While some people may still be recovering from St. Patrick's Day last month, another big drinking holiday hit us today (April 7): National Beer Day. The explosion of craft beer in the United States over the last decade, of course, warranted plenty of boozy collaborations between craft breweries and rock 'n' roll icons who love to get down with some ice cold ales. To help celebrate this sacred holiday, we've gather a list of eight bands who have done just that.
So, cheers to beers! Check out our list of eight rock bands with their own brews below:
1. Hanson
"MmmBop?" More like MmmHops... Though we may best remember Hanson as those adorable band of brothers with that too-catchy '90s hit, Zac, Taylor and Isaac Hanson are all over 21 now and passionate about craft beer. Their love of all things hop led to their cleverly named beer MmmHops, an American pale ale made by, of course The Hanson Brothers Beer Company. The Hanson brothers don't just brew and sell their own beer, they've also started a craft beer and music festival in their home state of Oklahoma, the Hop Jam Craft Beer & Music Festival.
2. Iron Maiden
What would you know... Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson is not only a wailer but also a big history and beer buff. So, of course he blended these passions together with Robinson's Brewery in the U.K. to create Iron Maiden's signature beer Trooper. The traditional English ale is noted to have "malt flavours and citric notes from a unique blend of Bobec, Goldings and Cascade hops," with a "subtle hint of lemon," though drinkers of the beer say it lacks the boldness that the band it's named after possesses.
3. Frank Turner
Frank Turner is the sort of metal head folk musician that you would expect his beer to be the boldest brew of the bunch, but for his Signature Brew collaboration Believe, the "Recovery" singer decided to go the refreshing route, for a beer you can drink all evening easily. Admitting that he's "beer drinking music," Turner decided to get involved in the process with a citrusy, orange flavored wheat beer. For fans who are looking to rock out with some Turner beer, unfortunately the beer is currently out of stock.
4. Pearl Jam
For the 20th anniversary as a band of its landmark debut album Ten in 2011, Pearl Jam teamed up with prolific craft brewery Dogfish Head for the Faithfull Ale, which remains on the brewery's rotating cycle of annual beers. A blend of a Belgian golden ale base, a big ol' batch of hops and some black currants make for a fruity, smooth beer with a 7 percent ABV.
5. The Grateful Dead
Pearl Jam isn't the only beer to get a tribute brew from Dogfish Head, the Grateful Dead got in on the beer game. Whereas the Grateful Dead chose the base recipe for what became American Beauty, Dogfish Head worked with the band's loyal fanbase for the final product for this 9 percent ABV imperial pale ale, one of the highest rated beers on this list. Described as being "sneaky strong," this beer was brewed with almond granola and tons of hops for a big, bold rock 'n' roll flavor.
6. Robert Johnson
Blues legend Robert Johnson may not still be around to create his own beer, but with the help of Sony Legacy, Dogfish Head (once again) crafted a beer in the man's honor, the highly regarded Hellhound On My Ale. To celebrate Johnson's 100th birthday in 2011, Dogfish Head created the insanely hoppy imperial IPA to get the hellhounds off Johnson's tail. A blend of Centennial hops and lemon peel made for a hoppy, citrusy brew that's the best-rated ale on this list.
7. Hootie & The Blowfish
As with most of the bands on this list, the beer and the music go hand in hand for Hootie & The Blowfish's Rock Brothers collaboration, the Hootie's Home Grown Ale. Pulling influence from the band's hometown of Charleston, South Carolina - where the beer also happens to be brewed - this American blonde ale brings together Carolina Gold Rice with lemongrass for an easy, breezy all day drinking experience that's just as relaxed as the college rock of the band its named after.
8. KISS
Would any band endorsement list be complete without KISS? From caskets to action figures to Christmas specials, these glam metal rockers have made and released it all, so why not get into the beer market? In 2011, KISS created that "hottest beer in the world," Detroyer for a launch in Europe. Despite bold promises, the beer failed to really resonate with reviewers, notching the lowest rating of these eight beers, and it seems to no longer be in frequent production. But, hopefully it allowed for someone to party every day for at least a while.
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