Perfect Pair: Coopers Best Extra Stout x ‘Child In Time’ By Deep Purple
Tumblers and turntables at the ready…
TASTING NOTES
Coopers Best Extra Stout: Winter is coming and there’s no better way to spend a cold, wet evening than curled up on the sofa with a hearty Coopers Best Extra Stout. Winner of the Best Porter or Stout at the 2024 Australian International Beer Awards, this rich and creamy drop has a remarkably dark texture thanks to the use of Coopers’ specialty roasted black malt. Resembling an espresso in a glass, Best Extra Stout blends fruit flavours with chocolate, delivering an initial burst of sweetness that gives way to an enjoyable bitter finish. With an ABV of 6.3 per cent, you don’t want to be knocking back a six-pack in one sitting, but a few quiet yellow labels while watching the footy is a great way to spend a rainy Saturday.
SLEEVE NOTES
Deep Purple’s ‘Child in Time: Taken from Deep Purple’s classic 1970 album, Deep Purple in Rock, ‘Child in Time’ is one of the band’s greatest achievements. Inspired by the Cold War, the 10-minute track is an enthralling exploration of prog sounds and experimental rock that begins as an atmospheric jazz composition before exploding into a fury of instrumentation and melodic vocals. Notable for singer Ian Gillan’s incredible vocal range and the fierce mid-song instrumental battle between guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and organist Jon Lord, ‘Child in Time’ is a powerful rock song that still resonates some 55 years after its release.
THEY’RE PERFECTLY PAIRED BECAUSE...
Both Coopers and Deep Purple are legendary names with a rich history of producing timeless classics. Pairing the two together is like a match made in heaven, with the strong flavours and bitter end taste of Best Extra Stout reflecting the lyrics of a song addressing the futility of war. Much like a glass of Coopers Best Extra Stout, which is to be savoured and cherished in comfortable surroundings (not skulled with mates down your local), ‘Child in Time’ is a complex and haunting track that deserves your full attention.
