Metallica launched their Enter Night Pilsner, an all-new beer collaboration with Stone Brewing’s Arrogant Consortia, at a small Los Angeles bar on Monday night. Drummer Lars Ulrich and bassist Rob Trujillo schmoozed with a few dozen friends and industry cats during the intimate launch, alongside Stone co-founder Greg Koch.
Black and red cans of 16-ounce Enter Night Pilsner were up for grabs in iced buckets throughout the night, as Ulrich, Trujillo and Koch addressed the crowd in high spirits. Styled after traditional Northern German Pilsners, the beer is smooth and hoppy, with a very light bitterness on the finish.
“I think we’re at a point now where we’re going to stop searching and stop thriving and this is … actually, we have an exclusive tonight, we’re retiring,” Ulrich said jokingly after a christening ceremonial Enter Night Pilsner toast. “Because this is the pinnacle of all of it … this is it. Just don’t tell James (Hetfield) and Kirk (Hammett).”
Ulrich proudly announced that Enter Night would soon be available “in every grocery store and liquor store and every rock and roll show near you in all 50 states.” Metallica fans had the opportunity to taste Enter Night early at the band’s shows throughout the fall. They’ve been rolling out small batches for preview sampling, particularly in the Midwest.
Koch recounted a tasting experience relayed from a fan, that “the beer was so awful, I took two sips and poured it down the drain.”
“Perfect,” Ulrich said. “It’s the St. Anger of beers.” The crowd erupted in laughter.
Then, the official catchphrase was done in unison, after a collective onstage chug: “Enter Night, people. Goddamn.”
Enter Night Pilsner will hit the U.S. distribution network early this year and will go worldwide in the spring. Use the beer finder here to find locations that sell Arrogant Consortia beers.
