to expire - sustained by only milk and honey…  hence a 17% ABV and brewed with milk sugars and honey. 

   Scaphism: -  " ... two boats are joined together, one on top of the other, with holes cut in them in such a way that the victim’s head, hands and feet are only left outside. Within these boats the man to be punished is placed on his back and the boats are then nailed together with bolts. Next they pour a mixture of milk and honey into the wretched man’s mouth, till he is filled to the point of nausea, smearing his face, feet and arms with the same mixture, and so leave him exposed to the sun. This is repeated every day, the effect being that flies, wasps and bees, attracted by the sweetness, settle on his face and all such parts of him as project outside the boats, and miserably torment and sting the wretched man. Moreover, his belly distended as it is with milk and honey, throws off liquid excrement, and these putrefying breed swarms of worms, intestinal and of all sorts. Thus the victim lying in the boats, his flesh rotting away in his own filth and devoured by worms, dies a lingering and horrible death.”           

- Joannes Zonaras-12th Century Byzantine Chronicler (based on Plutarch-1st Century)

Pairs well with : 

Slaughter to Prevail - 

“As the Vultures Circle”

Glasgow  smile

6.7% -  SOUR  -  Glasgow Smile  Soured on Wild Bilberries   grown in the Caledonian Forests of the Scots Pines, brewed with Heather (an ingredient used in Scotland Beers for 5,000 years), Lemon Zest, Black Sea Salt, then fermented with Raspberries and Blueberries. Maraschino sweet cherry, Açaí, raspberry jam, spice and cotton candy aromatics. Bilberry skin, tight bubbles of underripe raspberry, Heather earthiness mouthfeel. Floral, citrus pith, sweet tarts candy and dry champagne finish.

Originating from 1930’s era Scotland, the Glasgow Smile was a signature performed on those unlucky enough to suffer at the hands of the Glasgow Razor Gangs. Given to rival gang members or the unfortunate victims of muggings, the act slices a person from the corners of the mouth towards each ear. While seeming like ancient history, in 2008 knife related injuries were reported every six hours and the Glasgow Smile was executed at a minimum of once a week. 

Pairs well with :     

Chelsea Grin - “Crystal Casket ” 

       & 

The Black Dahlia Murder - 

“Closed Casket Requiem”

EXposure

10.1% -  DOUBLE IPA DRY HOPPED  - Exposure  with 100% Cryo* Mosaic and Citra. *Cryogenic process of preserving essential oils and resins at extremely low temperatures. Earthy herbal notes push through the boozy nose, until a presence of star fruit, honeydew and nectarine pit make themselves known. Initial cold hop bite of pine quickly dissipates to a balanced malt body, candied mandarin rind, strawberry jam and key lime zest.

Practitioners of FALUN GONG  ( a qigong meditation focused on moral philosophy, energetic exercises, breathing and promoting living in harmony )  were perceived as a threat by the Chinese Communist Regime. 

Since 1999 members were thrown into ‘re-education through labor” camps where they either renounced their beliefs or became victims of torture, organ harvesting and execution. Apart from forcing prisoners to lay face down in snow, throwing buckets of water on them in -20 degree environments and having them stand almost naked tied to a tree in Winter for 12 hour periods, EXPOSURE (also known as freezing torture) had been the governments favored form of persecution. In one instance, a woman on hunger strike, was chained to a tree in Winter. They returned the next day to find an icicle formed from her nose to her feet.

As of 2009, it’s estimated that at least 2,000 members had been tortured to death.

Pairs well with : 

Ovid’s Withering - 

“Panikon Deima”

Matricide

15.1% - IMPERIAL STOUT -  Matricide Cold Aged on toasted Coconut, Roasted Almonds, Ecuadorian Cacao,  Madagascar Vanilla

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Let me start by saying that I love my Mother and that she   isanamazing   parent . . . 

     That being said . . . 

the image is her being stabbed through the head with a paintbrush.

Born and raised in Chicago and a graduate of the School of The Art Institute of Chicago, she's always had a passion for Art and Life. She's always supported my dream of brewing beer and even went so far as to help me brew in her kitchen. It was only fitting to honor her by bringing her out to brew this batch with me - i hope you'll enjoy it as much as we did making it.

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The Greek word for Meraki (putting something of yourself into your work) and the quote : "They died doing what they loved" , came to mind in paying homage to her. There could be nothing more poetic and literal, than painting the Reaper into a self-portrait only for him to manifest - killing her with her paintbrush and adding to her painting.

