Metal & Beer: Droids Attack Launch Aztec Astronaut Brew

Believe us, beer drinkers and metal fans, this is the wave of the future: band releases a new album along with a new collaboration beer with a local brewery. Madison, Wisconsin doom/stoner trio Droids Attack is the latest extreme band to go this route.

Looking for a fresh way to promote their fourth album, Sci-Fi or Die, they decided to work with a couple different Madison businesses to brew up a limited run beer sporting the cover art. Guitarist/vocalist Brad Van gave us the details of what the beer is about and how the band pulled it all together.

“The beer is called Aztec Astronaut based on the ancient alien themed cover art of our most recent album, Sci-Fi Or Die. A Madison area liquor store, Trixie’s Liquor, commissioned brewer Peter Schroder to come up with a recipe for us, and we all settled on a rich flavored double red IPA. It was then brewed and bottled at local nano brewery House Of Brews, and distributed for sale in a limited run of 360 22oz hand numbered bottles. Each bottle comes with a unique download code for our song ‘Brahma Astra’ off of SFoD.”

Due to the limited run, you’ll have a hard time getting your mitts on a bottle outside of Madison, but Aztec Astronaut will be on tap at select venues while it lasts. And maybe the band will even bring some bottles on tour, when they hit the road in June.

We managed to snag a couple bottles and can report that it’s a big burly beast of a red ale, loaded with big caramel, rich fruit and citrus notes. Definitely hefty, but still easy to throw back—a good pairing with the band’s muscular, gnarled grooves. There are apparently plans for similarly done Droids Attack collabs in the future, hopefully in larger runs.

6/16 – Des Moines, IA – Des Moines Social Club
6/17 – Omaha, NE – O’Leaver’s
6/18 – Denver, CO – Bar Bar
6/19 – Bozeman, MT – The Filling Station
6/20 – Spokane, WA – The Pin
6/21 – Seattle, WA – Substation
6/22 – Portland, OR – High Water Mark
6/23 – Eureka, CA – Little Red Lion
6/24 – Sacramento, CA – Starlite Lounge
6/25 – Los Angeles, CA – Viper Room
6/26 – Las Vegas, NV – Beauty Bar
6/27 – Tempe, AZ – Yucca Taproom
6/29 – San Antonio, TX – The Gold Bar
6/30 – Austin, TX – Swan Dive
7/1 – Oklahoma City, OK – Blue Note Lounge
7/2 – St Louis, MO – Fubar
7/3 – Chicago, IL – Township