Iron Maiden are in the midst of a world tour in support of their 2015 standout effort, The Book of Souls. As if the prospect of seeing the band live wasn't enough to leave fans salivating, the group has made an exciting announcement concerning their popular Trooper beer line. With Trooper Ale and a Trooper 666 already launched, they'll be ramping it up with another addition to the lineup in the form of the 'Red 'N' Black' porter, coming in September of this year.

Exchanging his singing and pilot hats for his brewing hat, Bruce Dickinson once again had a hand in crafting the brew, teaming up with Martyn Weeks, the head brewer at Robinsons Brewery. "I like tasting outside the box. Stouts and porters were virgin territory for me, so I just went by feel. Martyn and I hope we have created a new take on a classic beer and one which I hope will tickle the taste buds of ale fans in a pleasantly unexpected way," Dickinson commented.

The brew is named after the new, Steve Harris-penned song "The Red and the Black" off The Book of Souls. The song is another one of the bassist's brilliant epics, clocking in at over 13 minutes. It features some of the band's most triumphant melodies to date. The brew also wears the name well, appearing to be black, but is bathed in a red hue when held up to the light.

The team of Dickinson and Weeks looked to an early Robinsons recipe dating back to the mid-1800s that contained a blend of chocolate and crystal malts, yielding roasted malt and caramel on the palette. The brewery's yeast also has notes of licorice and honey. The Red 'N' Black porter contains the highest ABV of any Trooper beer thus far at 6.8 percent, just marginally higher than the Trooper 666 at 6.66 percent ABV.

"With millions of pints sold in 55 countries worldwide, it's safe to say that Trooper remains a phenomenal success," stated Robinsons Brewery brands manager John Robinson. "Last year, we released Trooper 666 at the request of the fans, and this year we are happy to be releasing another limited-edition beer that broadens the Trooper range in an ever evolving and vibrant beer market."

Iron Maiden's "The Book of Souls" tour saw the debut of the legends' new Ed Force One jumbo jet, which was custom-rigged to fly 20 tons of equipment, the band and the crew. The plane suffered a setback in Santiago, Chile during a refueling accident that left two of the engines badly damaged. Though the plane is out of commission for the foreseeable future, it did not disrupt any of Maiden's touring plans.

Trooper Red 'N' Black Porter Label

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