The label also features the color of the Chicago flag, skyline and the colors of the wrapper of her favorite candy bar, in which I tried to emulate with the ingredients.

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Cold aged on Ecuadorian Cacao, toasted coconut and roasted almonds for over 6 weeks gives off complex boozy aromatics of coconut and almond. Deeper, heavier aromatics and flavors of fudge, black cherry, figs and dried apricots. Invasively viscous coconut notes on mouthfeel, almond almost comes off like Amaretto, crisp fudge brownie edges and an astringent bite of flavored coffee at the finish.

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Pairs well with : 

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Beyond All Recognition -

"Characters"

Mancuerda

10.2 % - MEDITERRANEAN  IIPA  DDH -  Mancuerda  with Galaxy, Comet and Polaris

Giovanni II Bentivoglio, the tyrant who ruled Bologna with a tight grip, sentenced Luca Gaurico to the torture of Mancuerda in 1504. The Italian Astronomer, Astrologer and Mathematician, was known for his scientific contributions and famously prophesied alongside Nostradamus. When Giovanni consulted the astrologist about about he and his sons destinies, displeasure was an understatement. Luca was subjected to the torture (which he survived) and exiled from Bologna.

Tight cords were wound around the limbs (usually arms) while the condemned was belted/secured to a stationary structure. The executioner would exert his weight opposite his victim or use leverage to pull the cords against themselves, the tightening eventually cutting through the skin, muscles and directly to the bone. Repeating until the stretching of limbs and cord slicing caused the victim to faint or expire.

A foundation of Eraclea Pilsner grown just 160km (100 miles) from the site of the bloodshed, provides a sticky sweet mouthfeel with hints of honey and aromatic lacing. Double dry hopped with Comet, Galaxy and Polaris as tribute to Luca Gaurico. While the Bentovoglio Family Crest emblazons the floor on the label.

Soft sweet pineapple mint, fresh cut onion grass and mandarin zest aromatics. White nectarine, sweet cantaloupe, star fruit and complemented by underlying eucalyptus. Juicy grapefruit flesh finish that lingers. 

Pairs well with: 

Rings of Saturn -

“Inadequate”

schwedentrunk

5.5% Schwarzbier
Schwedentrunk- Brewed with Southern German malt, Noble Hops & Lagered for Two months

French Roast Coffee, double chocolate cookie aromatics. Subtle spice, caramel, smoked figs, malted chocolate mouthfeel

Brewed with Southern German malts & (Noble) hops, while accented with a water profile from the same region the torture/execution originated.

During the course of the Thirty Years War 1618-1648, much of Central Europe was in turmoil and annexation. During which, 5-8 million people their lives, and Germany reportedly lost over 50% of its population. With little funding to take on such a war, military, mercenaries and even civilians were brought in to acquire territory. They were promised the spoils of war during raids and conquest to supplement their meager war wages.
When Swedish troops were pillaging German villages, torture was used to force victims to hand over what items they had, reveal where valuables may be hidden and make others watching more compliant. One of the tortures recorded in many histories of Southern German towns was Schwedentrunk, which translated to “Swedish Drink” in German. It was aptly named by the German victims and after its creation was widely used by international troops and marauders.

The victim was tied down and the mouth was pried open, and whatever unappetizing liquid on hand was funneled down their throats until their stomachs burst. While each case differed, in some instances boiling liquid was poured into wooden wedges or funnels causing blistering down the throat, until the belly was distended. The torturers would then tighten ropes, press wooden planks, step on the victims or stab the stomachs with sticks. Since liquids are incompressible, their stomachs burst under the pressure and a painful death shortly followed suit.



Pairs well with:
Immortal Disfigurement -

"Force-Fed"

Executioner of Artwork:
@inkrituals

Lingchi

8.1 % - ASIATIC SOUR ALE - Lingchi  soured on Apricots with Rice Sugar, Candied Ginger, Peach and  Apricot Puree. 

This first sour comes in a series which will be named after this torture's various  translations, while focusing on the flavorful unique ingredients originating from China.

A favorite of Emperors ruling in the Five Dynasty Period, this torture was employed for a century, lasting from 900 CE - before being banned in 1905.

Records from the Ming Dynasty reference over 3,000 incisions made on a single victim and some were tortured over the course of three days.

The scarcely clad victim was affixed to a pole or framework where the executioner would begin to methodically make small cuts across the entire body.  100 minor cuts gave way to removal of extremities: tongue, lips, ears, nose, fingers, toes and genitals. With extremities removed, the carving of large portions of skin would be next. Slicing the skin off the thighs, back and chest. Finally it was down to amputations before death came swift from blood-loss, decapitation or a stab to the heart delivered by  bribed executioner. The mutilated body would then be put on display for further humiliation.  Being not considered "whole", spiritually,  goes against the beliefs of filial piety and was a great dishonor.

Stone-fruit sherbet nose, floral backdrop to gummy peach ring and ginger sharpness. Mouthfeel of dried apricots, Riesling and sweet rice.

Puckering dry finish of fuzzy nectarine and balancing candied ginger zing.

Pairs well with :

Enterprise Earth -

"Hollow Face"

Parrilla

16.2% - IMPERIAL COFFEE STOUT -  Parilla  with Chilean Blueberries and Hand Roasted Coffee from   Flux Coffee.  

Coming from the Spanish word for "grill", Parrilla derives it's namesake from the way the victim was placed on a metal frame - like meat on a BBQ. 

Victims were stripped naked, blindfolded, strapped to a bed-frame with electrodes secured to various locations, with an uncomfortable amount of attention payed to the genitals (a conductor would be attached to a wire mesh bag around the male genitalia or steel wool inside the vagina).

The lead wired was often affixed to the frame or another part of the body, while the other electrode was fitted with a non-conductive handle where the torturer could hold it and move to sensitive parts of the body. Current would flow between the electrodes where the closer they were, the more intense the shock. This torturous pain would often cause violent muscle contractions resulting in fractured limbs and even death. Blindfolds were used to increase the sense of helplessness as the victim would never know where the pain would be focused.

To increase sensitivity, peppermint oil was typically used.

This was a favored tool of Chilean General Augusto Pinochet for his interrogations during his 1973-1990 Regime. His victims were estimated between 150,000 - 300,000 while over 3,000 were killed.

Pinochet is the one being tortured on the label with his ceremonious military sash hanging at the base of the bed-frame.

Using a unique blend of time and temperature, the roasting technique of Flux Coffee preserves the delicate flavors naturally found in the beans. This Ethiopian Honey Milled Coffee with notes of blueberry and jasmine is further exploited in the beer by using real blueberries.

A true coffee stout with rich coffee, cola nut and underlying fruity and floral aromatics.

Mouthcoating bubbly sharpness of espresso and bitter cacao subside for a smooth dark chocolate and coffee warmth.

Backend notes of chocolate covered blueberries and blueberry bourbon jam become more pronounced as it warms.

Pairs well with:

I, Valiance -

"The Pillars of Ruin"

Patricide

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15.1 % - IMPERIAL  STOUT  - Patricide Cold Aged on Toasted Coconut, Ecuadorian Cacao, Madagascan Vanilla

Let me start by saying that I love my Father and that he is an amazing parent.   That being said . . . this is him being decapitated by some ductwork.

Born and raised in the Bronx (Parkchester), one of six kids in a tiny apartment,  he's a compass for hard work and appreciation for family and friends.

He gave me my first sip of beer after some Summer yardwork and put me on a career path I couldn't derail.

He guided me through some rough patches and taught me about problem solving, working with my hands and commitment to my passions.

The Greek word Meraki, (putting something of yourself into your work) ,  and the quote "they died doing what they loved"  came to mind in paying homage to him.  A 'Tin Knocker" for most of his life, well liked by his peers and the pride he takes admiring his work is a thing of envy,  which is why it only makes sense to have the Reaper manning the controls of the crane  to swing the ductwork to remove his head.   Featuring a NYC  skyline , the label also features the colors of the wrapper of his favorite candy bar, in which I tried to emulate the ingredients.

 Patricide has a different grain bill than Matricide, implements different techniques and alternate amounts of ingredients to deliver a dark chocolate and coconut forward experience.

Cold aged for an extended stay on Ecuadorian Cacao and Toasted Coconut.  Intoxicating nose of rich coconut, brownie batter, black cherry brandy on a backdrop of slick coconut milk.

Deeper heavier aromatics and flavors of caramelized Hazelnuts, Black Forest Cake, dry Port.  Invasively viscous Coconut notes on mouthfeel, black cherry cordial, crisp fudge brownie edges, astringent bite of cacao balances at the finish.

With a keen interest in history, true crime, horror novels and Westerns,  he also may have inadvertently inspired Nightmare's Cornerstones.

As a paradigm for a tough as nails New Yorker, and with his love for Westerns . . .

this beer . . .

. . . . Pairs well with :

Pantera - 

"Cowboys from Hell"

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Executioner of Artwork:
@inkrituals

Blowing from a Gun

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10.5% -  DIPA -  Blowing from a Gun  Brewed with Indian Cane Sugar and Quintuple dry hopped with El Dorado, Calypso, Cashmere, Mosaic and Hull Melon hops.

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Based off Russian war artist Vasily Vereshchagin’s painting “Suppression of the Indian revolt”.

The painting depicts the events that occurred during the Indian rebellion of 1857 against the extended rule of the British Crown. The original painting was allegedly bought by the British Crown where it has been assumed to have been destroyed (current whereabouts unknown).

Captured soldiers were strapped with the cannon mouth pinned between their shoulder blades or small of the back.

Ropes bound arms and legs to the wheels on either side. The cannon is then typically loaded with a blank cartridge. The few times grapeshot was used, it created extensive shrapnel including shards of flesh and bone of the deceased, resulting in bystanders deaths or injuries resulting in amputation of limbs.

This method was used as early as 1509, but was almost globally used from the 16th-20th century along with the Mughal empire. The British adopted this method and used it well into the 18th century. It has even been used in recent years by Kim Jong Un executing officials with anti aircraft guns.

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“The prisoner is generally tied to a gun with the upper part of the small of his back resting against the muzzle. When the gun is fired, his head is seen to go straight up into the air some forty or fifty feet; the arms fly off right and left, high up in the air, and fall at, perhaps, a hundred yards distance; the legs drop to the ground beneath the muzzle of the gun; and the body is literally blown away altogether, not a vestige being seen.”

- George Carter Stent

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“a sickening, offensive smell pervaded the air, a stench which only those who have been present at scenes such as these can realize — the pungent odour of burnt human flesh. The artillerymen had neglected putting up back-boards to their guns, so that, horrible to relate, at each discharge the recoil threw back pieces of burning flesh, bespattering the men and covering them with blood and calcined remains.”

- Charles John Griffiths

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Apart from being an execution, it was intended to torture the victim into the afterlife, as all the remains could not be collected and a proper burial, according to Muslim and Hindu beliefs, could not be achieved.

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After obliterating the torso, five shrapnel limbs remain = Dry hopped five times, Five different hops, 10.5%

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Spicy wood, crisp orchard fruit, toasted coconut and watermelon aromatics that boldly carry over into flavor.

Slick mouthfeel and full body, finishes with back of the palate citrus bite. Balance of flavors with highlights of tropical fruit, blueberry skin, cane sugar sweetness and a warmth that builds..

Pairs well with:

Brand of Sacrifice - 

"The Branded"

Torn Apart by Trees

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15.4 % - BARLEYWINE -  Torn Apart by Trees   with Birch and Black Cherry Bark, Sarsaparilla, Ginger, Dandelion Root and Licorice Root.  Aged on Tahitian Vanilla.

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Having ties to Greek Mythology (Sinus being alternately titled  "Pityocamptes" or "pine bender") but more notably as a Roman military discipline.

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Emperor Aurelian who reigned from  270-275 CE had a reputation for strictness, to the point where if his soldiers seduced the wives of their hosts, he would subject them to being torn apart by two trees.  It was rumored that his wife Ulpia had cheated on him, which is why he had such a hatred for his own soldiers for luring women from   their husbands who were at war.

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Two young pliable trees were bent towards each other and tied together at the summit.  The condemned had his legs secured with ropes to the inner side of the trees, with arms secured to the outside.  The ropes tying the trees together was then cut, and the speed and strength of the trees recoiling would tear the victim in two.  The two halves of the body were usually left to dangle as a reminder and deterrent of future adultery.

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For a torture involving trees, it only made sense to include them as ingredients.

Using a combination of real bark/roots, along with the techniques of making old fashioned root beer, the unique wood, spicy flavors and slight tannins are balanced by malt sweetness. The aging on Tahitian Vanilla brings out subtle fruit from a complex grain bill as well as complementing the more subtle spice character.

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Old fashioned soda aromatics, anise, clove and sweet baking spice.

Charred whiskey barrel burn, black licorice, bing cherry, malted chocolate candy, with a rich finish of white oaked vanilla and tannic old fashioned root beer.

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Pairs well with:

Reflections  -

" Marionette "